Private Schools
Private Schools in Alabama
202 private schools in Alabama with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 47,842 students: 30 Catholic, 127 other religious and 45 nonsectarian. 139 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
202
Go through high school
139
Median enrollment
151
Median students per teacher
10.1
Private schools by city in Alabama
The 100 largest private schools in Alabama
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faith Academy | Mobile | PK–12 | 1,798 | 19.6 | Christian |
| Briarwood Christian School | Birmingham | PK–12 | 1,552 | 11.2 | Christian |
| Essential Church School | Birmingham | K–12 | 1,185 | 19.8 | Christian |
| Randolph School | Huntsville | PK–12 | 1,005 | 7.9 | Nonsectarian |
| American Christian Academy | Tuscaloosa | PK–12 | 935 | 15.3 | Christian |
| Whitesburg Christian Academy | Huntsville | K–12 | 893 | 12.7 | Baptist |
| Madison Academy | Madison | PK–12 | 807 | 8.7 | Christian |
| Bayside Academy | Daphne | PK–12 | 786 | 9 | Nonsectarian |
| Lee-Scott Academy | Auburn | PK–12 | 750 | 10.5 | Christian |
| McGill-Toolen Catholic High School | Mobile | 9–12 | 750 | 11 | Catholic |
| Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School | Montgomery | PK–12 | 732 | 11.7 | Catholic |
| Houston Academy | Dothan | PK–12 | 672 | 13.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Cornerstone High School | Birmingham | PK–12 | 659 | 7.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Cornerstone Schools of Alabama | Birmingham | PK–12 | 659 | 9.1 | Christian |
| Prattville Christian Academy | Prattville | PK–12 | 657 | 8.1 | Christian |
| Glenwood School | Smiths Station | PK–12 | 650 | 12.5 | Christian |
| Alabama Christian Academy | Montgomery | PK–12 | 641 | 12.5 | Church of Christ |
| Mars Hill Bible | Florence | K–12 | 631 | 11.2 | Church of Christ |
| Mobile Christian School | Mobile | K–12 | 611 | 18.2 | Church of Christ |
| Cottage Hill Christian Academy | Mobile | PK–12 | 594 | 11.9 | Baptist |
| Northside Methodist Church & Academy | Dothan | PK–12 | 582 | 14.1 | Methodist |
| John Carroll Catholic High School | Birmingham | 9–12 | 540 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Bayshore Christian School | Fairhope | K–12 | 537 | 8.4 | Presbyterian |
| Stanford Christian Academy | Semmes | K–12 | 510 | 23.8 | Christian |
| Holy Spirit Regional Catholic School | Huntsville | PK–8 | 435 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Pike Liberal Arts School | Troy | PK–12 | 429 | 12.6 | Christian |
| Holy Spirit Catholic School | Tuscaloosa | PK–12 | 428 | 9.2 | Catholic |
| St Luke's Episcopal School | Mobile | PK–12 | 428 | 8.6 | Episcopal |
| Fort Dale Academy | Greenville | PK–12 | 426 | 12.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Tuscaloosa Academy | Tuscaloosa | PK–12 | 412 | 6.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Prince of Peace Catholic School | Hoover | PK–8 | 408 | 11.7 | Catholic |
| Westminster Christian Acad - Lower School Campus | Madison | PK–5 | 403 | 8.2 | Christian |
| St Ignatius Catholic School | Mobile | PK–8 | 389 | 8.6 | Catholic |
| The Altamont School | Birmingham | 5–12 | 379 | 8.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Victory Christian School | Pell City | PK–12 | 379 | 14.4 | Christian |
| Restoration Academy | Fairfield | K–12 | 371 | 10.6 | Christian |
| Decatur Heritage Christian Academy | Decatur | K–12 | 370 | 9 | Christian |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy | Rainsville | PK–12 | 369 | 10.5 | Christian |
| Cottage Hill Christian Academy, Lower | Mobile | PK–8 | 369 | 11.8 | Christian |
| St John Paul II Catholic High School | Huntsville | 9–12 | 357 | 12.2 | Catholic |
| St Mary Catholic School | Mobile | PK–8 | 353 | 5.9 | Catholic |
| The Donoho School | Anniston | PK–12 | 353 | 13.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Clarke Preparatory School | Grove Hill | PK–12 | 351 | 10.2 | Christian |
| Our Lady of Sorrows | Birmingham | PK–8 | 343 | 13.7 | Catholic |
| Corpus Christi Catholic School | Mobile | PK–8 | 330 | 13.6 | Catholic |
| Snook Christian Academy | Foley | PK–12 | 329 | 14.3 | Church of Christ |
| Southern Academy | Greensboro | PK–12 | 328 | 14.3 | Christian |
| Sumiton Christian School | Sumiton | PK–12 | 321 | 13.6 | Christian |
| Tuscaloosa Christian School | Cottondale | PK–12 | 320 | 13.3 | Baptist |
| Oakwood Adventist Academy | Huntsville | K–12 | 314 | 14 | Seventh-Day Adventist |
| Chambers Academy | Lafayette | PK–12 | 312 | 14.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Shoals Christian School | Florence | PK–12 | 312 | 12.2 | Christian |
| Athens Bible School | Athens | PK–12 | 304 | 8.2 | Christian |
| Highlands School | Birmingham | PK–8 | 296 | 8.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Evangel Classical Christian SchoolSpecial program | Alabaster | PK–12 | 287 | 9.9 | Presbyterian |
| St Dominic Catholic School | Mobile | PK–8 | 277 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Coosa Christian School | Gadsden | PK–12 | 276 | 12.8 | Baptist |
| Tabernacle Christian School | Gardendale | PK–12 | 276 | 11.1 | Baptist |
| The Jackson Academy | Jackson | PK–12 | 273 | 16.4 | Nonsectarian |
| The Lakeside School | Eufaula | PK–12 | 272 | 11.7 | Nonsectarian |
| Lowndes Academy | Lowndesboro | K–12 | 262 | 14.9 | Christian |
| Eastwood Christian School | Montgomery | K–12 | 259 | 9.8 | Presbyterian |
| Valley Fellowship Christian Academy | Huntsville | PK–12 | 255 | 7.4 | Christian |
| Lighthouse Baptist Academy | Theodore | PK–12 | 251 | 13.6 | Baptist |
| Faith Christian School | Anniston | PK–12 | 248 | 13.2 | Presbyterian |
| Central Christian School | Robertsdale | PK–12 | 247 | 7.1 | Christian |
| Springwood School | Lanett | PK–12 | 244 | 10.5 | Christian |
| Abbeville Christian Academy | Abbeville | PK–12 | 241 | 11.5 | Christian |
| Macon East Academy | Cecil | PK–12 | 241 | 10.5 | Christian |
| Patrician Academy | Butler | PK–12 | 239 | 13.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Pickens Academy | Carrollton | PK–12 | 239 | 15.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Covenant Christian School | Mobile | PK–8 | 221 | 9.1 | Christian |
| Clay County Christian Academy | Ashland | PK–12 | 219 | 14.6 | Baptist |
| Crenshaw Christian Academy | Luverne | K–12 | 216 | 10.4 | Christian |
| Covenant Christian School | Tuscumbia | PK–12 | 215 | 8.6 | Christian |
| Life Christian AcademyAlternative | Harvest | TK–12 | 215 | 40.6 | Baptist |
| Evangel Christian Academy | Montgomery | PK–12 | 214 | 7.1 | Assembly of God |
| Islamic Academy of Alabama | Birmingham | PK–12 | 214 | 9.9 | Islamic |
| Sparta Academy | Evergreen | PK–12 | 214 | 11 | Christian |
| South Choctaw Academy | Toxey | PK–12 | 213 | 14.3 | Other religious |
| Edgewood Academy | Elmore | PK–12 | 210 | 11.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Hooper Academy | Hope Hull | K–12 | 210 | 10.8 | Nonsectarian |
| First Assembly Christian School | Ashland | PK–12 | 193 | 14 | Assembly of God |
| North River Christian Academy | Tuscaloosa | K–12 | 189 | 13.1 | Christian |
| Trinity Christian Academy | Oxford | PK–12 | 188 | 11.8 | Baptist |
| Chilton Christian Academy | Jemison | K–12 | 183 | 13.7 | Baptist |
| St Rose of Lima School | Birmingham | PK–8 | 181 | 11.1 | Catholic |
| St Patrick Catholic School | Robertsdale | PK–8 | 177 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| Holy Family Parochial School | Huntsville | PK–8 | 171 | 9.7 | Catholic |
| Wiregrass Christian Academy | Enterprise | PK–6 | 171 | 10.8 | Church of Christ |
| Our Lady of the Valley School | Birmingham | PK–8 | 166 | 9.3 | Catholic |
| Escambia Academy | Atmore | PK–12 | 165 | 10.6 | Nonsectarian |
| The Rock Academy | Phenix City | PK–12 | 165 | 13.8 | Pentecostal |
| Jefferson Christian Academy | Irondale | K–12 | 158 | 6.6 | Christian |
| South Baldwin Christian Academy | Gulf Shores | PK–12 | 157 | 10.1 | Christian |
| The Renaissance School of the Eastern ShoreSpecial education | Daphne | 1–12 | 157 | 10.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School | Birmingham | 9–12 | 156 | 8.5 | Catholic |
| Cornerstone Christian School | Columbiana | PK–12 | 155 | 8.8 | Baptist |
| Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High SchoolSpecial program | Birmingham | 9–12 | 154 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| Grace Lutheran School | Huntsville | PK–8 | 153 | 10.9 | Lutheran |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- ACAP Summative practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in Alabama give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring.
- Colleges in Alabama, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in Alabama?
202 private schools in Alabama with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal Private School Universe Survey. Schools that did not answer are not counted, so the real number is higher.
What is the largest private school in Alabama?
Among schools that answered the survey, Faith Academy in Mobile is the largest, with 1,798 students in grades PK–12.
How big are classes at private schools in Alabama?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in Alabama has 10.1 students per teacher and 151 students in total.
Do private schools require an entrance exam?
Many independent schools ask for the ISEE or SSAT, and many Catholic high schools use the HSPT. Each school sets its own rule, so check the admissions page of every school on your list.
Source: NCES Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2023-24 public-use data file, National Center for Education Statistics. Schools that answered the survey and enrolled at least 30 students. Amish schools are left out. Schools report their own figures, and a school that did not answer the survey does not appear.
