As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, education is key: 1.4 million students enrolled in private high schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. There were about 3,600 private secondary schools nationwide as of 2020.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these private high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to send their kids to better schools. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in New York using 2027 rankings from Niche. Online schools were not included. Niche uses 10 weighted factors for its rankings, including: college enrollment, culture and diversity, parent/student surveys, top enrolled colleges, and student-teacher ratio. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
#23. Marymount School of New York
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 769 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#22. Lycée Français de New York
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,156 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#21. Trinity School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 1,001 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#20. The Browning School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 475 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#19. British International School of New York
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 200 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#18. Friends Academy
- Location: Locust Valley, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 664 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#17. French-American School of New York
- Location: Mamaroneck, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 651 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#16. Saint Ann's School
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,097 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#15. Hackley School
- Location: Tarrytown, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 881 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#14. Collegiate School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 662 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#13. Ethical Culture Fieldston School
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,706 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#12. Convent of the Sacred Heart
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 730 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#11. The Dalton School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 1,330 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#10. The Nightingale-Bamford School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 734 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#9. Avenues The World School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,872 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#8. Regis High School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 538 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#7. The Spence School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 812 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#6. BASIS Independent Brooklyn
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 679 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#5. Rye Country Day School
- Location: Rye, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 973 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#4. Riverdale Country School
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,305 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#3. BASIS Independent Manhattan
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 303 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#2. Horace Mann School
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,816 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#1. The Chapin School
- Location: New York, NY
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 831 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
