For the 2025-26 school year, there are 886 religiously affiliated private schools serving 189,597 students in Illinois (54% of all schools).
The average tuition cost is $9,292, which is lower than the Illinois private school average tuition cost of $12,671.
The most common religiously affiliated schools are Catholic (48% of schools), Christian (16% of schools) and Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (13% of schools).
Top-Ranked Illinois Private Schools by Religious Affiliation (2025-26)
Religious Affiliation
# Schools
# Students
% Minority
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