GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
1 / 25#25. St. Mary School System
- Location: Paducah, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 408 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
Best private high schools in Kentucky
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 Kentucky 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.
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Kentucky
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock
2 / 25#24. Bethlehem High School
- Location: Bardstown, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 279 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
3 / 25#23. DeSales High School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 286 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
LBeddoe // Shutterstock
4 / 25#22. Covington Catholic High School
- Location: Park Hills, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 520 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-
Studio KIWI // Shutterstock
5 / 25#21. Notre Dame Academy
- Location: Park Hills, KY
- Grades: 8-12
- Enrollment: 526 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
You may also like: Bunny baskets and Seder staples: Kentucky's Easter and Passover trends
maroke // Shutterstock
6 / 25#20. Christian Academy of Louisville
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 2,129 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock
7 / 25#19. The June Buchanan School
- Location: Pippa Passes, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 137 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
8 / 25#18. Trinity Christian Academy
- Location: Lexington, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 494 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
9 / 25#17. The Piarist School
- Location: Hager Hill, KY
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 31 (2:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
10 / 25#16. Walden School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 261 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
You may also like: How much does memory care cost in Kentucky?
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
11 / 25#15. Assumption High School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 928 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Daniel Hoz // Shutterstock
12 / 25#14. Lexington Catholic High School
- Location: Lexington, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 724 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
13 / 25#13. Presentation Academy
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 220 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Joyseulay // Shutterstock
14 / 25#12. Covington Latin School
- Location: Covington, KY
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 93 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
panitanphoto // Shutterstock
15 / 25#11. Louisville Adventist Academy
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 90 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
You may also like: Coldest Marches in Kentucky since 1895
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
16 / 25#10. Oneida Baptist Institute
- Location: Oneida, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 345 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Achira22 // Shutterstock
17 / 25#9. Saint Xavier High School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,118 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 25#8. Sacred Heart Academy
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 790 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
19 / 25#7. Villa Madonna Academy
- Location: Villa Hills, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 539 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
20 / 25#6. Trinity High School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,222 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
You may also like: Hottest Novembers in Kentucky since 1895
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
21 / 25#5. Sayre School
- Location: Lexington, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 610 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
22 / 25#4. Evangel Christian School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 89 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
23 / 25#3. Louisville Collegiate School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 787 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock
24 / 25#2. Francis Parker School of Louisville
- Location: Goshen, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 456 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
Roman Kosolapov // Shutterstock
25 / 25#1. Kentucky Country Day School
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 872 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
You may also like: Most commonly seen birds in Kentucky
