Best private high schools in Alabama

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 Alabama 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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#25. Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 725 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#24. Eastwood Christian School

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 270 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#23. Holy Spirit Catholic School

- Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 491 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#22. Alabama Christian Academy

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 692 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#21. The Westminster School at Oak Mountain

- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 599 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#20. Bayside Academy

- Location: Daphne, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 827 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#19. Southern Preparatory Academy

- Location: Camp Hill, AL
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 123 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#18. Springwood School

- Location: Lanett, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 289 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#17. Madison Academy

- Location: Madison, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 867 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#16. The Donoho School

- Location: Anniston, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 334 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#15. Houston Academy

- Location: Dothan, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 738 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#14. Valley Fellowship Christian Academy

- Location: Huntsville, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 390 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#13. John Carroll Catholic High School

- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 567 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#12. UMS-Wright Preparatory School

- Location: Mobile, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,241 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#11. St. Bernard Preparatory School

- Location: Cullman, AL
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 130 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#10. St. Luke's Episcopal School

- Location: Mobile, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 461 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#9. Westminster Christian Academy

- Location: Huntsville, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 982 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#8. St. John Paul II Catholic High School

- Location: Huntsville, AL
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 372 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#7. Trinity Presbyterian School

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 579 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#6. Hoover Christian School

- Location: Hoover, AL
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 57 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#5. Saint James School

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 855 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#4. The Montgomery Academy

- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 627 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#3. Randolph School

- Location: Huntsville, AL
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,057 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#2. The Altamont School

- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Grades: 5-12
- Enrollment: 371 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#1. Indian Springs School

- Location: Indian Springs, AL
- Grades: 8-12
- Enrollment: 340 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+