Summer vacation has only just begun for most American schools, which means a break for many parents and kids. But for some, this is a time of preparation for applications for private high school. Many such schools across the country begin accepting applications in the fall or even in some cases the late summer.
Most American children are enrolled in public, taxpayer-funded schools, but millions of parents still opt to pay for what they believe is a superior education. Private schools charge tuition, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, but many do offer advantages over public options.
Private schools frequently have smaller class sizes, allowing for more personalized instruction and closer student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships. A number of private schools also have more rigorous academic standards than public schools and emphasize a well-rounded education that extends beyond the classroom. Private school students tend to have higher standardized test scores and are more likely to later attend top-tier colleges and universities than those with a public education. Additionally, unlike public schools, private institutions can have a religious affiliation or a single-sex student body, which may be important to some parents.
There are over 30,000 private institutions to choose from, so parents who can afford it and wish to have plenty of options. However, some private high schools stand out and have a reputation for offering an especially high-quality education.
Using data compiled by education research platform Niche, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 best private high schools in America for 2023. Niche ranked schools based on a weighted index of six measures, including class size, self-reported standardized test scores, post-graduate college enrollment, and parent and student surveys. A full description of each measure and its weighting is available here. (Also check out: the best public high schools in America.)
Most of the private high schools on this list are in the Northeast, particularly in New York state and the New England region, though California alone is home to 14, the most of any state. Some of these schools are centuries old, and many have a distinguished group of alumni, including U.S. presidents, senators, and supreme court justices, as well as notable artists, writers, athletes, and business leaders.
It is important to note that while some of these schools offer financial assistance packages, tuition costs are beyond what most families can likely afford. A single year at nearly every high school on this list costs more than $30,000, and half of them charge over $50,000. In many cases, these figures do not include room and board.
Click here to see the best private high schools in America.
50. The Overlake School
> Location: Redmond, WA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1430 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $34,355
> Total enrollment: 529
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49. University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
> Location: Chicago, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1440 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 31 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $33,558
> Total enrollment: 2,051
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48. The Thacher School
> Location: Ojai, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $53,670
> Total enrollment: 259
47. The Westminster Schools
> Location: Atlanta, GA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $34,106
> Total enrollment: 1,900
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46. Middlesex School
> Location: Concord, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $55,970
> Total enrollment: 409
45. Rye Country Day School
> Location: Rye, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $50,000
> Total enrollment: 951
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44. The Quarry Lane School
> Location: Dublin, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $41,902
> Total enrollment: 850
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43. Cate School
> Location: Carpinteria, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $49,700
> Total enrollment: 298
42. Milton Academy
> Location: Milton, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $57,800
> Total enrollment: 1,020
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41. Lakeside School
> Location: Seattle, WA
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1450 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $32,000
> Total enrollment: 838
40. Concord Academy
> Location: Concord, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1390 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $52,740
> Total enrollment: 398
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39. The Loomis Chaffee School
> Location: Windsor, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1390 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 31 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $49,670
> Total enrollment: 726
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38. Head-Royce School
> Location: Oakland, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $51,000
> Total enrollment: 900
37. Sidwell Friends School
> Location: Washington, DC
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1430 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $51,650
> Total enrollment: 1,145
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36. The Spence School
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1500 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $60,880
> Total enrollment: 751
35. Polytechnic School
> Location: Pasadena, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $41,900
> Total enrollment: 872
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34. The Harker School
> Location: San Jose, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1490 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $56,650
> Total enrollment: 1,972
33. John Burroughs School
> Location: St. Louis, MO
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1430 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $32,800
> Total enrollment: 660
32. Newark Academy
> Location: Livingston, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $47,120
> Total enrollment: 674
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31. Hopkins School
> Location: New Haven, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1440 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $48,650
> Total enrollment: 712
30. Georgetown Day School
> Location: Washington, DC
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $46,682
> Total enrollment: 1,075
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29. Ransom Everglades School
> Location: Coconut Grove, FL
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $45,810
> Total enrollment: 1,141
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28. Noble and Greenough School
> Location: Dedham, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $54,500
> Total enrollment: 614
27. The Bishop’s School
> Location: San Diego, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $41,040
> Total enrollment: 800
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26. Convent of the Sacred Heart
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1430 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $58,600
> Total enrollment: 699
25. Collegiate School
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1490 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $53,900
> Total enrollment: 651
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24. Flintridge Preparatory School
> Location: La Canada Flintridge, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $41,500
> Total enrollment: 530
23. The Pingry School
> Location: Basking Ridge, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $47,336
> Total enrollment: 1,197
22. Deerfield Academy
> Location: Deerfield, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $44,735
> Total enrollment: 658
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21. Horace Mann School
> Location: Bronx, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1440 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $59,800
> Total enrollment: 1,802
20. Regis High School
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1470 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: N/A
> Total enrollment: 532
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19. The Lawrenceville School
> Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1440 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $73,220
> Total enrollment: 822
18. Castilleja School
> Location: Palo Alto, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1460 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $56,500
> Total enrollment: 416
17. St. Paul’s School
> Location: Concord, NH
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1410 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $62,000
> Total enrollment: 531
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16. Crystal Springs Uplands School
> Location: Hillsborough, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1480 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $56,620
> Total enrollment: 569
15. Princeton International School of Math and Science
> Location: Princeton, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1490 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: N/A
> Annual tuition: $43,000
> Total enrollment: 120
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14. The Hotchkiss School
> Location: Lakeville, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1420 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 32 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $65,490
> Total enrollment: 599
13. The Brearley School
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1520 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $58,700
> Total enrollment: 772
12. Stanford Online High School
> Location: Redwood City, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1480 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $28,160
> Total enrollment: 903
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11. Riverdale Country School
> Location: Bronx, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1450 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $51,295
> Total enrollment: 1,273
10. The Nueva School
> Location: Hillsborough, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1500 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $53,350
> Total enrollment: 853
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9. Commonwealth School
> Location: Boston, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1490 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $52,502
> Total enrollment: 154
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8. The College Preparatory School
> Location: Oakland, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1480 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $51,990
> Total enrollment: 370
7. St. Mark’s School of Texas
> Location: Dallas, TX
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1480 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $29,496
> Total enrollment: 863
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6. Trinity School
> Location: New York, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1500 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 34 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $47,965
> Total enrollment: 1,001
5. Groton School
> Location: Groton, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1450 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $46,720
> Total enrollment: 380
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4. Phillips Exeter Academy
> Location: Exeter, NH
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1450 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $38,740
> Total enrollment: 1,085
3. Choate Rosemary Hall
> Location: Wallingford, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1400 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $50,910
> Total enrollment: 868
2. Harvard-Westlake School
> Location: Los Angeles, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1470 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $42,600
> Total enrollment: 1,620
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1. Phillips Academy Andover
> Location: Andover, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
> Avg. SAT score: 1470 out of 1600
> Avg. ACT score: 33 out of 36
> Annual tuition: $51,380
> Total enrollment: 1,187
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