The Most Sought-After Independent and Private Schools of 2025
Choosing the right independent or private school can feel like navigating a maze. As you evaluate your options, you may wonder which schools other students are interested in.
Each year, we analyze thousands of student declarations of interest to identify the 50 most sought-after independent and private schools. Whether you’re starting your school search or refining your shortlist, these rankings provide valuable insight into 2025 admissions trends across independent and private schools.
Ready to find out who made the list? Here are the most sought-after independent and private schools of 2025!
Westminster Christian School
Established date: 1976
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 970
Annual tuition: $23,400
Financial aid allotment: $4.3 million; 37% of students receive aid
Eastside Preparatory School
Established date: 2002
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 500
Annual tuition: $40,400
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Eastside Preparatory School.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
First Year on the List!
Established date: 1950
Type of school: Boarding/Day
Grade levels: 8-12 (Boarding); 6-12 (Day)
Total enrollment: 694
Annual tuition: $77,000-$82,050 (Boarding); $41,200-$42,850 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $5.8 million; 22% of students receive aid.
Check out target SSAT/ISEE scores for St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.
Miami Country Day School
Established date: 1938
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PK3-12
Total enrollment: 1,269
Annual tuition: $40,100-$52,900
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Miami Country Day School.
The Loomis Chaffee School
Established date: 1874
Type of school: Boarding/Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,150
Annual tuition: $74,00 (Boarding); $56,900 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13 million; 33% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for The Loomis Chaffee School.
Head-Royce School
Established date: 1887
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 906
Annual tuition: $39,300-$56,130
Financial aid allotment: $7.4 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Head-Royce.
Polytechnic School
Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 877
Annual tuition: $38,500-$48,900
Financial aid allotment: over $6.5 million; 26% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Polytechnic School.
Cary Academy
Established date: 1996
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 787
Annual tuition: $28,495
Financial aid allotment: over $2 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Cary Academy.
The Pingry School
Established date: 1861
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Kindergarten-12
Total enrollment: 1,200
Annual tuition: $44,635- $52,561
Financial aid allotment: $8.3 million; 18% of students receive aid
Belmont Hill
Established date: 1923
Type of school: Day/5-Day Boarding
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 470
Annual tuition: $64,800-$73,800
Financial aid allotment: $7 million; 30% of students receive aid
McDonogh School
Established date: 1873
Type of school: Day/5-Day Boarding
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,460
Annual tuition: $23,550-$41,050
Financial aid allotment: $7.1 million
Taipei American School
Established date: 1949
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 2,400
Annual tuition: $30,178-33,280
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Taipei American School.
Rye Country Day
Established date: 1869
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 886
Annual tuition: $50,675 – $57,350
Financial aid allotment: $7.8 million; 16% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT/ISEE scores for Rye Country Day School.
St. Paul’s School
Established date: 1856
Type of school: Boarding
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 540
Annual tuition: $76,650
Financial aid allotment: $13 million; 38% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for St. Paul’s School.
Groton School
Established date: 1884
Type of school: Boarding/Day
Grade levels: 8-12
Total enrollment: 380
Annual tuition: $61,810 (Boarding); $48,135 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $7.9 million; 44% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT/ISEE scores for Groton School.
The Overlake School
Established date: 1967
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 530
Annual tuition: $39,962
Financial aid allotment: $1.5 million; 8% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Overlake School.
Kent Denver School
Established date: 1974
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 740
Annual tuition: $24,480 – $30,250
Financial aid allotment: $4.9 million; 23% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE/SSAT scores for Kent Denver School.
Flintridge Preparatory School
Established date: 1933
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 530
Annual tuition: $50,750
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Flintridge Preparatory School.
The Rivers Schools
Established date: 1915
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 534
Annual tuition: $63,290
Financial aid allotment: $6.8 million; 27% of students receive aid
The College Preparatory School
Established date: 1960
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 370
Annual tuition: $57,600
Financial aid allotment: $3.7 million; 25% of students receive aid
Roxbury Latin
Established date: 1645
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 300
Annual tuition: $40,600
Avergae financial aid allotment: $1,000 to $40,400
La Jolla Country Day School
Established date: 1926
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,179
Annual tuition: $20,720 – 46,500
Financial aid allotment: 5.6 million
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on La Jolla Country Day School.
Lakeside School
Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 876
Annual tuition: $40,080
Financial aid allotment: 32% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Lakeside School.
Awty International School
Established date: 1956
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,700
Annual tuition: $25,550 – $32,230
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for the Awty International School.
Francis Parker School
Established date: 1912
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Junior Kindergarten-12
Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $24,080-$38,920
Financial aid allotment: $7.25 million; 25% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Francis Parker School.
The Lawrenceville School
Established date: 1810
Type of school: Boarding/Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 818
Annual tuition: $79,500 (Boarding); $65,420 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $63,000 (Boarding) and $46,000 (Day) ; More than 30% of student receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores for The Lawrenceville School.
Buckingham Browne and Nichols
Established date: 1883
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,032
Annual tuition: $40,150 – $57,200
Financial aid allotment: $10.4 million; 25% of student receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Buckingham Browne & Nichols.
Gulliver Prep
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Annual tuition: $26,300
Financial aid allotment: $6.3 million
The Bishop’s School
Established date: 1909
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 800
Annual tuition: $41,040
Financial aid allotment: $4.1 million; 20% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for The Bishop’s School.
Ursuline Academy
Established date: 1874
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 860
Annual tuition: $25,900
Financial aid allotment: $1.6 million; 24% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Ursuline Academy of Dallas.
Newark Academy
Established date: 1774
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 674
Annual tuition: $47,120
Financial aid allotment: over $3 million
Learn more about target ISEE/SSAT scores for Newark Academy.
Ransom Everglades School
Established date: 1903
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 1,208
Annual tuition: $$51,960
Financial aid allotment: $8.6 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE and SSAT scores for Ransom Everglades.
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas (Jesuit Dallas)
Established date: 1942
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,100
Annual tuition: $22,650 – $23,176
Financial aid allotment: $2.6 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Jesuit Dallas.
The Hotchkiss School
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Annual tuition: $66,940 (Boarding); $56,910 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $12.5 million; 37% of students receive aid
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Established date: 1906
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 1-12
Total enrollment: 911
Annual tuition: $28,648 – $35,821
Financial aid allotment: $2.5 million; 13.5% of students receive aid
Learn more on the St. Mark’s School of Texas website.
The Dalton School
Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $57,970
Financial aid allotment: $12 million; 21% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Dalton.
Deerfield Academy
Established date: 1797
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 650
Annual tuition: $67,520 (Boarding); $48,850 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13 million
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Deerfield Academy.
The Harker School
Established date: 1893
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,975
Annual tuition: $39,225 – $56,650
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into The Harker School.
Milton Academy
Established date: 1798
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: K-8 (Day), 9-12 (Boarding)
Total enrollment: 1,022
Annual tuition: $65,950 (Boarding); $57,800 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13.1 million ; 35% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Milton Academy.
Trinity School
Established date: 1709
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,040
Annual tuition: $58,385 – $58,495
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Trinity School.
Noble and Greenough School
Established date: 1866
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 630
Annual tuition: $63,650 (5-Day Boarding); $57,650 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: over $7 million
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get into Noble and Greenough School.
Sage Hill School
Established date: 2000
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 700
Annual tuition: $55,900
Financial aid allotment: $4.5 million; 16% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Sage Hill School.
Horace Mann School
Established date: 1887
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Nursery-12
Total enrollment: 1,793
Annual tuition: $42,940 – $58,800
Financial aid allotment: $12 million; 14% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Horace Mann.
Choate Rosemary Hall
Established date: 1890
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 850
Annual tuition: $65,820 (Boarding); $50,910 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13.5 million; 32% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Choate Rosemary Hall.
Riverdale Country School
Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,260
Annual tuition: $61,305
Financial aid allotment: $10.5 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Riverdale Country School.
St. John’s School
Established date: 1946
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,422
Annual tuition: $27,140 – $32,540
Financial aid allotment: $4.215 million; 14% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into St. John’s School.
Phillips Exeter Academy
Established date: 1781
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,077
Annual tuition: $61,121 (Boarding); $47,739 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $25 million; 45% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Exeter.
Harvard-Westlake School
Established date: 1900
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 1,620
Annual tuition: $44,500
Financial aid allotment: $14 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Harvard-Westlake.
Phillips Academy Andover
Established date: 1778
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,149
Annual tuition: $66,290 (Boarding); $51,380 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: 46% of students receive financial aid; 12% of students receive full scholarships
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Andover.
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