Special Report
Most Expensive Private High Schools in America
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As the summer comes to an end, an estimated 56.6 million American children and teens will soon attend school. Some 3.7 million students are expected to graduate from high school at the end of the academic year — and about 9% of them will receive diplomas from private, rather than public institutions.
Unlike public schools, which are largely funded by local taxes, private schools derive revenue from tuition fees. For many parents, tuition costs are worth it for some of the benefits private schools typically offer. These can include flexibility in curriculum design, smaller class sizes, the option for a single sex education, and perhaps most importantly, a better quality education as evidenced by higher overall standardized test scores.
For these and other advantages a private high school education can provide, some parents are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars a year. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed yearly tuition data for over 3,000 private high schools to identify the most expensive private high schools in America. Tuition costs came from Niche, a school data clearinghouse.
For many American students, high school is a stepping stone to college — and college admissions are more competitive now than ever before. A private high school education can often provide students with a leg-up in the college admissions process. This can be especially important for those with the goal of getting into the best college or university possible. These are the hardest colleges to get into in each state.
It is important to note that tuition cost is not necessarily an indication of school quality and reputation. While this list certainly includes some of the most prestigious private high schools in the country, there are also many renowned institutions with lower tuitions than any schools on this list. Here is a list of the best private high school in each state.
Click here to see the most expensive private high schools in America
Click here to read our methodology
50. Léman Manhattan Preparatory School
> Yearly tuition: $50,850
> Enrollment: 880
> Student teacher ratio: 9:1
> Location: New York, New York
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49. The Hewitt School
> Yearly tuition: $50,900
> Enrollment: 525
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: New York, New York
48. Middlesex School
> Yearly tuition: $51,212
> Enrollment: 409
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Concord, Massachusetts
47. The Rivers School
> Yearly tuition: $51,400
> Enrollment: 504
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Weston, Massachusetts
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46. The Lawrenceville School
> Yearly tuition: $51,440
> Enrollment: 822
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: Lawrenceville, New Jersey
45. Concord Academy
> Yearly tuition: $51,455
> Enrollment: 401
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Concord, Massachusetts
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44. Milton Academy
> Yearly tuition: $51,460
> Enrollment: 1,020
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: Milton, Massachusetts
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43. Marymount School of New York
> Yearly tuition: $51,750
> Enrollment: 759
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: New York, New York
42. Trevor Day School
> Yearly tuition: $52,600
> Enrollment: 785
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: New York, New York
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41. Shattuck-St. Mary’s School
> Yearly tuition: $52,750
> Enrollment: 501
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Faribault, Minnesota
40. Squaw Valley Academy
> Yearly tuition: $52,950
> Enrollment: 62
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Olympic Valley, California
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39. American University Preparatory School
> Yearly tuition: $53,000
> Enrollment: 23
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Los Angeles, California
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38. Horace Mann School
> Yearly tuition: $53,200
> Enrollment: 1,694
> Student teacher ratio: 8:1
> Location: Bronx, New York
36. Collegiate School (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $53,900
> Enrollment: 651
> Student teacher ratio: 8:1
> Location: New York, New York
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36. St. Thomas More School (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $53,900
> Enrollment: 110
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Oakdale, Connecticut
35. Linden Hall
> Yearly tuition: $54,200
> Enrollment: 212
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Lititz, Pennsylvania
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34. Learning Prep School
> Yearly tuition: $54,849
> Enrollment: 194
> Student teacher ratio: 2:1
> Location: West Newton, Massachusetts
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33. The MacDuffie School
> Yearly tuition: $55,450
> Enrollment: 274
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Granby, Massachusetts
32. St. Andrew’s School
> Yearly tuition: $55,500
> Enrollment: 310
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Middletown, Delaware
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31. Grier School
> Yearly tuition: $55,900
> Enrollment: 300
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Birmingham, Pennsylvania
30. Vincent Smith School
> Yearly tuition: $56,300
> Enrollment: 57
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Port Washington, New York
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29. Avenues: The World School
> Yearly tuition: $56,400
> Enrollment: 1,537
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: New York, New York
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28. Eagle Hill School
> Yearly tuition: $57,200
> Enrollment: 210
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Hardwick, Massachusetts
27. Woodberry Forest School
> Yearly tuition: $57,250
> Enrollment: 399
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: Woodberry Forest, Virginia
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25. South Kent School (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $58,000
> Enrollment: 170
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: South Kent, Connecticut
25. The Churchill School & Center (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $58,000
> Enrollment: 399
> Student teacher ratio: 7:1
> Location: New York, New York
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24. Kent School
> Yearly tuition: $58,450
> Enrollment: 575
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Kent, Connecticut
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23. Midland School
> Yearly tuition: $58,600
> Enrollment: 75
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Los Olivos, California
22. The Hill School
> Yearly tuition: $59,050
> Enrollment: 525
> Student teacher ratio: 8:1
> Location: Pottstown, Pennsylvania
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21. Northwood School
> Yearly tuition: $59,920
> Enrollment: 193
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Lake Placid, New York
20. Chamberlain International School
> Yearly tuition: $60,000
> Enrollment: 77
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Middleboro, Massachusetts
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19. Landmark School
> Yearly tuition: $60,400
> Enrollment: 475
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Prides Crossing, Massachusetts
18. Episcopal High School
> Yearly tuition: $60,900
> Enrollment: 451
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Alexandria, Virginia
17. Salisbury School
> Yearly tuition: $61,000
> Enrollment: 310
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Salisbury, Connecticut
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16. Newgrange School
> Yearly tuition: $61,189
> Enrollment: 87
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Hamilton, New Jersey
15. The Storm King School
> Yearly tuition: $61,700
> Enrollment: 198
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York
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13. St. Paul’s School (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $62,000
> Enrollment: 534
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Concord, New Hampshire
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13. Trinity-Pawling School (tied)
> Yearly tuition: $62,000
> Enrollment: 286
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Pawling, New York
12. Wasatch Academy
> Yearly tuition: $62,300
> Enrollment: 296
> Student teacher ratio: 6:1
> Location: Mt Pleasant, Utah
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11. Aaron School
> Yearly tuition: $62,750
> Enrollment: 152
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: New York, New York
10. IMG Academy
> Yearly tuition: $63,000
> Enrollment: 994
> Student teacher ratio: 12:1
> Location: Bradenton, Florida
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9. Berkshire School
> Yearly tuition: $64,200
> Enrollment: 408
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Sheffield, Massachusetts
8. The Lang School
> Yearly tuition: $65,000
> Enrollment: 50
> Student teacher ratio: 2:1
> Location: New York, New York
7. Mary McDowell Friends School
> Yearly tuition: $66,010
> Enrollment: 398
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Brooklyn, New York
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6. The Oxford Academy
> Yearly tuition: $67,000
> Enrollment: 48
> Student teacher ratio: 2:1
> Location: Westbrook, Connecticut
5. The Woodhall School
> Yearly tuition: $74,500
> Enrollment: 42
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Bethlehem, Connecticut
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4. The Quad Preparatory School
> Yearly tuition: $74,850
> Enrollment: 113
> Student teacher ratio: 2:1
> Location: New York, New York
3. Brehm Preparatory School
> Yearly tuition: $77,500
> Enrollment: 64
> Student teacher ratio: 4:1
> Location: Carbondale, Illinois
2. Forman School
> Yearly tuition: $78,600
> Enrollment: 230
> Student teacher ratio: 3:1
> Location: Litchfield, Connecticut
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1. Shortridge Academy
> Yearly tuition: $85,000
> Enrollment: 40
> Student teacher ratio: 5:1
> Location: Milton, New Hampshire
Methodology
To identify the most expensive private high schools in America, 24/7 Wall St. pulled yearly tuition data for 3,000 private schools in the U.S. from Niche. Schools that withheld tuition information, or schools where the cost of tuition is dependent on a variety of factors (income, grades, etc.), were excluded from consideration. The number of students, student-to-teacher ratio, and the schools overall rank in the nation also came from Niche.
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