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1 / 25#25. Cardinal Newman School
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 524 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
Best private high schools in South Carolina
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 South Carolina 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. John Paul II Catholic School
- Location: Ridgeland, SC
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 409 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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3 / 25#23. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School
- Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 70 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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4 / 25#22. The Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences
- Location: Georgetown, SC
- Grades: 5-12
- Enrollment: 46 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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5 / 25#21. Wilson Hall
- Location: Sumter, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 854 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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6 / 25#20. Cross Schools
- Location: Bluffton, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 644 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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7 / 25#19. Carolina Christian Academy
- Location: Lancaster, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 395 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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8 / 25#18. Lowcountry Preparatory School
- Location: Pawleys Island, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 155 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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9 / 25#17. Pinewood Preparatory School
- Location: Summerville, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 858 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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10 / 25#16. Ben Lippen School
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,184 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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11 / 25#15. Spartanburg Day School
- Location: Spartanburg, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 528 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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12 / 25#14. Trinity Collegiate School
- Location: Darlington, SC
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 400 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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13 / 25#13. Heritage Academy
- Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 130 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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14 / 25#12. Charleston Collegiate School
- Location: Johns Island, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 408 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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15 / 25#11. Ashley Hall School
- Location: Charleston, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 685 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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16 / 25#10. Montessori School of Anderson
- Location: Anderson, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 114 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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17 / 25#9. Hilton Head Preparatory School
- Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 563 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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18 / 25#8. Porter-Gaud School
- Location: Charleston, SC
- Grades: 1-12
- Enrollment: 1,065 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
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19 / 25#7. Camden Military Academy
- Location: Camden, SC
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 260 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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20 / 25#6. Saint Joseph's Catholic School
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 584 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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21 / 25#5. Mead Hall Episcopal School
- Location: Aiken, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 378 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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22 / 25#4. Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 952 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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23 / 25#3. Hammond School
- Location: Columbia, SC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,059 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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24 / 25#2. University School of the Lowcountry
- Location: Mount Pleasant, SC
- Grades: 3-12
- Enrollment: 85 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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25 / 25#1. Christ Church Episcopal School
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 1,227 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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