Private Schools
Private Schools in Illinois
727 private schools in Illinois with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 153,646 students: 341 Catholic, 238 other religious and 148 nonsectarian. 243 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
727
Go through high school
243
Median enrollment
149
Median students per teacher
10.6
Private schools by city in Illinois
The 100 largest private schools in Illinois
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American SchoolAlternative | Lansing | 6–12 | 5,049 | 290.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Loyola Academy | Wilmette | 9–12 | 1,947 | 11 | Catholic |
| Univ of Chicago Lab School | Chicago | PK–12 | 1,946 | 8.3 | Nonsectarian |
| St Ignatius College Prep | Chicago | 9–12 | 1,492 | 16.3 | Catholic |
| Depaul College Prep | Chicago | 9–12 | 1,245 | 10.8 | Catholic |
| Timothy Christian Schools | Elmhurst | PK–12 | 1,194 | 18.1 | Christian |
| St Laurence H.S. | Burbank | 9–12 | 1,030 | 15.8 | Catholic |
| Fenwick High School | Oak Park | 9–12 | 1,024 | 12.4 | Catholic |
| Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary SchoolGirls | Chicago | PK–8 | 844 | 15 | Jewish |
| Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary SchoolGirls | Chicago | K–8 | 844 | 11.6 | Jewish |
| Bishop McNamara Catholic School | Kankakee | PK–12 | 807 | 16 | Catholic |
| Latin School of Chicago Upper | Chicago | 5–12 | 806 | 11.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Schaumburg Christian School | Schaumburg | PK–12 | 804 | 17.4 | Baptist |
| Nazareth Academy | La Grange Park | 9–12 | 800 | 16 | Catholic |
| Marian Catholic High School | Chicago Heights | 8–12 | 797 | 14.5 | Catholic |
| Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High SchoolGirls | Chicago | 9–12 | 794 | 12.8 | Catholic |
| De la Salle Institute - Institute Campus | Chicago | 9–12 | 765 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| MCC Academy-Elementary | Skokie | PK–12 | 760 | 8.8 | Islamic |
| Universal School | Bridgeview | PK–12 | 757 | 14.3 | Islamic |
| Southwest Chicago Christian Schools Associaiton | Palos Heights | PK–12 | 756 | 14.2 | Christian |
| Providence Catholic High School | New Lenox | 9–12 | 754 | 16.7 | Catholic |
| Frances Xavier Warde School | Chicago | PK–8 | 745 | 6.4 | Catholic |
| MCC Academy College Prep | Morton Grove | PK–12 | 736 | 8.5 | Islamic |
| St Francis High School | Wheaton | 9–12 | 703 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| Rockford Lutheran School | Rockford | PK–12 | 695 | 12.7 | Lutheran |
| Lycee Francais de ChicagoSpecial program | Chicago | PK–12 | 687 | 5.5 | Nonsectarian |
| BR Rice High SchoolBoys | Chicago | 9–12 | 658 | 15.9 | Catholic |
| Arie Crown Hebrew Day School | Skokie | PK–8 | 656 | 6.9 | Jewish |
| Wheaton Christian Grammar School | Winfield | K–8 | 646 | 15.6 | Christian |
| British International School of Chicago South Loop | Chicago | PK–12 | 641 | 9.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Rockford Christian Schools | Rockford | PK–12 | 639 | 12.7 | Christian |
| British International School of Chicago South Loop | Chicago | PK–12 | 638 | 9.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Islamic Foundation School | Villa Park | PK–12 | 633 | 13.8 | Islamic |
| College Preparatory School of America | Lombard | PK–12 | 602 | 12.6 | Islamic |
| Joliet Catholic Academy | Joliet | 9–12 | 598 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| St Paul of the Cross School | Park Ridge | PK–8 | 596 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| St John of the Cross Parish School | Western Springs | PK–8 | 594 | 16.5 | Catholic |
| Maryville Christian School | Maryville | K–12 | 590 | 13.1 | Baptist |
| Mount Carmel High SchoolBoys | Chicago | 9–12 | 588 | 10.7 | Catholic |
| Boylan Catholic H. S. | Rockford | 9–12 | 586 | 12.6 | Catholic |
| Peoria Christian School | Peoria | PK–12 | 576 | 12 | Christian |
| Christian Liberty Academy | Arlington Heights | PK–12 | 561 | 22.4 | Calvinist |
| Sacred Heart Schools | Chicago | PK–8 | 556 | 10 | Catholic |
| Sacred Heart Schools | Chicago | PK–8 | 556 | 10 | Catholic |
| St Benedict Preparatory School | Chicago | PK–8 | 550 | 10.8 | Catholic |
| Yeshivas Tiferes TzviBoys | Chicago | K–8 | 550 | 10.3 | Jewish |
| St James School | Arlington Heights | PK–8 | 540 | 16.4 | Catholic |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit High School | Chicago | 9–12 | 537 | 17.2 | Catholic |
| Sacred Heart Griffin High School | Springfield | 9–12 | 526 | 16.3 | Catholic |
| St Francis Xavier School | Wilmette | PK–8 | 520 | 5.8 | Catholic |
| North Shore Country Day School | Winnetka | PK–12 | 510 | 5.5 | Nonsectarian |
| St Petronille School | Glen Ellyn | PK–8 | 493 | 18.3 | Catholic |
| Peoria Notre Dame High School | Peoria | 9–12 | 480 | 12 | Catholic |
| St Juliana School | Chicago | PK–8 | 477 | 14.9 | Catholic |
| Immaculate Conception Grade School | Elmhurst | PK–8 | 468 | 17.5 | Catholic |
| Corpus Christi Catholic School | Bloomington | PK–8 | 460 | 15.8 | Catholic |
| Resurrection College Prep High SchoolGirls | Chicago | 9–12 | 454 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| Aurora Central Catholic High School | Aurora | 9–12 | 452 | 11.5 | Catholic |
| Mary, Seat of Wisdom School | Park Ridge | PK–8 | 451 | 11.1 | Catholic |
| St Michael School | Orland Park | PK–8 | 450 | 13.2 | Catholic |
| Lake Forest Academy | Lake Forest | 9–12 | 446 | 6.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Immaculate Conception School | Chicago | PK–8 | 445 | 16.5 | Catholic |
| St John Fisher Elementary School | Chicago | PK–8 | 443 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| Christian Heritage Academy | Northfield | PK–12 | 441 | 9.1 | Christian |
| Harvest Christian Academy | Elgin | PK–12 | 438 | 11.8 | Christian |
| Saints Peter & Paul School | Naperville | PK–8 | 435 | 17.2 | Catholic |
| St Barnabas Elementary School | Chicago | PK–8 | 433 | 15 | Catholic |
| Parkview Christian Academy | Yorkville | PK–12 | 432 | 13.6 | Christian |
| Christ the King Elementary School | Springfield | PK–8 | 430 | 11.8 | Catholic |
| St Peter School | Quincy | PK–8 | 430 | 16.5 | Catholic |
| Christ the King | Springfield | PK–8 | 426 | 17.9 | Catholic |
| Frances Xavier Warde School | Chicago | 4–8 | 426 | 9.3 | Catholic |
| St Patrick Catholic School | Saint Charles | PK–8 | 426 | 17.2 | Catholic |
| St Philomena School | Peoria | PK–8 | 424 | 14.4 | Catholic |
| Marmion AcademyBoys | Aurora | 9–12 | 423 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| Old St Marys School | Chicago | K–8 | 419 | 8.1 | Catholic |
| St Mary of Gostyn Catholic School | Downers Grove | PK–8 | 419 | 14.7 | Catholic |
| Cristo Rey St. Martin | Waukegan | 9–12 | 418 | 17.9 | Catholic |
| All Saints Catholic Academy | Naperville | PK–8 | 414 | 14.1 | Catholic |
| St Catherine of Alexandria School | Oak Lawn | PK–8 | 414 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| Catherine Cook School | Chicago | PK–8 | 405 | 7.4 | Nonsectarian |
| St Rita of Cascia High SchoolBoys | Chicago | 9–12 | 405 | 14 | Catholic |
| Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School | Orland Hills | PK–8 | 404 | 15.4 | Catholic |
| St Nicholas Tolentine School | Chicago | PK–8 | 398 | 19.9 | Catholic |
| St Clement School | Chicago | PK–8 | 397 | 14.8 | Catholic |
| St Francis Xavier School | La Grange | PK–8 | 397 | 12.6 | Catholic |
| Springfield Christian School | Springfield | K–8 | 396 | 16.3 | Christian |
| Sager Solomon Schechter Day School | Northbrook | PK–8 | 393 | 7 | Jewish |
| St Christina School | Chicago | PK–8 | 393 | 19.2 | Catholic |
| St Patrick School | Wadsworth | PK–8 | 389 | 17.3 | Catholic |
| St Raymond School | Mount Prospect | PK–8 | 388 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| St Mary Elementary School | Mokena | PK–8 | 384 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| Lutheran School Association | Decatur | PK–12 | 376 | 13.2 | Lutheran |
| St Joseph Catholic School | Libertyville | PK–8 | 376 | 15 | Catholic |
| Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School | Chicago | 9–12 | 375 | 14.4 | Catholic |
| Near North MontessoriMontessori | Chicago | PK–8 | 375 | 7.8 | Nonsectarian |
| St Matthew School | Champaign | PK–8 | 375 | 14.4 | Catholic |
| British International School of Chicago, Lincoln P | Chicago | PK–5 | 373 | 12.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Ic Catholic Prep | Elmhurst | 9–12 | 371 | 9.3 | Catholic |
| Marquette Catholic High School | Alton | 9–12 | 371 | 92.8 | Catholic |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- Illinois IAR practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in Illinois give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring in Illinois.
- Colleges in Illinois, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in Illinois?
727 private schools in Illinois 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 Illinois?
Among schools that answered the survey, American School in Lansing is the largest, with 5,049 students in grades 6–12.
How big are classes at private schools in Illinois?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in Illinois has 10.6 students per teacher and 149 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.
