Private Schools
Private Schools in South Carolina
199 private schools in South Carolina with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 47,837 students: 30 Catholic, 122 other religious and 47 nonsectarian. 137 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
199
Go through high school
137
Median enrollment
165
Median students per teacher
9.5
Private schools by city in South Carolina
The 100 largest private schools in South Carolina
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ Church Episcopal School | Greenville | K–12 | 1,276 | 9.1 | Episcopal |
| Christ Church Episcopal School | Greenville | K–12 | 1,205 | 8.1 | Episcopal |
| Southside Christian School | Simpsonville | PK–12 | 1,146 | 11.8 | Christian |
| Bob Jones Academy | Greenville | PK–12 | 1,112 | 12.2 | Christian |
| Ben Lippen School | Columbia | PK–12 | 1,105 | 13.7 | Christian |
| Porter-Gaud School | Charleston | 1–12 | 1,071 | 9.4 | Episcopal |
| Hammond School | Columbia | PK–12 | 944 | 9.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Wilson Hall | Sumter | PK–12 | 737 | 8.4 | Christian |
| Bishop England High School | Charleston | 9–12 | 718 | 12.3 | Catholic |
| Northside Christian Academy | Lexington | PK–12 | 705 | 11.3 | Baptist |
| Palmetto Christian Academy | Mount Pleasant | PK–12 | 678 | 11.8 | Baptist |
| Palmetto Christian Academy | Mount Pleasant | PK–12 | 677 | 11.8 | Baptist |
| Pinewood Preparatory School | Summerville | PK–12 | 672 | 12.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Hilton Head Christian Academy | Hilton Head Island | K–12 | 628 | 10.3 | Christian |
| Christ Our King-Stella Mans School | Mount Pleasant | PK–8 | 602 | 13.1 | Catholic |
| Westminster Catawba Christian School-High | Rock Hill | PK–12 | 597 | 11.2 | Presbyterian |
| Westminster Catawba Christian School | Rock Hill | PK–12 | 591 | 10.6 | Presbyterian |
| Cardinal Newman School | Columbia | 7–12 | 562 | 10.6 | Catholic |
| Florence Christian School | Florence | PK–12 | 562 | 14.1 | Baptist |
| Ashley Hall School | Charleston | PK–12 | 543 | 6.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Hampton Park Christian School | Greenville | K–12 | 534 | 16.3 | Baptist |
| First Baptist School of Charleston | Charleston | PK–12 | 501 | 12.2 | Baptist |
| Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach | K–12 | 497 | 10.6 | Christian |
| Cross SchoolsAlternative | Bluffton | PK–12 | 480 | 24 | Episcopal |
| Thomas Sumter Academy | Rembert | PK–12 | 474 | 10.3 | Christian |
| Orangeburg Preparatory School | Orangeburg | PK–12 | 459 | 10.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Colleton Preparatory Academy | Walterboro | PK–12 | 458 | 8.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Pee Dee Academy | Mullins | PK–12 | 455 | 9.7 | Christian |
| Spartanburg Day School | Spartanburg | PK–12 | 455 | 6.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Dillon Christian School | Dillon | PK–12 | 427 | 10.5 | Presbyterian |
| St John's Christian Academy | Moncks Corner | PK–12 | 420 | 13.3 | Christian |
| Hilton Head Preparatory School | Hilton Head Island | PK–12 | 402 | 9.5 | Nonsectarian |
| First Presbyterian Academy at Shannon Forest | Greenville | PK–12 | 397 | 7.3 | Presbyterian |
| Oakbrook Preparatory School | Spartanburg | PK–12 | 393 | 5.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Mitchell Road Christian Academy | Greenville | PK–8 | 392 | 13.8 | Presbyterian |
| Calhoun Academy | Saint Matthews | PK–12 | 387 | 12.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Trinity Collegiate School | Darlington | 6–12 | 377 | 8.1 | Christian |
| The Carolina Academy | Lake City | PK–12 | 371 | 12.9 | Baptist |
| Charleston Collegiate School | Johns Island | PK–12 | 363 | 8.3 | Nonsectarian |
| John Paul II Catholic School | Ridgeland | 6–12 | 363 | 9.5 | Catholic |
| John Paul II Catholic School | Ridgeland | 6–12 | 362 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| Faith Christian School & Daycare | Summerville | PK–12 | 354 | 13.7 | Assembly of God |
| Cathedral Academy | Charleston | PK–12 | 351 | 12.3 | Christian |
| Cathedral Academy | Charleston | PK–12 | 348 | 12.7 | Christian |
| Clarendon Hall School | Summerton | PK–12 | 344 | 12.7 | Baptist |
| Calvary Christian School | Myrtle Beach | PK–12 | 330 | 12 | Christian |
| The King's Academy | Florence | PK–12 | 325 | 8.8 | Christian |
| Dorchester Academy | Saint George | PK–12 | 324 | 13.3 | Christian |
| Veritas Preparatory SchoolSpecial program | Greenville | K–12 | 311 | 12.7 | Christian |
| Conway Christian School | Conway | PK–12 | 310 | 10.9 | Christian |
| Holy Trinity Classical Christian School | Beaufort | PK–12 | 308 | 9.2 | Christian |
| Providence Classical School | Rock Hill | K–12 | 305 | 11.3 | Christian |
| Patrick Henry Academy | Estill | PK–12 | 303 | 13.3 | Christian |
| Mason Preparatory School | Charleston | K–8 | 300 | 9 | Christian |
| Greenville Classical Academy | Simpsonville | PK–12 | 293 | 9.7 | Christian |
| Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School | Greenville | PK–12 | 288 | 11.8 | Catholic |
| Robert E Lee Academy | Bishopville | PK–12 | 283 | 7.2 | Christian |
| St Anne School | Rock Hill | PK–12 | 282 | 8.9 | Catholic |
| Westside Christian Academy | Sumter | PK–8 | 276 | 9.6 | Baptist |
| St Marys Catholic School | Greenville | PK–8 | 271 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| Andrew Jackson AcademyAlternative | Ehrhardt | PK–12 | 266 | 16.6 | Christian |
| Mauldin Christian Academy | Mauldin | PK–5 | 264 | 13.2 | Christian |
| Marlboro Academy | Bennettsville | PK–12 | 256 | 14 | Nonsectarian |
| Thomas Heyward Academy | Ridgeland | PK–12 | 256 | 13.8 | Nonsectarian |
| St John Newmann Catholic School | Columbia | PK–6 | 255 | 11.8 | Catholic |
| Camden Military AcademyBoys, Special program | Camden | 7–12 | 249 | 8.3 | Christian |
| Jefferson Davis Academy | Blackville | PK–12 | 249 | 12.5 | Christian |
| South Aiken Baptist Christian School | Aiken | PK–12 | 249 | 8.1 | Baptist |
| Walnut Grove Christian School | Fort Mill | K–12 | 248 | 10.2 | Christian |
| Charleston Day School | Charleston | K–8 | 246 | 7 | Nonsectarian |
| Carolina Christian Academy | Lancaster | PK–12 | 236 | 11.6 | Christian |
| Blessed Sacrament Catholic School | Charleston | PK–8 | 231 | 10.3 | Catholic |
| Northside Christian School | North Charleston | PK–12 | 227 | 9.9 | Baptist |
| Oakwood Christian School | Anderson | K–12 | 227 | 13.5 | Christian |
| Summerville Catholic School | Summerville | PK–8 | 222 | 7.8 | Catholic |
| James Island Christian School | Charleston | PK–8 | 221 | 8.3 | Christian |
| James Island Christian School | Charleston | PK–8 | 218 | 10.9 | Christian |
| St Mary Help of Christians Catholic School | Aiken | K–8 | 217 | 10.5 | Catholic |
| Victory Christian School | North Augusta | PK–12 | 215 | 9.8 | Baptist |
| St Joseph School | Columbia | PK–6 | 213 | 8.2 | Catholic |
| Cambridge Academy | Greenwood | PK–12 | 212 | 10.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Richard Winn Academy | Winnsboro | PK–12 | 212 | 6.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Meeting Street Academy | Charleston | PK–5 | 209 | 7.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Francis Hugh Wardlaw Academy | Johnston | PK–12 | 205 | 9 | Nonsectarian |
| St Francis Catholic School | Hilton Head Island | PK–8 | 201 | 14.8 | Catholic |
| Orangeburg Christian Academy | Orangeburg | PK–12 | 199 | 9.2 | Christian |
| St Andrew Catholic School | Myrtle Beach | K–8 | 197 | 9.8 | Catholic |
| Five Oaks AcademyMontessori | Simpsonville | PK–8 | 195 | 5.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Charleston Bilingual AcademySpecial program | North Charleston | PK–7 | 194 | 15.2 | Christian |
| W Wyman King Academy | Batesburg | PK–12 | 194 | 11.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Sumter Christian School | Sumter | PK–12 | 190 | 11 | Christian |
| Lake Pointe AcademySpecial program | York | K–12 | 188 | 13.6 | Calvinist |
| Step of Faith Christian Academy | Ridgeland | PK–12 | 188 | 8.2 | Baptist |
| Grace Christian School | West Columbia | PK–12 | 183 | 10.9 | Baptist |
| Comenius School for Creative Leadership | Fort Mill | K–12 | 178 | 8.9 | Pentecostal |
| As-Sabeel Academy | Greer | K–8 | 176 | 11 | Islamic |
| Newberry Academy | Newberry | PK–12 | 174 | 8.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Ridge Christian Academy | Summerville | PK–12 | 169 | 6.1 | Baptist |
| Camperdown AcademySpecial education | Greenville | 1–8 | 166 | 3.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Our Lady of Peace School | North Augusta | PK–8 | 165 | 11.8 | Catholic |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring.
- Colleges in South Carolina, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in South Carolina?
199 private schools in South 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 South Carolina?
Among schools that answered the survey, Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville is the largest, with 1,276 students in grades K–12.
How big are classes at private schools in South Carolina?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in South Carolina has 9.5 students per teacher and 165 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.
