Private Schools
Private Schools in Virginia
455 private schools in Virginia with at least 30 students answered the 2023-24 federal survey. Together they enroll 96,463 students: 73 Catholic, 196 other religious and 186 nonsectarian. 247 schools go through high school grades.
Schools listed
455
Go through high school
247
Median enrollment
128
Median students per teacher
8.4
Private schools by city in Virginia
The 100 largest private schools in Virginia
Largest first. Students per teacher is the school’s own report.
| School | City | Grades | Students | Per teacher | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Keystone School | Reston | K–12 | 8,873 | 135.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Collegiate School | Richmond | PK–12 | 1,623 | 10 | Nonsectarian |
| Norfolk Academy | Norfolk | 1–12 | 1,207 | 10.5 | Nonsectarian |
| St Paul Vi Catholic High School | Chantilly | 9–12 | 1,183 | 10.7 | Catholic |
| Bishop Denis J. Oconnell High School | Arlington | 9–12 | 1,155 | 9.5 | Catholic |
| Fredericksburg Christian School | Fredericksburg | PK–12 | 1,005 | 11.4 | Christian |
| Cape Henry Collegiate School | Virginia Beach | PK–12 | 976 | 4.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Bishop Ireton High School | Alexandria | 9–12 | 921 | 12 | Catholic |
| King Abdullah Academy | Herndon | K–12 | 913 | 6.1 | Nonsectarian |
| St Catherines SchoolGirls | Richmond | PK–12 | 895 | 6.3 | Episcopal |
| Nansemond-Suffolk Academy | Suffolk | PK–12 | 828 | 11.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Atlantic Shores Christian School | Chesapeake | PK–12 | 778 | 9.5 | Christian |
| Trinity Christian School of Fairfax | Fairfax | K–12 | 757 | 10.7 | Christian |
| The Basilica School of St. Mary | Alexandria | PK–8 | 691 | 17.3 | Catholic |
| The Steward School | Richmond | PK–12 | 690 | 8.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Norfolk Christian Schools | Norfolk | PK–12 | 688 | 8.2 | Christian |
| St John Paul the Great Catholic High School | Dumfries | 9–12 | 649 | 13.5 | Catholic |
| Veritas School | Richmond | PK–12 | 645 | 13.8 | Christian |
| St Timothy Catholic School | Chantilly | PK–8 | 637 | 19.3 | Catholic |
| Immanuel Christian School | Springfield | K–12 | 611 | 9.2 | Christian |
| Virginia Academy | Ashburn | PK–12 | 587 | 14 | Christian |
| Hampton Roads Academy | Newport News | PK–12 | 571 | 8.4 | Nonsectarian |
| St Gregory the Great School | Virginia Beach | PK–8 | 561 | 12.2 | Catholic |
| Nysmith School for the GiftedSpecial program | Herndon | PK–8 | 551 | 4.8 | Nonsectarian |
| North Cross School | Roanoke | PK–12 | 536 | 7.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Benedictine College Preparatory | Richmond | 9–12 | 523 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| St Joseph Catholic School | Herndon | K–8 | 519 | 18.2 | Catholic |
| Trinity Episcopal School | Richmond | 8–12 | 514 | 9.3 | Episcopal |
| Norfolk Collegiate School | Norfolk | PK–12 | 503 | 7.5 | Nonsectarian |
| Timberlake Christian School | Forest | PK–12 | 501 | 15.3 | Baptist |
| St Edward-Epiphany School | Richmond | PK–8 | 498 | 19.9 | Catholic |
| St Bridget School | Richmond | PK–8 | 477 | 10.5 | Catholic |
| Catholic High School | Virginia Beach | 9–12 | 476 | 12.7 | Catholic |
| Portsmouth Christian School | Portsmouth | PK–12 | 473 | 11.2 | Baptist |
| Our Lady of Good Counsel School | Vienna | PK–8 | 470 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| Norfolk Collegiate School | Norfolk | PK–12 | 469 | 7 | Nonsectarian |
| St Louis Catholic School | Alexandria | PK–8 | 468 | 16.4 | Catholic |
| Christ Chapel Academy | Woodbridge | PK–12 | 467 | 15.8 | Assembly of God |
| Episcopal High School | Alexandria | 9–12 | 466 | 7.3 | Episcopal |
| Walsingham AcademySpecial program | Williamsburg | PK–12 | 462 | 17.2 | Catholic |
| The Langley School | McLean | PK–8 | 461 | 5.6 | Nonsectarian |
| Stonebridge School | Chesapeake | PK–12 | 459 | 12 | Christian |
| Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy | Moneta | PK–12 | 458 | 11 | Christian |
| Faith Baptist School | Fredericksburg | PK–12 | 455 | 14.4 | Baptist |
| St James Catholic School | Falls Church | PK–8 | 444 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| St Thomas More Cathedral School | Arlington | PK–8 | 440 | 15 | Catholic |
| New Covenant Schools | Lynchburg | PK–12 | 439 | 11.6 | Episcopal |
| St Bernadette School | Springfield | PK–8 | 439 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| Highland School | Warrenton | PK–12 | 434 | 108.5 | Nonsectarian |
| St Theresa Catholic School | Ashburn | K–8 | 432 | 11 | Catholic |
| Grove Christian School | Richmond | PK–12 | 428 | 11.6 | Baptist |
| Holy Cross Academy | Fredericksburg | PK–8 | 426 | 16.1 | Catholic |
| Holy Spirit School | Annandale | PK–8 | 426 | 14.1 | Catholic |
| St Matthew's School | Virginia Beach | PK–8 | 421 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| Covenant Christian Academy of Warrenton Virginia | Warrenton | PK–12 | 418 | 15.8 | Christian |
| Roanoke Valley Christian Schools | Roanoke | PK–12 | 418 | 10.7 | Baptist |
| All Saints Catholic School | Manassas | PK–8 | 417 | 15.1 | Catholic |
| St Agnes School | Arlington | PK–8 | 417 | 11.9 | Catholic |
| St Thomas Aquinas Regional School | Woodbridge | PK–8 | 409 | 13 | Catholic |
| St John the Apostle Catholic School | Virginia Beach | PK–8 | 406 | 17.3 | Catholic |
| Fredericksburg Academy | Fredericksburg | PK–12 | 402 | 6.4 | Nonsectarian |
| Blue Ridge Christian School | Bridgewater | PK–12 | 398 | 10.6 | Christian |
| Woodberry Forest SchoolBoys | Woodberry Forest | 9–12 | 393 | 6.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Heritage Christian School | Woodbridge | K–12 | 392 | 11.5 | Baptist |
| Westover Christian Academy | Danville | PK–12 | 392 | 12.9 | Baptist |
| St Mary's Catholic School - Richmond | Richmond | PK–8 | 391 | 15.5 | Catholic |
| Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School | Powhatan | PK–12 | 381 | 10.3 | Catholic |
| Eastern Mennonite School | Harrisonburg | K–12 | 374 | 11.6 | Mennonite |
| St Patrick Catholic School | Norfolk | PK–8 | 373 | 11.1 | Catholic |
| Wakefield School | The Plains | PK–12 | 373 | 6.4 | Nonsectarian |
| St Veronica Catholic School | Chantilly | PK–8 | 369 | 14.2 | Catholic |
| Roanoke Catholic School | Roanoke | PK–12 | 358 | 11.3 | Catholic |
| St Mark Catholic School | Vienna | PK–8 | 356 | 6.1 | Catholic |
| St Leo the Great Catholic School | Fairfax | PK–8 | 352 | 13.1 | Catholic |
| Charlottesville Catholic School | Charlottesville | PK–8 | 342 | 14.7 | Catholic |
| Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Newport News | PK–8 | 342 | 12.5 | Catholic |
| Brunswick Academy | Lawrenceville | PK–12 | 340 | 10.1 | Nonsectarian |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School | Richmond | PK–8 | 337 | 12 | Catholic |
| Temple Christian School | Madison Heights | PK–12 | 335 | 14 | Baptist |
| The Madeira SchoolGirls | McLean | 9–12 | 335 | 9.9 | Nonsectarian |
| Dominion Christian SchoolSpecial program | Herndon | K–12 | 333 | 8 | Christian |
| Dominion Christian School | Oakton | K–12 | 333 | 10.1 | Christian |
| Congressional School | Falls Church | PK–8 | 329 | 8.8 | Nonsectarian |
| Fairfax Baptist Temple Academy | Fairfax Station | PK–12 | 326 | 12.6 | Baptist |
| Randolph-Macon Academy | Front Royal | 6–12 | 317 | 9.9 | Methodist |
| Southampton Academy | Courtland | PK–12 | 316 | 8.3 | Nonsectarian |
| Immanuel Lutheran School | Alexandria | PK–8 | 314 | 19.7 | Lutheran |
| Loudoun Country Day School | Leesburg | PK–8 | 310 | 8.2 | Nonsectarian |
| Fairfax Christian School | Dulles | K–12 | 305 | 8.3 | Christian |
| Grace Christian School | Mechanicsville | 6–12 | 305 | 14.2 | Christian |
| Richmond Christian School | Chesterfield | K–12 | 305 | 10.2 | Christian |
| Christian Heritage Academy | Rocky Mount | PK–12 | 298 | 11.3 | Christian |
| Summit Christian Academy | Yorktown | PK–12 | 283 | 8.8 | Christian |
| Academy of Christian Education | Reston | PK–9 | 275 | 7.8 | Christian |
| Grace Christian School - Elementary/Middle | Staunton | PK–12 | 274 | 6.4 | Christian |
| Mt Pleasant Christian School | Chesapeake | PK–8 | 272 | 13 | Mennonite |
| Gateway Christian Academy | Virginia Beach | PK–12 | 267 | 15.3 | Baptist |
| Nativity Catholic School | Burke | PK–8 | 264 | 15.4 | Catholic |
| Broadwater Academy | Exmore | PK–12 | 260 | 4.7 | Nonsectarian |
| Peninsula Catholic High School | Newport News | 8–12 | 260 | 9.4 | Catholic |
Getting in, and keeping up
- Private school entrance exams: format, scoring, and dates for the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT.
- Virginia SOL practice tests and score levels, the test public schools in Virginia give.
- Using a 529 plan for K-12 tuition and tutoring in Virginia.
- Colleges in Virginia, for families already looking ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How many private schools are in Virginia?
455 private schools in Virginia 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 Virginia?
Among schools that answered the survey, The Keystone School in Reston is the largest, with 8,873 students in grades K–12.
How big are classes at private schools in Virginia?
The survey reports students per teacher, not class size. The median private school in Virginia has 8.4 students per teacher and 128 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.
