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1 / 24#24. Miller School of Albemarle
- Location: Charlottesville, VA
- Grades: 8-12
- Enrollment: 250 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
Best private high schools in Virginia
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 Virginia 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 / 24#23. St. Christopher's School
- Location: Richmond, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 938 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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3 / 24#22. St. Anne's - Belfield School
- Location: Charlottesville, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 963 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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4 / 24#21. Bishop O'Connell High School
- Location: Arlington, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,155 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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5 / 24#20. Virginia Episcopal School
- Location: Lynchburg, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 248 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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6 / 24#19. Chatham Hall
- Location: Chatham, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 110 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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7 / 24#18. Randolph-Macon Academy
- Location: Front Royal, VA
- Grades: 8-12
- Enrollment: 212 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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8 / 24#17. Wakefield Country Day School
- Location: Huntly, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 219 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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9 / 24#16. St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School
- Location: Alexandria, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,240 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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10 / 24#15. Fairfax Christian School
- Location: Dulles, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 276 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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11 / 24#14. Dominion Christian School - North Campus
- Location: Herndon, VA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 341 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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12 / 24#13. Foxcroft School
- Location: Middleburg, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 161 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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13 / 24#12. Norfolk Academy
- Location: Norfolk, VA
- Grades: 1-12
- Enrollment: 1,184 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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14 / 24#11. Collegiate School
- Location: Richmond, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,701 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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15 / 24#10. Blue Ridge School
- Location: St George, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 184 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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16 / 24#9. Pinnacle Academy
- Location: Chantilly, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 313 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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17 / 24#8. The Potomac School
- Location: Mclean, VA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 1,069 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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18 / 24#7. Episcopal High School
- Location: Alexandria, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 448 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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19 / 24#6. The Madeira School
- Location: Mclean, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 344 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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20 / 24#5. Veritas Collegiate Academy, Chesapeake
- Location: Chesapeake, VA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 123 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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21 / 24#4. Woodberry Forest School
- Location: Woodberry Forest, VA
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 400 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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22 / 24#3. BASIS Independent McLean
- Location: Mclean, VA
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 703 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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23 / 24#2. Veritas Collegiate Academy
- Location: Arlington, VA
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 191 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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24 / 24#1. Ideaventions Academy for Math and Science
- Location: Reston, VA
- Grades: 1-12
- Enrollment: 80 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
