WhisperToMe // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 50#50. St. John's School
Location: Houston, TX
Number of students: 1,258
Yearly tuition: $27,545
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: B
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' 2017 Senate nomination reignited the national debate over whether public or private schools are better options for children's educational outcomes. Public school proponents argue that private schools, many of which are religious, often do not meet national standards for teacher qualifications, testing, or curriculum; and can discriminate against applicants for acceptance. Meanwhile, private school supporters say smaller class sizes, more diverse course offerings, and higher overall test scores can give students a leg up after graduation.
Regardless of which camp you're in, it's undeniable that certain private and public schools go above and beyond in providing for their students. Looking specifically at the private sector, Stacker analyzed Niche's 2019 Best Private High Schools to determine where in the country these schools are. Niche ranked schools based on the reviews of parents and students, the quality of colleges students consider, student-teacher ratio, and more, assigning letter grades to each school's academics, diversity, and extracurricular activities.
Read on to criss-cross the country from Georgia to California and find out which schools are using tuition dollars to best-prepare high schoolers for their adult lives.
RELATED: Best public schools in America's biggest cities
Hackley School is locaked in Tarrytown, NY (pictured) // Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 50#49. Hackley School
Location: Tarrytown, NY
Number of students: 834
Yearly tuition: $44,225
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
MrEditorialator // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 50#48. The Bishop's School
Location: San Diego, CA
Number of students: 800
Yearly tuition: $36,290
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Google Maps
4 / 50#47. Greenhill School
Location: Addison, TX
Number of students: 1,315
Yearly tuition: $31,675
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
QuesterMark // Flickr
5 / 50#46. The Hockaday School
Location: Dallas, TX
Number of students: 1,089
Yearly tuition: $29,000
Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Peddie School // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 50#45. Peddie School
Location: Hightstown, NJ
Number of students: 550
Yearly tuition: $48,800
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Adrien Delessert // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 50#44. The Hotchkiss School
Location: Lakeville, CT
Number of students: 632
Yearly tuition: $48,080
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Peter Carroll // Vimeo
8 / 50#43. The Pingry School
Location: Basking Ridge, NJ
Number of students: 1,128
Yearly tuition: $39,523
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A-
GADevelopment // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 50#42. Germantown Friends School
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Number of students: 906
Yearly tuition: $35,775
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: NG
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Jim.henderson // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 50#41. The Chapin School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 725
Yearly tuition: $43,000
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 50#40. The Loomis Chaffee School
Location: Windsor, CT
Number of students: 690
Yearly tuition: $45,360
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: NG
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Ottawa80 // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 50#39. Pine Crest School
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Number of students: 2,636
Yearly tuition: $31,030
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Riverdale Country School // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 50#38. Riverdale Country School
Location: Bronx, NY
Number of students: 1,154
Yearly tuition: $42,805
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Khart25 // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 50#37. Georgetown Day School
Location: Washington, DC
Number of students: 1,075
Yearly tuition: $39,788
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
15 / 50#36. Hopkins School
Location: New Haven, CT
Number of students: 715
Yearly tuition: $42,200
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
AMPERIO // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 50#35. University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Location: Chicago, IL
Number of students: 2,051
Yearly tuition: $33,558
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 50#34. Middlesex School
Location: Concord, MA
Number of students: 406
Yearly tuition: $49,480
Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Piranhaex // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 50#33. Cranbrook Schools
Location: Bloomfield HIlls, MI
Number of students: 1,659
Yearly tuition: $34,200
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
19 / 50#32. Brearley School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 719
Yearly tuition: $49,680
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Cate School is located in Carpintera , CA - pictured // Vopvop // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 50#31. Cate School
Location: Carpinteria, CA
Number of students: 280
Yearly tuition: $49,700
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Sanfranman59 // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 50#30. Head-Royce School
Location: Oakland, CA
Number of students: 875
Yearly tuition: $40,950
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
H0n0r // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 50#29. Crystal Springs Uplands School
Location: Hillsborough, CA
Number of students: 350
Yearly tuition: $42,430
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Jplayforth // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 50#28. Groton School
Location: Groton, MA
Number of students: 368
Yearly tuition: $43,400
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Magicpiano // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 50#27. Noble and Greenough School
Location: Dedham, MA
Number of students: 614
Yearly tuition: $50,200
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Thomson200 // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 50#26. The Westminster Schools
Location: Atlanta, GA
Number of students: 1,874
Yearly tuition: $29,275
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
RahulPatel1014 // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 50#25. Newark Academy
Location: Livingston, NJ
Number of students: 598
Yearly tuition: $40,945
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
27 / 50#24. Milton Academy
Location: Milton, MA
Number of students: 1,000
Yearly tuition: $47,330
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
D C McJonathan // Wikimedia Commons
28 / 50#23. Dalton School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 1,322
Yearly tuition: $44,640
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
APK // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 50#22. Sidwell Friends School
Location: Washington, DC
Number of students: 1,145
Yearly tuition: $39,360
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
30 / 50#21. Polytechnic School
Location: Pasadena, CA
Number of students: 859
Yearly tuition: $37,500
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Xland99 // Wikimedia Commons
31 / 50#20. The Thacher School
Location: Ojai, CA
Number of students: 246
Yearly tuition: $40,970
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Own Work // Wikimedia Commons
32 / 50#19. Horace Mann School
Location: Bronx, NY
Number of students: 1,694
Yearly tuition: $48,600
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
33 / 50#18. Castilleja School
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Number of students: 438
Yearly tuition: $44,580
Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Harker School Staff Photographer // Wikimedia Commons
34 / 50#17. The Harker School
Location: San Jose, CA
Number of students: 2,048
Yearly tuition: $48,500
Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Collegiate School is located in New York, NY - pictured // Ivan2010 // Wikimedia Commons
35 / 50#16. Collegiate School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 651
Yearly tuition: $47,500
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
36 / 50#15. Winsor School
Location: Boston, MA
Number of students: 450
Yearly tuition: $44,300
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
37 / 50#14. Flintridge Preparatory School
Location: La Canada Flintridge, CA
Number of students: 500
Yearly tuition: $34,200
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
John Phelan // Wikimedia Commons
38 / 50#13. Deerfield Academy
Location: Deerfield, MA
Number of students: 658
Yearly tuition: $44,735
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Jim.henderson // Wikimedia Commons
39 / 50#12. Regis High School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 529
Yearly tuition: $0
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Google Maps
40 / 50#11. Stanford Online High School
Location: Stanford, CA
Number of students: 804
Yearly tuition: $22,850
Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: NG
Burntorange72 // Wikimedia Commons
41 / 50#10. The Lawrenceville School
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ
Number of students: 822
Yearly tuition: $51,440
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Mjl0509 // Wikimedia Commons
42 / 50#9. St. Paul's School
Location: Concord, NH
Number of students: 541
Yearly tuition: $55,000
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Unknown // College Prepatory School
43 / 50#8. The College Preparatory School
Location: Oakland, CA
Number of students: 363
Yearly tuition: $43,810
Student-teacher ratio: 7:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Google Maps
44 / 50#7. Lakeside School
Location: Seattle, WA
Number of students: 838
Yearly tuition: $32,000
Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
St. Mark's School of Texas is located in Dallas - pictured // Drumguy8800 // Wikimedia Commons
45 / 50#6. St. Mark's School of Texas
Location: Dallas, TX
Number of students: 863
Yearly tuition: $29,496
Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
46 / 50#5. Choate Rosemary Hall
Location: Wallingford, CT
Number of students: 859
Yearly tuition: $43,580
Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: NG
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Buckyboot // Wikimedia Commons
47 / 50#4. Trinity School
Location: New York, NY
Number of students: 1,001
Yearly tuition: $47,965
Student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Gunnar Klack // Wikimedia Commons
48 / 50#3. Phillips Exeter Academy
Location: Exeter, NH
Number of students: 1,085
Yearly tuition: $38,740
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Keithready // Wikimedia Commons
49 / 50#2. Harvard-Westlake School
Location: Studio City, CA
Number of students: 1,598
Yearly tuition: $35,900
Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Daderot // Wikimedia Commons
50 / 50#1. Phillips Academy
Location: Andover, MA
Number of students: 1,150
Yearly tuition: $43,300
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Academics grade: A+
Diversity grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
