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1 / 25#25. Western Christian High School
- Location: Hull, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 285 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
Best private high schools in Iowa
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, education is key: 1.4 million students enrolled in private high schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. There were about 3,600 private secondary schools nationwide as of 2020.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these private high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to send their kids to better schools. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Iowa using 2027 rankings from Niche. Online schools were not included. Niche uses 10 weighted factors for its rankings, including: college enrollment, culture and diversity, parent/student surveys, top enrolled colleges, and student-teacher ratio. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
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2 / 25#24. Columbus Catholic High School
- Location: Waterloo, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 276 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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3 / 25#23. Valley Lutheran School
- Location: Cedar Falls, IA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 181 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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4 / 25#22. Newman Catholic School
- Location: Mason City, IA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 744 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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5 / 25#21. Marquette Catholic School
- Location: Bellevue, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 215 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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6 / 25#20. Ankeny Christian Academy
- Location: Ankeny, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 476 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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7 / 25#19. St. Albert Catholic Schools
- Location: Council Bluffs, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 562 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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8 / 25#18. Hillcrest Academy
- Location: Kalona, IA
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 197 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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9 / 25#17. Don Bosco High School
- Location: Gilbertville, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 299 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+
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10 / 25#16. Des Moines Christian School
- Location: Urbandale, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,096 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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11 / 25#15. Wahlert Catholic High School
- Location: Dubuque, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 458 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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12 / 25#14. Assumption High School
- Location: Davenport, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 450 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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13 / 25#13. Cedar Ridge Christian School
- Location: Cedar Falls, IA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 364 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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14 / 25#12. Xavier High School
- Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 600 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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15 / 25#11. Storm Lake St. Mary's Schools
- Location: Storm Lake, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 271 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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16 / 25#10. Grand View Christian School
- Location: Des Moines, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 270 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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17 / 25#9. Joshua Christian Academy
- Location: Des Moines, IA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 312 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
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18 / 25#8. Iowa Conservatory
- Location: Iowa City, IA
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 31 (2:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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19 / 25#7. Regina Catholic Education Center
- Location: Iowa, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 891 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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20 / 25#6. Bishop Heelan Catholic High School
- Location: Sioux City, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 499 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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21 / 25#5. Dowling Catholic High School
- Location: West Des Moines, IA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,391 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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22 / 25#4. Mount Pleasant Christian School
- Location: Mount Pleasant, IA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 37 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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23 / 25#3. Scattergood Friends School
- Location: West Branch, IA
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 45 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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24 / 25#2. Rivermont Collegiate
- Location: Bettendorf, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 191 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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25 / 25#1. Maharishi School
- Location: Fairfield, IA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 156 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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