Best private high schools in Georgia
Private schools, in some form, existed long before the concept of free public education in America. Students were often educated through church-sponsored programs, private tutoring, and boarding schools. Public schools on a large scale were proposed by Horace Mann in the 1830s. The concept gained momentum, and by 1870, nearly 80% of kids aged 5 to 14 were enrolled in public schools. Today, according to the most recent enrollment data, about 4.7 million students—or 10% of students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12—are enrolled in private schools.
Private schools are widely marketed as a better option when compared to public schools, and private school proponents will often point to standardized test scores to substantiate this claim. While private school students have consistently outperformed public school students on standardized tests, recent studies have shown private schools themselves are not the primary driver of success, nor are standardized tests the most accurate measure of student well-being.
Researchers have found that student success is more directly related to family attributes, like having parents who graduated from college, and higher incomes—more common amongst private school students than public school students—than simply whether the students attended a public or private school.
Still, private schools provide unique advantages and opportunities like smaller class sizes, more individualized instruction, and greater curricular flexibility. To better understand how private school offerings vary across the country, Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Georgia using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses eight weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics and grades, but other factors include culture and diversity, health and safety, clubs and activities, resources, and surveys of parents, teachers and students.
#30. Ben Franklin Academy
- Enrollment: 140 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: 9-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#29. Midtown International School
- Enrollment: 234 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#28. Stratford Academy
- Enrollment: 825 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Macon
- Niche grade: A+
#27. Mount Paran Christian School
- Enrollment: 1,255 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Kennesaw
- Niche grade: A+
#26. Landmark Christian School
- Enrollment: 1,038 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Fairburn
- Niche grade: A+
#25. Greater Atlanta Christian School
- Enrollment: 1,669 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Norcross
- Niche grade: A+
#24. Brandon Hall School
- Enrollment: 141 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: 6-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#23. Mount Pisgah Christian School
- Enrollment: 670 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Johns Creek
- Niche grade: A+
#22. Holy Spirit Preparatory School
- Enrollment: 444 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#21. The Mount Vernon School
- Enrollment: 1,235 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#20. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
- Enrollment: 680 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Rabun Gap
- Niche grade: A+
#19. Darlington School
- Enrollment: 777 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Rome
- Niche grade: A+
#18. Notre Dame Academy
- Enrollment: 336 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Duluth
- Niche grade: A+
#17. Atlanta Girls' School
- Enrollment: 194 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: 6-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#16. Marist School
- Enrollment: 1,100 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: 7-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#15. Wesleyan School
- Enrollment: 1,171 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Peachtree Corners
- Niche grade: A+
#14. The Galloway School
- Enrollment: 750 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#13. Athens Academy
- Enrollment: 915 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Athens
- Niche grade: A+
#12. Augusta Preparatory Day School
- Enrollment: 442 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Augusta
- Niche grade: A+
#11. The Savannah Country Day School
- Enrollment: 993 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Savannah
- Niche grade: A+
#10. Pinecrest Academy
- Enrollment: 454 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Cumming
- Niche grade: A+
#9. Holy Innocents' Episcopal School
- Enrollment: 1,362 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#8. The Walker School
- Enrollment: 916 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Marietta
- Niche grade: A+
#7. The Lovett School
- Enrollment: 1,646 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#6. Woodward Academy
- Enrollment: 2,525 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: College Park
- Niche grade: A+
#5. The Paideia School
- Enrollment: 1,023 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#4. Pace Academy
- Enrollment: 1,120 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#3. Atlanta International School
- Enrollment: 1,314 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
#2. Fulton Science Academy Private School
- Enrollment: 946 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: PK, K-12
- City: Alpharetta
- Niche grade: A+
#1. The Westminster Schools
- Enrollment: 1,900 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Grades served: K-12
- City: Atlanta
- Niche grade: A+
