Posh uniforms. Swanky facilities. Trips abroad. All of these conjure the image of the best private high schools in the US.
Only about 10% of students in the US attend private high schools. And oftentimes, these students leave their public school counterparts in the dust.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress examined public and private school students in math, reading, science, writing, and more — and in almost all of them, the private school kids performed better.
From there, it’s an easy matter to move on to elite university placements. Think of the Ivy Leagues like Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Princeton — you name it, they’ve got it.
The statistics of success for private schools look attractive on record, but are private schools in the US really that much better than public?
Public vs. private high schools
There’s no tip-toeing around the fact that many of the best private high schools in the US are expensive.
Public schools are more accessible to many lower- to middle-class families because they are tuition-free from the age of five to 18 — courtesy of taxpayers. Going to a private school means adding an additional price tag to your books, which may spike up to US$60,000.
Not everyone can afford to attend a private school, much less the best private high schools in the US. Some of the best high schools in the US in terms of the quality of education are public: the Staten Island Technical High School, Maggie Walker Governer’s School, Walter Payton College Prep, and more. All three schools have a 99% average graduation rate and a 1400 to 1410 average SAT score.
Yet, on the same side of the picture, things are a little more bleak.
Certain public high schools face a distinct lack of funding. This results in fewer working facilities, less money to hire qualified teachers, and fewer learning resources for students to better their skills. These are things which private high school students have almost unlimited access to.
Ultimately, there’s no guarantee that your child will succeed in a private high school, the same way they’re not guaranteed to fail in a public school. It is simply a matter of hard work, effort, and — fortunately or unfortunately — some luck.
Private high schools often have teachers who are trained subject matter experts, small-sized classrooms fit for gaining personalised attention from said teachers, and cutting-edge facilities. In contrast, public schools are much less of a cost burden, much more diverse in student backgrounds, are more accessible to the community, and their teachers are certified to you know — teach.
If you’re looking to send your child to one of the best private high schools in the US, then we’ve compiled a list of the top candidates in the running — along with what each one actually costs, how financial aid works, and how often graduates land at Ivy League schools.
These highly-ranked schools nurture students into adventurous and independent learners, ranking in top-notch grades and entrances into the most prestigious universities worldwide.
These are the best private high schools in the US
Nowadays, public schools account for half of enrolment at Ivy League universities — so it’s not just private schools alone.
1. St. John’s Prep (Boston, MA)
Massachusetts is chock-full of highly-ranked private high schools, and one of them is St. John’s Prep, located in the city of Danvers — a suburb just northeast of Boston.
It’s an all-boys middle and high school, with 90 communities represented in the student population from grades six to 12. Founded by the Xaverian Brothers in 1907 as a Catholic school, their education is embedded in five core values: simplicity, humility, compassion, trust, and zeal.
That education carries a price, though a manageable one for most families. Tuition for 2026-27 runs US$36,885 for grades 6 through 12 and US$49,560 for international students, covering tuition refund insurance plus an iPad and meal plan in Middle School.
St. John’s leans hard on aid to keep that number realistic: the school awarded US$10 million in tuition assistance for 2025-26, with 44% of students receiving need-based aid and an average award of US$15,316.
Top applicants can also compete for the St. Francis Xavier Merit Scholarship, a US$10,000-per-year award that stacks on top of any need-based aid. That investment shows up at graduation, where students attend some of the best colleges and universities in the world, including all Ivy League Schools and top-10 universities such as the University of Chicago and Duke University.
2. The Brearley School (New York, NY)
In the iconic Upper East Side where Blair Waldorf paraded her attitude in “Gossip Girl,” the Brearley School stands as the top all-girls high school in the US, according to Niche’s 2025 ranking.
With nearly 140 years of history, the Brearley girls experience a collaborative culture through their education, aided by a support system that helps them reach their full potential. Here, girls are encouraged to explore their intellect and learn outdoors as much as they do indoors.
Tuition sits at a flat US$69,600 for all grades K-12 in 2026-27, covering books, lunch, technology, co-curricular classes, and field trips.
Brearley backs that price tag with real money: this year, the school is awarding US$10.4 million in financial aid to 21% of students and is launching a Free Tuition Programme covering the full cost for families earning US$100,000 or less with limited assets.
That financial investment pays off in placements. Between 2020 and 2024, Brearley placed 124 students at Ivy League schools — 39.6% of its graduating classes over that period,
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3. The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, NJ)
One of the best private high schools in the US lives in nature’s lush green surroundings in the Lawrence Township of New Jersey, and it’s the Lawrenceville School. It’s a co-educational school for boarding and day students, and its prestige also makes it one of the most expensive schools in the state and the country.
It’s especially known for its house system, which serves as a home away from home for students travelling from far away.
Students learn about the world during their time at Lawrenceville too, with educational opportunities that take them beyond the classroom. One example is the Harkness Travel Programme, which has taken students to faraway places like Italy, Indonesia, Germany, and more.
That prestige comes at a cost: tuition for 2026-27 runs US$82,710 for boarding students and US$68,060 for day students.
To keep that price from shutting families out, Lawrenceville meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for domestic applicants, awarding grants to more than 30% of families. There are no merit scholarships; every award is need-based, applications run through Clarity, and the priority deadline falls on January 15.
Lawrenceville’s Ivy placements run especially deep at Princeton, 15 minutes down the road. Over the five most recently reported years (2019-2023), 39 Lawrenceville graduates enrolled at Princeton (3.32% of that five-year cohort), 26 at Harvard (2.40%), and 25 at Yale (2.37%)
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4. The Roxbury Latin School (Boston, MA)
The Roxbury Latin School, located in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, is North America’s oldest boys school, having been founded back in 1645. Today, Roxbury Latin has built its name and acclaim over the past 380 years to become one of the best private high schools in the US.
Students from grades seven to 12 experience a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio with no more than 12 as an average class size. This means that the kids are getting the required attention to grow to their full potential. They’re one of the more diverse private boys’ high schools, and the faculty and staff take extra care to ensure that their needs are heard and fulfilled.
That personal attention doesn’t come with the price tag you’d expect. Tuition for 2025-26 is US$42,200, and it covers only about 40% of the school’s US$77,340 per-student budgeted cost — the rest comes from the Annual Fund and endowment income.
That gap is deliberate. 39% of students receive need-based financial aid, with awards this year ranging from US$1,000 to the full US$42,200, meaning some students attend tuition-free.
Roxbury Latin’s Ivy League placement runs deep across the league. According to the school’s own published matriculation list, between 2020 and 2025 Roxbury Latin sent 83 graduates to Ivy League schools: 32 to Harvard, 18 to Brown, 11 to Dartmouth, 7 to Yale, 5 each to Princeton and Cornell, 3 to Columbia, and 2 to Penn.
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5. The Madeira School (McLean, VA)
Just a few minutes from Washington, DC, you’ll find the elite boarding and day college preparatory school designed just for girls — The Madeira School. Here, girls are fierce fighters who transform into women who are ready to lead the world through change, no matter what their passions are.
Students integrate themselves into the community, fostering a global literacy that you simply can’t get from sitting idle in the classroom. Their classes are longer, but there are also fewer, much like in college, which gives the girls plenty of time to get involved with co-curricular clubs and internship programmes.
That kind of individualised schedule carries a comprehensive fee: tuition for 2026-27 is US$77,100 for boarding students and US$60,000 for day students, which covers most school expenses, including all meals for both boarding and day students.
Madeira offsets that cost with more than US$4 million in grants and scholarships awarded annually. Aid is tied to boarding or day status and is renewed each year based on continued demonstrated need. The school also offers a small number of merit scholarships, awarded on the basis of talent, leadership, and fit rather than achievement alone.
On the Ivy front, Madeira’s numbers are more modest than the boys’ and co-ed schools on this list. The Class of 2026 — Madeira’s most recent cohort — offers the clearest snapshot: 88 seniors were admitted to 195 colleges combined and chose among 56 different destinations, including Duke University, New York University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, and two students headed to Yale University.
6. Loomis Chaffee School (Windsor, CT)
In the corporate and technological hub of Windsor, Connecticut, over 700 students from grades nine to 12 are contributing to the greater good of society in a diverse institution with a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio. It’s a place where 51 countries are represented by the student body, every student is heard, and every interest is fulfilled — the Loomis Chaffee School.
Their liberal arts curriculum emphasises creativity in thought, highlighting individual perspectives through healthy discussion. They’re pioneers of innovation too, with centres such as the Alvord Centre for Global & Environmental Studies giving a chance for students to make a change.
That kind of programme isn’t cheap, though it runs below several peer schools: boarding tuition sits at approximately US$77,340, with day tuition set lower, a legacy of a school that was actually tuition-free until the 1960s.
Loomis backs that up with US$13 million in financial aid awarded for 2025-26, reaching 32% of the student body with grants ranging from US$1,000 up to full tuition and an average grant covering 80% of tuition.
Students with significant financial need from underrepresented backgrounds who also show leadership potential can additionally qualify for the Henry R. Kravis ’63 Scholars Programme, which layers on extra support, including a fully funded pre-Loomis summer enrichment experience.
Loomis Chaffee’s five-year matriculation list shows four or more students enrolling at every one of the eight Ivy League schools, such as Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, and more, between 2020 and 2024.
7. The Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, CT)
Hotchkiss School isn’t just good, it is one of the best private high schools in the US.
In fact, it was ranked the #1 private high school and #1 boarding school in America by Niche. Hotchkiss has built a reputation for academic excellence and next-level opportunities.
Known for its academic excellence and emphasis on innovation, the school was also named Niche’s #1 best high school for STEM in Connecticut.
That reputation comes with one of the higher price tags on this list: tuition for 2026-27 totals US$80,800 for boarding students and US$68,700 for day students, each figure combining tuition with the technology fee and health services fee.
Hotchkiss offsets that cost aggressively. 34% of students receive financial aid, with an average inclusive grant of US$65,701, drawn from a total aid budget exceeding US$14.3 million a year.
Hotchkiss students are equipped to thrive, and this is seen as they have had over 116 Ivy League acceptances between 2020 and 2024.
Located in Lakeville, Connecticut, Hotchkiss keeps things personal with just 611 students and a 4:1 student-teacher ratio.
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8. Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH)
Next on the list is Phillips Exeter Academy, a school ranked second on Niche’s 2026 list of Best Private High Schools in America.
Located in Exeter, this co-educational school enrols more than 1,000 students from across the US and 37 countries, making it the most diverse private high school in New Hampshire.
Not only is the school known for its excellent academics and small 5:1 student-teacher ratio, but it also excels in STEM education, ranking #1 among the best high schools for STEM in New Hampshire.
Its boarding tuition has been approximately US$71,797 at the recently published rate scales, with day tuition set lower at US$56,077.
Exeter practices need-blind admission and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. Since a 2024 policy change, families earning less than US$125,000 a year pay no tuition at all — Exeter covers tuition, books, academic supplies, and a computer stipend for them.
Nearly half of all students receive some form of financial aid, and the school provides around US$25 million in assistance annually.
Across 2021-2023, Exeter placed 10 or more graduates per year at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and MIT, and fewer than 10 per year at Stanford, out of a senior class of roughly 323 students.
9. Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford, CT)
Ranked third by Niche, Choate Rosemary Hall is considered one of the top private high schools in the US.
The school stands out for its rigorous academics and exceptional university preparation, earning it the #1 spot among Connecticut’s best college-prep private high schools.
With a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, faculty support and strong mentorship opportunities, Choate Rosemary Hall ensures every student’s needs are met.
That level of support comes at a cost: boarding tuition for 2026-27 runs approximately US$74,530, with day tuition around US$57,610.
Choate meets that cost head-on for families in need. Its financial aid budget for 2025-26 was US$16.5 million, reaching 35% of students with grants ranging from US$1,000 to full tuition, with an average award offsetting 80% of tuition. The school commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for every admitted family.
On top of standard need-based aid, a set of named scholar programmes — including the Choate Icahn Scholars Programme and the Gakio-Walton International Scholars — layer on additional support, such as travel and book stipends, for students who qualify.
Choate’s strongest Ivy League pipeline runs to Yale. Between 2019 and 2023, out of a roughly 230-student senior class each year, Choate sent 41 graduates to Yale (3.48% of that five-year cohort), 20 to Harvard (1.74%), 14 to Stanford (1.22%), 13 to Princeton (1.13%), and 8 to MIT (0.70%).
Best private high schools in the US and how much they cost
| School | Location | Type | Tuition (latest available in USD) |
| St. John’s Prep | Danvers, MA | Day (all-boys) | $36,885 |
| The Brearley School | New York, NY | Day (all-girls) | $69,600 |
| The Lawrenceville School | Lawrenceville, NJ | Boarding / Day (co-ed) | $82,710 boarding / $68,060 day |
| The Roxbury Latin School | Boston, MA | Day (all-boys) | $42,200 |
| The Madeira School | McLean, VA | Boarding / Day (all-girls) | $77,100 boarding / $60,000 day |
| Loomis Chaffee School | Windsor, CT | Boarding / Day (co-ed) | $77,340 boarding / $59,460 day |
| The Hotchkiss School | Lakeville, CT | Boarding / Day (co-ed) | $80,800 boarding / $68,700 day |
| Phillips Exeter Academy | Exeter, NH | Boarding / Day (co-ed) | $71,797 boarding / $56,077 day |
| Choate Rosemary Hall | Wallingford, CT | Boarding / Day (co-ed) | $74,530 boarding / $57,610 day |
Disclaimer: This article was updated on July 16, 2026.
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