Best private high schools in Texas
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Best private high schools in Texas
Child’s shoes with a backpack leaning against their legs.
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 Texas using 2024 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students.
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#30. Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 635 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#29. The Brook Hill School
A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
– Location: Bullard, TX
– Enrollment: 850 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#28. Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 763 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#27. Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 1,153 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#26. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School
Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
– Location: Austin, TX
– Enrollment: 981 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#25. Episcopal High School
A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
– Location: Bellaire, TX
– Enrollment: 824 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#24. Fort Worth Country Day School
A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
– Location: Fort Worth, TX
– Enrollment: 1,097 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#23. TMI Episcopal
A student raising their hand in class.
– Location: San Antonio, TX
– Enrollment: 580 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#22. St. Agnes Academy
An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 935 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#21. Dallas International School
A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 570 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#20. British International School of Houston
A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.
– Location: Katy, TX
– Enrollment: 950 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#19. Trinity Valley School
A hallway lined with green lockers.
– Location: Fort Worth, TX
– Enrollment: 1,037 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#18. Cistercian Preparatory School
A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
– Location: Irving, TX
– Enrollment: 357 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#17. The Episcopal School of Dallas
An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 1,189 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#16. Alcuin School
A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 587 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#15. The Emery/Weiner School
A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 604 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#14. Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 1,396 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#13. The Kinkaid School
Students using microscopes in science class.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 1,469 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#12. Vanguard College Preparatory School
High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
– Location: Waco, TX
– Enrollment: 300 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#11. Saint Mary’s Hall
Students raising their hands for class participation.
– Location: San Antonio, TX
– Enrollment: 727 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#10. The Hockaday School
A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 1,110 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#9. Keystone School
Two students sharing a book.
– Location: San Antonio, TX
– Enrollment: 500 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#8. Austin Peace Academy
A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
– Location: Austin, TX
– Enrollment: 730 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#7. St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
– Location: Austin, TX
– Enrollment: 707 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#6. Greenhill School
Students’ backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
– Location: Addison, TX
– Enrollment: 1,373 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#5. The Village School
Bookshelves at a high school’s library.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 1,559 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#4. The Awty International School
A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 1,754 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#3. The John Cooper School
Two rows of red lockers.
– Location: The Woodlands, TX
– Enrollment: 1,343 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#2. St. Mark’s School of Texas
Empty desks in a high school classroom.
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Enrollment: 911 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#1. St. John’s School
A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
– Location: Houston, TX
– Enrollment: 1,424 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
