Best private high schools in Texas

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 Texas 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. The Episcopal School of Dallas

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,180 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#23. The Cambridge School of Dallas

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: 5-12
- Enrollment: 106 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#22. Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,172 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#21. Episcopal High School

- Location: Bellaire, TX
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 854 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#20. St. Agnes Academy

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 922 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#19. Keystone School

- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 487 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#18. British International School of Houston

- Location: Katy, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,200 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#17. The Kinkaid School

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,469 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#16. Austin Peace Academy

- Location: Austin, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 338 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#15. LIH International School of Houston

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 380 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#14. Houston Quran Academy

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 419 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#13. Saint Mary's Hall

- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 832 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#12. Alcuin School

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 638 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#11. Strake Jesuit College Preparatory

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,506 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#10. TMI Episcopal

- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 650 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#9. Greenhill School

- Location: Addison, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,457 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#8. Cistercian Preparatory School

- Location: Irving, TX
- Grades: 5-12
- Enrollment: 363 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#7. St. Mark's School of Texas

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: 1-12
- Enrollment: 924 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#6. The John Cooper School

- Location: The Woodlands, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,401 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#5. The Awty International School

- Location: Houston, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,829 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#4. St. Stephen's Episcopal School

- Location: Austin, TX
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 714 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#3. The Hockaday School

- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,130 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+