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Best New York Private Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 1,795 private schools serving 424,936 students in New York (there are 4,815 public schools, serving 2,506,428 students). 14% of all K-12 students in New York attend private schools (compared to the national average of 10%).
The average private school tuition is $22,375 for elementary schools and $26,901 for high schools (view national tuition averages).
The top-ranked private schools in New York include Poly Prep Country Day School, Friends Academy, and The Stony Brook School.
The average acceptance rate is 76% (view national acceptance rates). Minority enrollment is 39% and the student-teacher ratio is 10:1.
63% of schools are religiously affiliated, with most being Catholic or Jewish.

Overview

This State (NY)
US
# Schools
1,795 Schools

Student Body:

# Students
424,936 Students
5,701,032 Students
% Average Students of Color
39%
34%

Student By Grade

Academics and Faculty:

# Teachers
41,601 Teachers
507,966 Teachers
Average Student-Teacher Ratio
10:1
11:1
% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree
76%
55%
Average Class Size
15 students
15 students
Average Number of AP Courses
11 courses
13 courses
Average SAT score
1248
(Out of 1600)
1234
Average ACT score
28
(Out of 36)
26

Tuition and Acceptance Rate:

Average Yearly Tuition Cost
$22,391
$14,879
Average Summer Program Cost
$2,303
$1,138
Average % on Financial Aid
33%
35%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$9,645
$7,130
Average Acceptance Rate
76%
82%
Average Endowment Size
$44.35 million
$61.72 million

Students by Ethnicity:

0.59
0.65
# American Indian Students
949 Students
29,886 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
18,401 Students
265,088 Students
% Asian Students
5%
5%
# Hispanic Students
33,760 Students
507,413 Students
% Hispanic Students
8%
9%
# Black Students
33,699 Students
416,690 Students
% Black Students
8%
7%
# White Students
253,643 Students
2,933,581 Students
% White Students
60%
52%
# Hawaiian Students
538 Students
20,067 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
n/a
n/a
% of Two or more races Students
n/a
n/a
# Others Students
81,687 Students
1,472,017 Students
% of Others Students
19%
26%
All Ethnic Groups

Extracurriculars and Sports:

Average Number of Extracurriculars
13 extracurriculars
9 extracurriculars
Average Number of Sports
7 sports
7 sports

Top-Ranked New York Private Schools by County (2026)

County
# Schools
# Students
% of K-12 Students in Private Schools
35
4,907
11%
6
223
4%
69
22,840
10%
11
1,530
6%
10
418
5%
12
607
3%
6
849
7%
3
196
3%
5
512
4%
4
471
7%
6
378
6%
3
109
2%
35
5,313
13%
86
18,544
13%
7
614
15%
3
131
2%
5
614
7%
3
133
3%
2
113
1%
7
1,021
6%
325
92,944
24%
1
81
2%
3
225
3%
63
10,068
9%
136
34,702
15%
201
54,929
26%
16
1,904
7%
8
1,169
4%
35
5,326
7%
6
380
3%
38
22,492
28%
2
26
<1%
3
249
1%
5
404
6%
9
813
6%
186
48,301
15%
11
2,193
10%
39
11,557
16%
74
26,306
39%
14
1,707
5%
15
2,009
8%
1
11
<1%
3
146
4%
10
698
5%
83
15,612
7%
7
1,368
13%
2
60
1%
6
549
5%
17
1,529
7%
3
446
5%
5
258
2%
111
24,915
15%
3
154
4%
12
362
12%

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top-ranked private schools in New York?
The top-ranked private schools in New York include Poly Prep Country Day School, Friends Academy, and The Stony Brook School.
How many private schools are located in New York?
There are 1,795 private schools are located in New York.
How much do private schools cost in New York?
The average private school tuition in New York is $22,375 for elementary schools and $26,901 for high schools
How diverse are private schools in New York?
Approximately 39% of students in New York private schools are minority students (compared to the national percentage).
What percentage of students in New York go to private school?
14% of all K-12 students in New York attend private schools (compared to the national average of 10%).
What percentage of private schools are religiously affiliated in New York?
63% of private schools in New York are religiously affiliated, with most being Catholic or Jewish.
Which private schools in New York are often viewed compared to one another?

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