Private Schools
Private Schools in Massachusetts
391 private schools in Massachusetts with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 81,495 students: 129 Catholic, 75 other religious and 187 nonsectarian. 167 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
391
Go through high school
167
Median enrollment
154
Median students per teacher
7
Private schools by city in Massachusetts
The 100 largest private schools in Massachusetts
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Catholic | Lawrence | 9–12 | 1,494 | 16.8 | Catholic |
| St Johns Preparatory SchoolBoys | Danvers | 6–12 | 1,453 | 10.1 | Catholic |
| Boston College High SchoolBoys | Dorchester | 7–12 | 1,439 | 13 | Catholic |
| Phillips Academy | Andover | 9–12 | 1,154 | 6 | Nonsectarian |
| Bishop Feehan | Attleboro | 9–12 | 1,087 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| Dexter Southfield | Brookline | PK–12 | 1,038 | 5.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Milton Academy | Milton | K–12 | 1,030 | 5 | Nonsectarian |
| Xaverian Brothers High SchoolBoys | Westwood | 7–12 | 966 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| St John's High SchoolBoys | Shrewsbury | 7–12 | 916 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| Malden Catholic High School | Malden | 9–12 | 863 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| Arlington Catholic High School/Saint Agnes School | Arlington | PK–12 | 851 | 10.2 | Catholic |
| Austin Preparatory School | Reading | 6–12 | 806 | 10.7 | Catholic |
| Archbishop Williams High School | Braintree | 7–12 | 725 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| Lowell Catholic | Lowell | PK–12 | 705 | 11.4 | Catholic |
| Whitinsville Christian School | Whitinsville | PK–12 | 625 | 8.1 | Calvinist |
| Catholic MemorialBoys | West Roxbury | 7–12 | 605 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Bishop Stang High School | North Dartmouth | 9–12 | 558 | 13.6 | Catholic |
| Tabor Academy | Marion | 9–12 | 538 | 6.7 | Nonsectarian |
| The Park School | Brookline | PK–8 | 533 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Worcester Academy | Worcester | 6–12 | 532 | 8 | Nonsectarian |
| The Rivers School | Weston | 6–12 | 525 | 6 | Nonsectarian |
| Academy of Notre Dame | Tyngsboro | PK–12 | 502 | 10.9 | Catholic |
| Beaver Country Day School | Chestnut Hill | 6–12 | 500 | 6.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Shady Hill School | Cambridge | PK–8 | 496 | 6.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Fay School | Southborough | K–9 | 486 | 4 | Nonsectarian |
| The Williston Northampton School | Easthampton | 7–12 | 482 | 8.1 | Nonsectarian |
| British International School of Boston | Boston | PK–12 | 481 | 9.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Cardinal Spellman High School | Brockton | 9–12 | 479 | 10.8 | Catholic |
| The Winsor SchoolGirls | Boston | 5–12 | 475 | 6.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Dana Hall SchoolGirls | Wellesley | 5–12 | 462 | 8.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Bishop Fenwick High School | Peabody | 9–12 | 458 | 11.8 | Catholic |
| The Carroll SchoolSpecial education | Lincoln | 1–9 | 455 | 2.7 | Nonsectarian |
| St Michael Elementary School | North Andover | PK–8 | 454 | 19.7 | Catholic |
| Berkshire School | Sheffield | 9–12 | 430 | 6.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Notre Dame AcademyGirls, Special program | Hingham | 7–12 | 429 | 9.5 | Catholic |
| St John Paul II School | Hyannis | 5–12 | 429 | 6.5 | Catholic |
| Pope Francis Preparatory School | Springfield | 9–12 | 425 | 12 | Catholic |
| Sacred Hearts School | Bradford | PK–8 | 420 | 17.4 | Catholic |
| Bancroft School | Worcester | PK–12 | 416 | 5.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Lawrence Academy | Groton | 9–12 | 415 | 6.7 | Nonsectarian |
| Doctor Franklin Perkins SchoolSpecial education | Lancaster | 2 | 413 | 12.6 | Nonsectarian |
| The Governors Academy | Byfield | 9–12 | 413 | 6.8 | Nonsectarian |
| St Paul Diocesan JR/SR High School | Worcester | 7–12 | 406 | 11.6 | Catholic |
| Lawrence Catholic Academy | Lawrence | PK–8 | 401 | 16.7 | Catholic |
| Brimmer & May School | Chestnut Hill | PK–12 | 394 | 5.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Covenant Christian Academy | Peabody | PK–12 | 392 | 9.7 | Christian |
| St Sebastians SchoolBoys | Needham | 7–12 | 388 | 5.2 | Catholic |
| Groton School | Groton | 8–12 | 381 | 5.6 | Episcopal |
| St Michaels Academy | Springfield | PK–8 | 378 | 15.8 | Catholic |
| St Mark's School | Southborough | 9–12 | 377 | 4.1 | Episcopal |
| Newton Country Day SchoolGirls | Newton | 5–12 | 374 | 5.1 | Catholic |
| Brooks School | North Andover | 9–12 | 363 | 6.5 | Episcopal |
| Solomon Schechtee Day School | Newton | PK–8 | 359 | 4.2 | Jewish |
| Solomon Schechter Day School | Newton | PK–8 | 359 | 5.6 | Jewish |
| Ursuline AcademyGirls | Dedham | 7–12 | 359 | 9.4 | Catholic |
| St Joseph School | Needham | PK–8 | 358 | 11.2 | Catholic |
| Cats Academy | Braintree | 8–12 | 352 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Gann Academy-The New Jewish High School | Waltham | 9–12 | 351 | 7.4 | Jewish |
| St John the Baptist School | Peabody | PK–8 | 351 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| St John Paul Lower Mills | Dorchester | PK–8 | 340 | 13.6 | Catholic |
| Belmont Day School | Belmont | 1 | 334 | 4.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Our Ladys Academy | Waltham | PK–8 | 328 | 8.4 | Catholic |
| Cathedral High School | Boston | 7–12 | 326 | 9.1 | Catholic |
| Derby Academy | Hingham | PK–8 | 325 | 6.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Croft School | Jamaica Plain | PK–5 | 320 | 8.8 | Nonsectarian |
| St Augustine Elementary School | Andover | PK–8 | 320 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Maimonides | Brookline | PK–12 | 318 | 5.4 | Jewish |
| Maimonides School | Brookline | PK–12 | 318 | 5.9 | Jewish |
| Fontbonne AcademyGirls | Milton | 7–12 | 317 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| The Fenn SchoolBoys | Concord | 4–9 | 310 | 6.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Cape Cod Academy | Osterville | K–12 | 308 | 7.9 | Nonsectarian |
| St Columbkille Partnership School | Brighton | PK–8 | 307 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| The Cambridge School of Weston | Weston | 9–12 | 307 | 6.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Our Lady of the Assumption SCH | Lynnfield | PK–8 | 306 | 10.9 | Catholic |
| St Catherine of Siena School | Norwood | PK–8 | 306 | 7.1 | Catholic |
| Immaculate Conception School | Lowell | PK–8 | 303 | 15.2 | Catholic |
| St Bernadette Elementary School | Northborough | PK–8 | 303 | 5.8 | Catholic |
| St Peter Central Catholic Elementary School | Worcester | PK–8 | 302 | 14.3 | Catholic |
| Meadowbrook School of Weston | Weston | PK–8 | 295 | 4.6 | Nonsectarian |
| St John Paul II Academy, Neponset | Dorchester | PK–8 | 292 | 12.7 | Catholic |
| St Agnes School | Arlington | PK–8 | 291 | 10.2 | Catholic |
| Lexington Christian Academy | Lexington | 6–12 | 290 | 8.7 | Christian |
| Cheverus Catholic School | Malden | PK–8 | 289 | 11.6 | Catholic |
| Dedham Country Day School | Dedham | PK–8 | 287 | 6.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Notre Dame Cristo Rey High SchoolAlternative | Methuen | 9–12 | 283 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| St Pius V School | Lynn | PK–8 | 282 | 16.6 | Catholic |
| Landmark High SchoolSpecial education | Prides Crossing | 9–12 | 281 | 2.5 | Nonsectarian |
| The Rashi School | Dedham | PK–8 | 280 | 9.4 | Jewish |
| St John Paul II Catholic Academy | Dorchester Center | PK–8 | 277 | 17.3 | Catholic |
| Shore Country Day School | Beverly | PK–8 | 275 | 5.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Pioneer Valley Christian Academy | Springfield | PK–12 | 274 | 7.6 | Christian |
| Immaculate Conception | Revere | PK–8 | 272 | 12.1 | Catholic |
| The Winchendon School | Winchendon | 9–12 | 271 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Star Academy for the Gifted and Talented | Wellesley | PK–11 | 269 | 5.4 | Nonsectarian |
| South Lancaster Academy | South Lancaster | PK–12 | 264 | 11.8 | Christian |
| Brookwood School | Manchester | PK–8 | 262 | 7.7 | Nonsectarian |
| The Hartsbrook SchoolSpecial program | Hadley | PK–12 | 259 | 5 | Nonsectarian |
| Notre Dame AcademyGirls | Worcester | 7–12 | 258 | 7.6 | Catholic |
| Holy Name Parish School | West Roxbury | PK–6 | 257 | 14 | Catholic |
| German International School BostonSpecial program | Boston | PK–12 | 256 | 4.2 | Nonsectarian |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- MCAS practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in Massachusetts give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring in Massachusetts.
- Colleges in Massachusetts, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in Massachusetts?
391 private schools in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
Among schools that answered the survey, Central Catholic in Lawrence is the largest, with 1,494 students in grades 9–12.
How big are classes at private schools in Massachusetts?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in Massachusetts has 7 students per teacher and 154 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.
