Oldest Private Schools in Pennsylvania

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(651) All Schools
(651)  High Schools
(226) High Schools
(226)  Elementary Schools
(395) Elementary Schools
(395)  Preschools
(482) Preschools
(482) 
The average private school in Pennsylvania was founded around 1964 (2021).
The oldest private school in Pennsylvania is William Penn Charter School, founded in 1689.
The oldest private schools are listed below (where sufficient data available).

Oldest Private Schools in Pennsylvania (2021)

  • School Founding Date Grades Location
  • Rank: #11.
    William Penn Charter School
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1689
    Grades: PK-123000 W School House Lane
    Philadelphia, PA 19144
    (215) 844-3460
  • Rank: #22.
    Abington Friends School
    Abington Friends School Photo
    (Friends)
    (3)
     Founding Date: 1697
    Grades: PK-12575 Washington Ln
    Jenkintown, PA 19046
    (215) 576-3984
  • Rank: #33.
    St. Francis Academy
    (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1743
    Grades: PK-8668 Pine St
    Bally, PA 19503
    (610) 845-7364
  • Rank: #44.
    Linden Hall
    Linden Hall Photo
    All-girls
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1746
    Grades: 6-12212 E Main St
    Lititz, PA 17543
    (717) 626-8512
  • Rank: #55.
    Germantown Academy
    Germantown Academy Photo - Second grade students research various species in the Wissahickon Creek, which runs through the heart of GA's campus.
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1759
    Grades: PK-12340 Morris Rd
    Fort Washington, PA 19034
    (267) 405-7070
  • Rank: #66.
    Plymouth Meeting Friends School
    Plymouth Meeting Friends School Photo
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1780
    Grades: NS-62150 Butler Pike
    Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
    (610) 828-2288
  • Rank: #77.
    Harrisburg Academy
    Harrisburg Academy Photo - Upper School Students take a moment to discuss the period's lecture.
    (6)
     Founding Date: 1784
    Grades: NS-1210 Erford Road
    Lemoyne, PA 17043
    (717) 763-7811
  • Rank: #88.
    The Episcopal Academy
    (Episcopal)
     Founding Date: 1785
    Grades: PK-121785 Bishop White Drive
    Newtown Square, PA 19073
    (484) 424-1400
  • Rank: #99.
    Buckingham Friends School
    Buckingham Friends School Photo - BFS main building with students playing soccer at recess.
    (Friends)
    (6)
     Founding Date: 1794
    Grades: K-85684 York Road
    Lahaska, PA 18931
    (215) 794-7491
  • Rank: #1010.
    Westtown School
    Westtown School Photo - The Westtown School campus includes 600 acres of land, a 14-acre lake with beach and boathouse and an arboretum and natural forest.
    (Friends)
    (10)
     Founding Date: 1799
    Grades: PK-12975 Westtown Road
    West Chester, PA 19382
    (610) 399-0123
  • Rank: #1111.
    Pennsylvania School For The Deaf
    Pennsylvania School For The Deaf Photo - Best of Friends
    Special Education School
     Founding Date: 1820
    Grades: PK-12100 W School House Ln
    Philadelphia, PA 19144
    (215) 951-4700
  • Rank: #1212.
    Frankford Friends School
    Frankford Friends School Photo
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1833
    Grades: PK-81500 Orthodox Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19124
    (215) 533-5368
  • Rank: #1313.
    St. Peter's School
    St. Peter's School Photo
    Founding Date: 1834
    Grades: NS-8319 Lombard Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19147
    (215) 925-3963
  • Rank: #1414.
    West Chester Friends School
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1836
    Grades: NS-5415 N High Street
    West Chester, PA 19380
    (610) 696-2937
  • Rank: #1515.
    Sewickley Academy
    Sewickley Academy Photo - For Who You Are. For Who You Will Become.
    (10)
     Founding Date: 1838
    Grades: PK-12315 Academy Avenue
    Sewickley, PA 15143
    (412) 741-2235
  • Rank: #1616.
    Malvern Preparatory School
    Malvern Preparatory School Photo
    All-boys (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1842
    Grades: 6-12418 S. Warren Avenue
    Malvern, PA 19355
    (484) 595-1100
  • Rank: #17-1817.- 18.
    Wyoming Seminary Lower School
    Wyoming Seminary Lower School Photo - Above and beyond regular assemblies and programs, Lower School teachers employ lessons of independence, empathy, teamwork and honor on a daily basis.
    (Methodist)
     Founding Date: 1844
    Grades: NS-81560 Wyoming Avenue
    Kingston, PA 18704
    (570) 718-6611
  • Rank: #17-1817.- 18.
    Wyoming Seminary Upper School
    Wyoming Seminary Upper School Photo - Are you ready for a change? Are you ready to be transformed? As a student at Sem, your life will change in the best possible ways.
    (Methodist)
     Founding Date: 1844
    Grades: 9-12201 N Sprague Ave
    Kingston, PA 18704
    (570) 270-2100
  • Rank: #19-2019.- 20.
    Friends' Central School
    Friends' Central School Photo - Friends' Central School is an independent, coeducational, Quaker, college-preparatory day school for Nursery through grade 12 students. Located on 41 acres across two campuses in Wynnewood, Pa., Friends' Central cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical promise of students. Since 1845, Friends' Central has been educating for excellence, inspiring tomorrow's leaders, honoring each individual, and encouraging students to peacefully transform the world.
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1845
    Grades: NS-121101 City Avenue
    Wynnewood, PA 19096
    (610) 649-7440
  • Rank: #19-2019.- 20.
    Germantown Friends School
    Germantown Friends School Photo
    (Friends)
     Founding Date: 1845
    Grades: NS-1231 W Coulter Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19144
    (215) 951-2300
  • Rank: #2121.
    Girard College
    Girard College Photo - Field trips take advantage of the numerous and varied museums and historic sites in Philadelphia. These first graders are sketching at PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts).
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1848
    Grades: 1-122101 S College Ave
    Philadelphia, PA 19121
    (215) 787-2600
  • Rank: #22-2322.- 23.
    The Hill School
    The Hill School Photo - Students enjoy a beautiful spring day walking to the Alumni Memorial Chapel.
    Founding Date: 1851
    Grades: 9-12860 Beech Street
    Pottstown, PA 19464
    (610) 326-1000
  • Rank: #22-2322.- 23.
    St. Joseph's Preparatory School
    St. Joseph's Preparatory School Photo - St. Joseph's Prep
    All-boys (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1851
    Grades: 9-121733 W Girard Ave
    Philadelphia, PA 19130
    (215) 978-1958
  • Rank: #2424.
    Seton Catholic School
    Seton Catholic School Photo
    (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1852
    Grades: PK-8385 Pine Street
    Meadville, PA 16335
    (814) 336-3230
  • Rank: #2525.
    Grier School
    Grier School Photo
    All-girls | Special Program Emphasis
     Founding Date: 1853
    Grades: 7-122522 Grier School Road
    Tyrone, PA 16686
    (814) 684-3000
  • Rank: #2626.
    Greene Street Friends School
    Greene Street Friends School Photo - Learning Together
    (Friends)
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1855
    Grades: PK-85511 Greene St
    Philadelphia, PA 19144
    (215) 438-7000
  • Rank: #2727.
    St. Boniface Elementary School
    (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1856
    Grades: PK-39363 Wattsburg Road
    Erie, PA 16509
    (814) 825-4238
  • Rank: #2828.
    St. Malachy
    St. Malachy Photo - We are... St. Malachy Proud!
    (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1860
    Grades: PK-81012 W. Thompson St
    Philadelphia, PA 19122
    (215) 232-0696
  • Rank: #29-3129.- 31.
    Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
    Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Photo
    All-girls (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1861
    Grades: 9-121345 Sumneytown Pike
    Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437
    (215) 646-8815
  • Rank: #29-3129.- 31.
    Gwynedd-mercy Academy Elementary
    Gwynedd-mercy Academy Elementary Photo - Gwynedd-Mercy Academy has kept pace with developing technology by equipping our classrooms, library and computer lab with interactive whiteboards, wireless Internet and Microsoft Surface tablets, iPads and computer work stations. Technology is integrated across the curriculum and classroom devices are available for all students, enhancing individualized instruction.
    (Roman Catholic)
    (5)
     Founding Date: 1861
    Grades: K-8816 Norristown Rd
    Ambler, PA 19002
    (215) 646-4916
  • Rank: #29-3129.- 31.
    Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
    Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Photo - Our Lower School students run into our beautiful McCausland building each morning excited to see their teachers and classmates. Our students feel at home here, and they learn how to take risks in our nurturing setting where making mistakes is embraced as part of the learning journey. Lower School students have tremendous resources available to them throughout our campus and in the neighboring Wissahickon woods, providing a variety of activities to hone their developing skills. Our single-sex environments allow children to learn who they are without the pressures of gender stereotypes and foster relationships that last a lifetime. Our faculty understand the enormous potential of these moments and are always on the lookout for ways to build on a student's curiosity and help their passions come alive.
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1861
    Grades: NS-12500 W Willow Grove Avenue
    Philadelphia, PA 19118
    (215) 247-4700
  • Rank: #3232.
    Holy Infancy School
    Holy Infancy School Photo - Smile, Jesus loves you! Celebrating 125 years of Catholic Education and our theme of loving and serving one another.
    (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1864
    Grades: NS-8551 Thomas St
    Bethlehem, PA 18015
    (610) 868-2621
  • Rank: #3333.
    Sacred Heart Academy
    Sacred Heart Academy Photo - Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr is a Catholic, independent college preparatory school for girls K-12, founded in 1865 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Known as SHA, the private girls' school is located in PA outside of Philadelphia with elementary, middle and upper school divisions located on one campus.
    All-girls (Roman Catholic)
     Founding Date: 1865
    Grades: K-12480 S Bryn Mawr Ave
    Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
    (610) 527-3915
  • Rank: #3434.
    St. Luke Lutheran School
    (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
     Founding Date: 1866
    Grades: PK-8330 Hannahstown Road
    Cabot, PA 16023
    (724) 352-2221
  • Rank: #35-3635.- 36.
    The Agnes Irwin School
    The Agnes Irwin School Photo
    All-girls
    (2)
     Founding Date: 1869
    Grades: NS-12275 S Ithan Ave
    Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
    (610) 525-8400
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