Private Schools
Private Schools in North Carolina
457 private schools in North Carolina with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 114,622 students: 43 Catholic, 273 other religious and 141 nonsectarian. 302 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
457
Go through high school
302
Median enrollment
153
Median students per teacher
9.6
Private schools by city in North Carolina
The 100 largest private schools in North Carolina
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth Country Day School | Lewisville | PK–12 | 2,150 | 24 | Nonsectarian |
| Cardinal Gibbons | Raleigh | 9–12 | 1,590 | 13.3 | Catholic |
| North Raleigh Christian Academy | Raleigh | PK–12 | 1,568 | 15.4 | Christian |
| Charlotte Latin School | Charlotte | K–12 | 1,523 | 8.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Charlotte Catholic High School | Charlotte | 9–12 | 1,330 | 14.2 | Catholic |
| Charlotte Christian School | Charlotte | K–12 | 1,239 | 11.9 | Christian |
| Ravenscroft School | Raleigh | PK–12 | 1,215 | 8 | Nonsectarian |
| Durham Academy | Durham | PK–12 | 1,213 | 7.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Durham Academy | Durham | PK–12 | 1,213 | 7.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Durham Academy Middle School Div | Durham | PK–12 | 1,211 | 4.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Metrolina Christian Academy | Indian Trail | PK–12 | 1,200 | 13.4 | Baptist |
| Metrolina Christian Academy | Indian Trail | PK–12 | 1,198 | 14.6 | Baptist |
| Carmel Christian School | Matthews | K–12 | 1,144 | 10 | Baptist |
| Gaston Christian School | Gastonia | PK–12 | 1,040 | 13.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Wesleyan Christian Academy | High Point | PK–12 | 1,031 | 12.9 | Methodist |
| Covenant Day School | Matthews | K–12 | 1,029 | 12 | Presbyterian |
| Cannon School | Concord | PK–12 | 1,017 | 10.7 | Nonsectarian |
| Grace Christian School | Sanford | K–12 | 949 | 15.7 | Christian |
| Wake Christian Academy | Raleigh | K–12 | 926 | 12.7 | Christian |
| Grace Christian School | Raleigh | K–12 | 874 | 12.4 | Christian |
| Cary Christian School | Cary | K–12 | 844 | 16.3 | Christian |
| Wilmington Christian Academy | Wilmington | PK–12 | 825 | 17.5 | Baptist |
| Calvary Day School | Winston Salem | PK–12 | 823 | 14.3 | Baptist |
| Cary Academy | Cary | 6–12 | 789 | 9.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Concord Academy | Concord | PK–12 | 769 | 16 | Assembly of God |
| Asheville Christian Academy | Swannanoa | PK–12 | 757 | 10.5 | Other religious |
| Burlington Christian Academy | Burlington | PK–12 | 755 | 9.8 | Assembly of God |
| Hickory Grove Christian School | Charlotte | PK–12 | 742 | 11 | Baptist |
| Wayne Christian School | Goldsboro | PK–12 | 737 | 15.4 | Baptist |
| Cape Fear Academy | Wilmington | PK–12 | 709 | 10.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Fayetteville Christian School | Fayetteville | PK–12 | 709 | 14 | Christian |
| High Point Christian Academy | High Point | PK–12 | 702 | 10.8 | Baptist |
| St Mark Catholic School | Huntersville | K–8 | 700 | 14.7 | Catholic |
| St Matthew Catholic School | Charlotte | K–5 | 682 | 17.7 | Catholic |
| The Franciscan School | Raleigh | K–8 | 668 | 15 | Catholic |
| St Gabriel Catholic School | Charlotte | K–5 | 657 | 16.5 | Catholic |
| Thales AcademySpecial program | Wake Forest | K–5 | 656 | 23.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Thales Academy Apex JH/HS | Apex | 6–12 | 653 | 14.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Thales Academy | Rolesville | 6–12 | 625 | 17.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Berean Baptist Academy | Fayetteville | PK–12 | 613 | 7.8 | Baptist |
| Trinity Academy | Raleigh | K–12 | 612 | 11.2 | Christian |
| Southlake Christian Academy | Huntersville | PK–12 | 611 | 6.5 | Presbyterian |
| Freedom Christian Academy | Fayetteville | PK–12 | 604 | 24.1 | Christian |
| Carolina Day School | Asheville | PK–12 | 587 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill | Durham | K–12 | 583 | 7.6 | Christian |
| Village Christian Academy | Fayetteville | K–12 | 580 | 10.3 | Baptist |
| Wilson Christian Academy | Wilson | PK–12 | 564 | 13.5 | Baptist |
| Thales Academy Apex K-5 | Apex | K–5 | 550 | 19.9 | Nonsectarian |
| St Timothys School | Raleigh | PK–8 | 548 | 12.2 | Episcopal |
| St Mary Magdalene Catholic School | Apex | PK–8 | 543 | 14.6 | Catholic |
| Liberty Christian Academy | Richlands | PK–12 | 535 | 13.4 | Christian |
| Thales Academy Holly Springs Pre-K-12 | Holly Springs | PK–8 | 531 | 18.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Hickory Christian Academy | Hickory | PK–12 | 529 | 7.6 | Christian |
| Union Grove Christian School | Lexington | K–12 | 506 | 14.6 | Baptist |
| Thales Academy Waxhaw K-8 | Waxhaw | K–8 | 504 | 15.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Thales Academy of Raleigh | Raleigh | K–8 | 488 | 16.8 | Nonsectarian |
| North Hills Christian School | Salisbury | PK–12 | 485 | 10.8 | Christian |
| The Epiphany School of Global StudiesSpecial program | New Bern | K–12 | 485 | 11 | Nonsectarian |
| The O'Neal School | Southern Pines | PK–12 | 483 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Summit School | Winston Salem | PK–9 | 482 | 5.2 | Nonsectarian |
| New Bern Christian Academy | New Bern | K–12 | 479 | 13.7 | Christian |
| St Mark Catholic School | Wilmington | PK–8 | 478 | 16.4 | Catholic |
| Carolina Friends School | Durham | PK–12 | 477 | 6.8 | Friends |
| St Michael the Archangel Catholic School | Cary | PK–8 | 476 | 16.9 | Catholic |
| Immaculata Catholic School | Durham | PK–8 | 466 | 12.9 | Catholic |
| Thales Academy | Knightdale | PK–8 | 466 | 17 | Nonsectarian |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School | Raleigh | K–8 | 464 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| Harrells Christian Academy | Harrells | K–12 | 462 | 11.3 | Christian |
| St Raphael Catholic School | Raleigh | K–8 | 458 | 13.4 | Catholic |
| Davidson Day School | Davidson | PK–12 | 456 | 7.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Thales Academy at Flowers Plantation | Clayton | PK–8 | 452 | 18.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Liberty Prep Christian AcademySpecial program | Mooresville | K–12 | 444 | 16 | Christian |
| St Pius X Catholic School | Greensboro | PK–8 | 437 | 13.7 | Catholic |
| Trinity Episcopal School | Charlotte | K–8 | 437 | 8.8 | Episcopal |
| Cramerton Christian Academy | Cramerton | K–12 | 436 | 13.6 | Baptist |
| Duke School | Durham | PK–8 | 436 | 6.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Thales Academy of Cary | Raleigh | K–10 | 436 | 13.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Sandhills Classical Christian SchoolSpecial program | Whispering Pines | PK–12 | 435 | 13.6 | Christian |
| Westchester Country Day School | High Point | PK–12 | 433 | 7.2 | Nonsectarian |
| St Peter Catholic School | Greenville | PK–8 | 432 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| Triad Baptist Christian Academy | Kernersville | PK–12 | 421 | 13.5 | Baptist |
| Christ Covenant School | Winterville | K–12 | 416 | 13 | Christian |
| Christ the King Catholic High School | Huntersville | 9–12 | 416 | 12.9 | Catholic |
| Gaston Day School | Gastonia | PK–12 | 398 | 8.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Hilltop Christian School | Fuquay Varina | K–12 | 395 | 13.6 | Baptist |
| Christ Covenant School | Winterville | PK–12 | 393 | 12.7 | Christian |
| Tabernacle Christian School | Hickory | PK–12 | 389 | 13.2 | Baptist |
| Southside Christian School | Clayton | PK–12 | 388 | 8.8 | Christian |
| The Burlington School | Burlington | PK–12 | 384 | 11.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Southside Christian School | Clayton | PK–12 | 383 | 10.4 | Christian |
| Myrtle Grove Christian School | Wilmington | PK–8 | 379 | 16.6 | Christian |
| Community Christian School | Wilson | PK–12 | 378 | 11.1 | Christian |
| Vandalia Christian School | Greensboro | PK–12 | 378 | 13.7 | Baptist |
| Lee Christian School | Sanford | PK–12 | 374 | 10 | Christian |
| Intellicor International Academy | Charlotte | PK–12 | 373 | 13.3 | Islamic |
| Gramercy Christian School | Newport | PK–12 | 368 | 11 | Christian |
| Greenville Christian Academy | Greenville | PK–12 | 365 | 12.9 | Baptist |
| Fayetteville Academy | Fayetteville | PK–12 | 364 | 8.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Greenfield School | Wilson | PK–12 | 363 | 7.7 | Nonsectarian |
| Gospel Light Christian School | Walkertown | K–12 | 359 | 8 | Baptist |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- NC EOG practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in North Carolina give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring in North Carolina.
- Colleges in North Carolina, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in North Carolina?
457 private schools in North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
Among schools that answered the survey, Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville is the largest, with 2,150 students in grades PK–12.
How big are classes at private schools in North Carolina?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in North Carolina has 9.6 students per teacher and 153 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.
