Oldest Private Schools in Pennsylvania

The average private school in Pennsylvania was founded around 1965 (2026-27).
The oldest private school in Pennsylvania is William Penn Charter School and Friends Select School, each founded in 1689.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • # PA Schools Ranked: 1,178
  • Top 20 Range (Year Founded): 1689–1832
  • PA School Avg.: 1964
  • National School Avg.: 1967

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • # PA Schools Ranked: 1,178
  • Top 20 Range (Year Founded): 1689–1832
  • PA School Avg.: 1964
  • National School Avg.: 1967
Show school map — Pennsylvania (year founded range: 1689–1832, avg 1964)
Year Founded Range: 1689 1848 Avg. Year Founded: 1800

Oldest Private Schools in Pennsylvania (2026-27)

Map of Friends Select School
Gr: PK-12 | 600 students
Friends
17th St & Benjamin Franklin
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 561-5900
Map of William Penn Charter School
Gr: PK-12 | 1,004 students
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 19
Friends
3000 W School House Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19144
(215) 844-3460
(1)
Abington Friends School Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 604 students
Avg. class size: 13 students
Sports: 13 | Extracurriculars: 19
Friends
575 Washington Ln
Jenkintown, PA 19046
(215) 576-3950
(3)
Map of Salford Mennonite Child Care Center
Gr: PK-K | 23 students
Daycare / Preschool (Mennonite)
480 Groff Mill Rd
Harleysville, PA 19438
(215) 256-6421
Moravian Academy Photo
Gr: NS-12 | 867 students
Avg. class size: 16 students
Sports: 17 | Extracurriculars: 18
4313 Green Pond Rd
Bethlehem, PA 18020
(610) 332-5200
(1)
Map of Saint Francis Classical Catholic Academy
Gr: PK-8 | 100 students
Avg. class size: 10 students
Sports: 6
Daycare / Preschool (Catholic)
668 Pine St
Bally, PA 19503
(610) 845-7364
Map of St. Martin Of Tours School
Gr: K-9 | 149 students
Catholic
1 Riverstone Cir
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-2075
Linden Hall Photo
Gr: 6-12 | 93 students
Avg. class size: 8 students
Sports: 16 | Extracurriculars: 17
All-girls
212 E Main St
Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 626-8512
(3)
Germantown Academy Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 1,225 students
Avg. class size: 17 students
Sports: 20 | Extracurriculars: 29
340 Morris Rd
Fort Washington, PA 19034
(267) 405-7070
(5)
Plymouth Meeting Friends School Photo
Gr: NS-6 | 99 students
Avg. class size: 13 students
Sports: 2 | Extracurriculars: 6
Friends
2150 Butler Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
(610) 828-2288
(4)
Map of St. Mary Interparochial School
Gr: K-8 | 250 students
Catholic
5th & Locust Sts
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(267) 752-5519
Harrisburg Academy Photo
Gr: NS-12 | 356 students
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 9 | Extracurriculars: 12
10 Erford Road
Lemoyne, PA 17043
(717) 763-7811
(6)
Map of The Episcopal Academy
Gr: PK-12 | 1,250 students
Sports: 20
Episcopal
1785 Bishop White Drive
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(484) 424-1400
Buckingham Friends School Photo
Gr: K-8 | 140 students
Avg. class size: 16 students
Sports: 5 | Extracurriculars: 16
Friends
5684 York Road
Lahaska, PA 18931
(215) 794-7491
(9)
Westtown School Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 693 students
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 19 | Extracurriculars: 61
Friends
975 Westtown Road
West Chester, PA 19382
(610) 399-7900
(10)
Pennsylvania School For The Deaf Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 188 students
Avg. class size: 8 students
Sports: 5
Special Education School
100 W School House Ln
Philadelphia, PA 19144
(215) 951-4733
Map of Maple Knob
Gr: 1-9 | 34 students
Amish
1436 Barnard Rd
Smicksburg, PA 16256
(724) 555-5555
Map of St. John The Baptist School
Gr: 1-8 | 238 students
Catholic
119 Rector Street
Philadelphia, PA 19127
(215) 482-0449
Overbrook School For The Blind Photo
Gr: PK | 217 students
Special Education School
6333 Malvern Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19151
(215) 877-0313
Map of Pressley Ridge Day School - Pittsburgh
Gr: 2-12 | 44 students
Special Education School
530 Marshall Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
(412) 321-6995
Map of Pressley Ridge Johnstown
Gr: K | 107 students
Special Education School
445 Schoolhouse Rd
Johnstown, PA 15904
(814) 262-9514
Map of Pressley Ridge School For Autism
Gr: 1-12 | 26 students
Special Education School
514 Marshall Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15214
(412) 322-0140
Frankford Friends School Photo
Gr: NS-8 | 258 students
Avg. class size: 18 students
Sports: 4 | Extracurriculars: 16
Friends
1500 Orthodox Street
Philadelphia, PA 19124
(215) 533-5368
(1)
St. Peter's School Photo
Gr: NS-8 | 151 students
Avg. class size: 11 students
Sports: 4 | Extracurriculars: 14
319 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 925-3963
(4)
Map of West Chester Friends School
Gr: PK-5 | 130 students
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 5 | Extracurriculars: 24
Friends
415 N High Street
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 696-2937
Sewickley Academy Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 532 students
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 15
315 Academy Avenue
Sewickley, PA 15143
(412) 741-2230
(10)
Malvern Preparatory School Photo
Gr: 6-12
Avg. class size: 15 students
Sports: 18
All-boys (Catholic)
418 S. Warren Avenue
Malvern, PA 19355
(484) 595-1100
Map of St. Paul Seminary
Gr: 12 | 13 students
All-boys | Alternative School (Catholic)
2900 Noblestown Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
(412) 456-3048
Wyoming Seminary Lower School Photo
Gr: NS-8 | 340 students
Avg. class size: 14 students
Sports: 7 | Extracurriculars: 10
Methodist
1560 Wyoming Avenue
Kingston, PA 18704
(570) 718-6611
Wyoming Seminary Upper School Photo
Gr: PK-12 | 819 students
Avg. class size: 14 students
Sports: 14 | Extracurriculars: 48
201 N Sprague Ave
Kingston, PA 18704
(570) 270-2100
Friends Central School Photo
Gr: NS-12
Avg. class size: 14 students
Sports: 17 | Extracurriculars: 10
Friends
1101 City Avenue
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 649-7440
(1)
Map of Friends' Central Lower School
Gr: NS-5 | 264 students
Avg. class size: 13 students
Friends
228 Old Gulph Rd
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 642-7575
Germantown Friends School Photo
Gr: NS-12 | 1,157 students
Sports: 14 | Extracurriculars: 74
Friends
31 W Coulter Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144
(215) 951-2300
Girard College Photo
#34(T34–T35)Girard College
Gr: 1-12 | 392 students
Avg. class size: 14 students
Sports: 17 | Extracurriculars: 13
2101 S College Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19121
(215) 787-2621
(2)
St. Peter The Apostle School Photo
Gr: PK-8 | 219 students
Avg. class size: 23 students
Extracurriculars: 10
Catholic
1009 N 5th St
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 922-5958
(2)
Show 100 more private schools in Pennsylvania (out of 1,178 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pennsylvania average private schools founding year?
The Pennsylvania average private schools founding year is 1965 for 2026-27.
What are the private schools with oldest founding year in Pennsylvania?
The top ranked private schools in Pennsylvania include Friends Select School, William Penn Charter School and Abington Friends School.
What is private high school and private elementary school with the oldest founding year in Pennsylvania?
The private high school with the oldest founding year in Pennsylvania is Friends Select School, with a year of 1689. The private elementary school with the oldest founding year is Friends Select School, with a year of 1689.

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