Private Schools
Private Schools in Iowa
159 private schools in Iowa with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 39,746 students: 90 Catholic, 58 other religious and 11 nonsectarian. 58 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
159
Go through high school
58
Median enrollment
175
Median students per teacher
11.1
Private schools by city in Iowa
The 100 largest private schools in Iowa
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignite Christian Academy | Rock Rapids | K–12 | 2,257 | 41.7 | Christian |
| Holy Family Catholic Schools | Dubuque | PK–12 | 1,649 | 13.7 | Catholic |
| Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools | Sioux City | PK–12 | 1,510 | 13 | Catholic |
| Dowling Catholic High School | West Des Moines | 9–12 | 1,354 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| Kuemper Catholic Grade School | Carroll | PK–12 | 1,095 | 13.4 | Catholic |
| Cedar Valley Catholic School | Waterloo | PK–12 | 733 | 12.9 | Catholic |
| Cedar Valley Catholic School System | Waterloo | PK–12 | 733 | 12.9 | Catholic |
| St Francis of Assisi School | West Des Moines | PK–8 | 680 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| St Albert Catholic | Council Bluffs | PK–12 | 595 | 14.2 | Catholic |
| Xavier High School | Cedar Rapids | 9–12 | 593 | 14.5 | Catholic |
| Newman Catholic Elementary School | Mason City | K–12 | 558 | 13.6 | Catholic |
| St Edmond Catholic School | Fort Dodge | PK–12 | 548 | 10.7 | Catholic |
| St Edmond Catholic School | Fort Dodge | PK–12 | 548 | 13.9 | Catholic |
| Bishop Heelan Catholic High School | Sioux City | 9–12 | 527 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| Ankeny Christian Academy | Ankeny | PK–12 | 510 | 14.7 | Christian |
| Regina Catholic Elementary School | Iowa City | K–6 | 509 | 17 | Catholic |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe Spanish Immersion SchoolSpecial program | Dubuque | PK–5 | 508 | 32.2 | Catholic |
| Sacred Heart School | West Des Moines | PK–8 | 497 | 15.7 | Catholic |
| Gehlen Catholic School | Le Mars | PK–12 | 496 | 12.4 | Catholic |
| Pella Christian Grade School | Pella | PK–8 | 489 | 13.8 | Christian |
| Grand View Christian School | Des Moines | PK–5 | 458 | 19.2 | Christian |
| Souixland Christian School | Sioux City | PK–12 | 449 | 7.8 | Christian |
| Netherlands Reformed Christian School | Rock Valley | PK–12 | 422 | 13.6 | Calvinist |
| St Paul the Apostle Catholic School | Davenport | PK–8 | 405 | 14.2 | Catholic |
| Regina Catholic Education Center JR/SR High | Iowa City | 7–12 | 400 | 15.6 | Catholic |
| Bishop Garrigan Campus | Algona | K–12 | 399 | 9.7 | Catholic |
| Burlington Notre Dame | Burlington | PK–12 | 395 | 8.1 | Catholic |
| Notre Dame Elementary School | Burlington | PK–12 | 395 | 22.1 | Catholic |
| Holy Trinity | Des Moines | PK–8 | 358 | 12.6 | Catholic |
| St Pius X Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | K–5 | 358 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| John F Kennedy Catholic School | Davenport | PK–8 | 356 | 16.2 | Catholic |
| Trinity Lutheran Church School | Davenport | PK–8 | 353 | 17.7 | Lutheran |
| St Anthony Elementary School | Des Moines | PK–8 | 345 | 13.9 | Catholic |
| Lasalle Catholic Middle School | Cedar Rapids | PK–8 | 341 | 10.1 | Catholic |
| St Luke the Evangelist Catholic School | Ankeny | K–8 | 336 | 16.9 | Catholic |
| Sacred Heart School | Sioux City | PK–8 | 333 | 9 | Catholic |
| Beckman Catholic JR-SR High School | Dyersville | 7–12 | 332 | 13.9 | Catholic |
| Unity Christian High School | Orange City | 9–12 | 327 | 14.5 | Calvinist |
| St Edward School | Waterloo | K–5 | 321 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary | West Point | PK–12 | 319 | 9.7 | Catholic |
| Regis Middle School | Cedar Rapids | 6–8 | 317 | 13.8 | Catholic |
| Orange City Christian School | Orange City | PK–8 | 313 | 104.3 | Calvinist |
| Waterloo Christian School | Waterloo | PK–12 | 312 | 14.9 | Christian |
| Bosco Catholic School System | Gilbertville | PK–12 | 299 | 9.9 | Catholic |
| Resurrection Elementary | Dubuque | PK–5 | 291 | 17 | Catholic |
| Resurrection School | Dubuque | PK–5 | 290 | 18.4 | Catholic |
| St Columbkille School | Dubuque | K–5 | 286 | 14.2 | Catholic |
| Bergman Academy | Des Moines | PK–8 | 281 | 10.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Immaculate Conception-St Joseph School | Gilbertville | K–12 | 280 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| St Francis Xavier Elementary School | Dyersville | PK–6 | 277 | 11.8 | Catholic |
| Pella Christian High School | Pella | 9–12 | 272 | 12.3 | Calvinist |
| Seton Catholic School | Farley | K–8 | 271 | 12 | Catholic |
| Mater Dei School-Nativity | Sioux City | PK–8 | 263 | 26.3 | Catholic |
| Lourdes Catholic School | Bettendorf | PK–8 | 252 | 12 | Catholic |
| Marquette Catholic Schools PK-12 | Bellevue | PK–12 | 243 | 12.2 | Catholic |
| SS Mary and Mathias Catholic School | Muscatine | PK–8 | 232 | 15.7 | Catholic |
| Morning Star Academy | Bettendorf | PK–12 | 227 | 12.6 | Christian |
| Diamond Star Academy | Clinton | K–8 | 222 | 15.9 | Nonsectarian |
| St Theresa Catholic School | Des Moines | PK–8 | 221 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| St Mary School | Manchester | PK–6 | 217 | 13.6 | Catholic |
| Prince of Peace Catholic School | Clinton | PK–12 | 214 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| Holy Trinity Elementary School | West Point | PK–6 | 209 | 13.8 | Catholic |
| St Matthew School | Cedar Rapids | PK–5 | 206 | 13 | Catholic |
| Rock Valley Christian School | Rock Valley | PK–8 | 202 | 11.3 | Christian |
| Cedar Valley Christian School | Cedar Rapids | PK–12 | 201 | 10.8 | Christian |
| St Joseph Elementary School | Des Moines | PK–8 | 201 | 13 | Catholic |
| Joshua Christian Academy | Des Moines | K–12 | 199 | 8.3 | Christian |
| St Mary's School | Remsen | PK–12 | 195 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| St Mary Elementary School | Remsen | PK–12 | 194 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| Mt Olive Lutheran School | Des Moines | PK–8 | 191 | 13.5 | Lutheran |
| Lasalle Catholic Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | PK–4 | 190 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| Aquin Catholic Elementary School | Cascade | PK–8 | 186 | 9 | Catholic |
| St Joseph Catholic School | Marion | PK–8 | 186 | 74.4 | Catholic |
| Oskaloosa Christian School | Oskaloosa | K–8 | 182 | 20.2 | Christian |
| Tri-State Christian School | Asbury | K–12 | 181 | 9.1 | Christian |
| Tri-State Christian School | Asbury | K–12 | 180 | 9.7 | Christian |
| Sacred Heart School | Spencer | K–6 | 179 | 17.9 | Catholic |
| Heritage Christian School | North Liberty | PK–8 | 178 | 12.6 | Christian |
| St Patrick Catholic School | Cedar Falls | PK–8 | 176 | 9.8 | Catholic |
| Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta | Waterloo | 6–8 | 175 | 10.7 | Catholic |
| Immaculate Conception School | Charles City | PK–6 | 172 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| St Patrick School | Waukon | PK–5 | 162 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| St Joseph Catholic School | De Witt | PK–8 | 151 | 12 | Catholic |
| St Paul's Lutheran School | Waverly | PK–6 | 148 | 11 | Lutheran |
| Woodward Academy | Woodward | 6–12 | 147 | 16.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Valley Lutheran School | Cedar Falls | K–12 | 146 | 9.4 | Lutheran |
| Rivermont Collegiate | Bettendorf | PK–12 | 145 | 6.1 | Nonsectarian |
| St Benedict School | Decorah | PK–8 | 145 | 10.4 | Catholic |
| St Malachy School | Creston | PK–8 | 137 | 9.2 | Catholic |
| Clear Lake Classical | Clear Lake | PK–12 | 135 | 8.7 | Christian |
| St Mary School | Humboldt | PK–6 | 134 | 11.2 | Catholic |
| Hull Protestant Reformed Christian School | Hull | K–8 | 133 | 12.7 | Christian |
| St Johns School | Independence | K–8 | 131 | 10.9 | Catholic |
| Mater Dei School | Sioux City | PK–4 | 130 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| Maharishi SchoolAlternative | Fairfield | PK–12 | 125 | 5.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Sacred Heart Elementary School | Maquoketa | PK–6 | 123 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School | Spencer | K–7 | 119 | 13.5 | Lutheran |
| Notre Dame Catholic School | Cresco | PK–5 | 118 | 12.3 | Catholic |
| Trinity Lutheran School | Boone | PK–8 | 116 | 13.6 | Lutheran |
| Faith Academy | Iowa City | K–6 | 115 | 10.4 | Christian |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- ISASP practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in Iowa give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring.
- Colleges in Iowa, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in Iowa?
159 private schools in Iowa 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 Iowa?
Among schools that answered the survey, Ignite Christian Academy in Rock Rapids is the largest, with 2,257 students in grades K–12.
How big are classes at private schools in Iowa?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in Iowa has 11.1 students per teacher and 175 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.
