Best private high schools in Washington
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 Washington using 2024 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students.
#30. Kennedy Catholic High School
- Location: Burien, WA
- Enrollment: 791 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#29. King's Schools
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 1,346 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#28. Gonzaga Preparatory School
- Location: Spokane, WA
- Enrollment: 793 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#27. Hillside Student Community School
- Location: Bellevue, WA
- Enrollment: 32 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#26. Archbishop Murphy High School
- Location: Everett, WA
- Enrollment: 432 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#25. West Sound Academy
- Location: Poulsbo, WA
- Enrollment: 95 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#24. Shoreline Christian School
- Location: Shoreline, WA
- Enrollment: 262 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#23. O'Dea High School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 490 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#22. Spring Street International School
- Location: Friday Harbor, WA
- Enrollment: 116 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#21. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic High School
- Location: Vancouver, WA
- Enrollment: 188 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#20. Bellarmine Preparatory School
- Location: Tacoma, WA
- Enrollment: 897 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#19. Pope John Paul II High School
- Location: Lacey, WA
- Enrollment: 100 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#18. Holy Names Academy
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 570 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#17. Seattle Waldorf School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 318 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#16. Saint George's School
- Location: Spokane, WA
- Enrollment: 317 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#15. Bishop Blanchet High School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 854 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#14. Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
- Location: Bellevue, WA
- Enrollment: 300 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#13. Eastside Catholic School
- Location: Sammamish, WA
- Enrollment: 825 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#12. Seattle Preparatory School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 720 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#11. Northwest Yeshiva High School
- Location: Mercer Island, WA
- Enrollment: 57 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#10. The Bear Creek School
- Location: Redmond, WA
- Enrollment: 878 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#9. The Northwest School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 452 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#8. The Bush School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 715 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#7. Seattle Academy
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 1,170 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#6. Charles Wright Academy
- Location: Tacoma, WA
- Enrollment: 578 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#5. UPrep
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 660 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#4. Annie Wright Schools
- Location: Tacoma, WA
- Enrollment: 815 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#3. Eastside Preparatory School
- Location: Kirkland, WA
- Enrollment: 486 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. The Overlake School
- Location: Redmond, WA
- Enrollment: 529 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#1. Lakeside School
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Enrollment: 876 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
