Best private high schools in Arizona

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 Arizona 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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#24. North Valley Christian Academy

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 777 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#23. Thunderbird Adventist Academy

- Location: Scottsdale, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 141 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#22. Arizona Lutheran Academy

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 239 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#21. Veritas Christian Community School

- Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 128 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#20. Pusch Ridge Christian Academy

- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 956 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#19. Valley Christian Schools

- Location: Chandler, AZ
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 1,105 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#18. Wickenburg Christian Academy

- Location: Wickenburg, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 192 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#17. Valley Lutheran High School

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 101 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#16. Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 395 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#15. Seton Catholic Preparatory

- Location: Chandler, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 587 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#14. Desert Christian Schools

- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 558 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#13. Notre Dame Catholic College Preparatory High School

- Location: Scottsdale, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,010 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#12. Tri-City Christian Academy

- Location: Chandler, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 235 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#11. Salpointe Catholic High School

- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,380 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#10. Redeemer Christian School

- Location: Mesa, AZ
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 91 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#9. The Gregory School

- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Grades: 5-12
- Enrollment: 379 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#8. Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,156 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#7. Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 119 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#6. Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 469 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#5. Bella Vista College Preparatory School

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 87 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#4. Phoenix Country Day School

- Location: Paradise Valley, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 769 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#3. Brophy College Preparatory

- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 1,407 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#2. Rancho Solano Preparatory School

- Location: Scottsdale, AZ
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 966 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#1. Verde Valley School

- Location: Sedona, AZ
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 115 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+