[+] Show Closed Private Schools in Polk County, Iowa

Polk County Private Schools (Closed)

Country Club KinderCare

Gr: NS-PK

Daycare / Preschool

7210 Vista Drive

West Des Moines, IA 50266

(515) 222-9685

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Lincoln Heights Lutheran School

Gr: 1-8 | 14 students

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

1217 Sw Watrous Ave

Des Moines, IA 50315

(515) 288-3013

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Overview

Trends in Total Number of Private Schools

Year	Polk County Total Schools
2025	32
2024	33
2023	31
2022	30
2021	31
2020	31
2019	29
2018	30
2017	31
2016	32
2015	32

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Private schools down 1 in Polk County, from 33 in 2024 to 32 in 2025.

# Students

8,996 Students

52,668 Students

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Trends in the Average Number of Students Per Private School

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	360	217	179
2024	355	212	172
2023	330	192	174
2022	338	203	185
2021	325	201	180
2020	320	196	171
2019	318	199	175
2018	294	197	172
2017	287	195	180
2016	287	194	178
2015	278	188	167

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Average students up 73 in Polk County private schools, from 287 in 2016 to 360 in 2025.

% Average Students of Color

24%

16%

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Percentage of Students of Color Trends (2015-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	24%	16%	34%
2024	24%	16%	34%
2023	26%	17%	33%
2022	24%	15%	33%
2021	24%	16%	32%
2020	24%	15%	32%
2019	25%	14%	31%
2018	25%	15%	31%
2017	21%	13%	32%
2016	21%	13%	32%
2015	19%	12%	32%

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Academics and Faculty:

# Teachers

619 Teachers

4,273 Teachers

Average Student-Teacher Ratio

15:1

12:1

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Student-Teacher Ratio Trends (2015-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	15:1	12:1	11:1
2024	15:1	12:1	11:1
2023	14:1	13:1	11:1
2022	15:1	13:1	11:1
2021	14:1	13:1	11:1
2020	14:1	13:1	12:1
2019	14:1	14:1	12:1
2018	14:1	14:1	12:1
2017	14:1	13:1	12:1
2016	14:1	13:1	12:1
2015	14:1	13:1	12:1

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Student-teacher ratio up 1 in Polk County private schools, from 14:1 in 2016 to 15:1 in 2025, while Iowa fell to 12:1.

% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree

46%

39%

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Percentage of Faculty With Advanced Degrees Trends (2016-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	46%	40%	55%
2024	50%	41%	54%
2023	50%	41%	54%
2022	50%	41%	54%
2021	50%	42%	54%
2020	55%	42%	54%
2019	55%	42%	53%
2018	53%	39%	53%
2017	52%	36%	53%
2016	52%	38%	52%

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Average Class Size

19 students

16 students

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Class Size Trends (2015-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	18	16	15
2024	20	16	15
2023	19	15	15
2022	19	16	15
2021	19	16	15
2020	19	16	15
2019	18	16	15
2018	18	16	15
2017	18	15	15
2016	18	15	15
2015	17	15	15

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Average Number of AP Courses

10 courses

9 courses

Average ACT score

(Out of 36)

Tuition and Acceptance Rate:

Average Yearly Tuition Cost

$6,615

$7,664

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Tuition Cost Trends (2015-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	$9,241	$9,791	$15,012
2024	$9,241	$9,582	$14,622
2023	$9,241	$8,667	$14,057
2022	$9,241	$8,541	$13,504
2021	$9,241	$8,504	$13,232
2020	$9,145	$8,343	$12,915
2019	$9,145	$8,276	$12,656
2017	$8,978	$7,855	$12,049
2016	$8,104	$7,609	$11,633
2015	$8,104	$7,486	$11,174

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Average Summer Program Cost

$225

Average % on Financial Aid

38%

39%

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Percent on Financial Aid Trends (2019-2025)

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	28%	37%	34%
2024	28%	38%	34%
2023	32%	38%	34%
2022	32%	38%	33%
2021	32%	38%	33%
2020	32%	36%	32%
2019	32%	36%	31%

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Average Financial Aid Grant

$843

$2,780

Average Acceptance Rate

94%

91%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.59

0.48

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Diversity Score Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	0.59	0.47	0.65
2024	0.59	0.47	0.65
2023	0.58	0.50	0.65
2022	0.55	0.47	0.64
2021	0.55	0.47	0.64
2020	0.54	0.47	0.64
2019	0.56	0.46	0.63
2018	0.55	0.45	0.63
2017	0.42	0.39	0.61
2016	0.42	0.39	0.61
2015	0.42	0.39	0.61

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Diversity score up 17 points in Polk County private schools, rising from 0.42 in 2016 to 0.59 in 2025.

# American Indian Students

26 Students

116 Students

% American Indian Students

<1%

# Asian Students

373 Students

1,075 Students

% Asian Students

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Asian Student Percentage Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	5%	3%	5%
2024	5%	2%	5%
2023	4%	3%	5%
2022	4%	2%	4%
2021	4%	3%	4%
2020	5%	2%	4%
2019	3%	2%	4%
2018	3%	2%	4%
2017	3%	2%	4%
2016	3%	2%	4%
2015	3%	2%	4%

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Asian students up 2 points in Polk County private schools, rising from 3% in 2016 to 5% in 2025.

# Hispanic Students

833 Students

3,392 Students

% Hispanic Students

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Hispanic Student Percentage Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	9%	6%	9%
2024	9%	7%	9%
2023	9%	6%	9%
2022	8%	6%	8%
2021	8%	6%	9%
2020	8%	6%	9%
2019	6%	5%	8%
2018	6%	5%	8%
2017	6%	4%	8%
2016	6%	4%	8%
2015	6%	4%	8%

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Hispanic share up 3 points in Polk County private schools, rising from 6% in 2016 to 9% in 2025.

# Black Students

394 Students

1,537 Students

% Black Students

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Black Student Percentage Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	4%	3%	7%
2024	4%	3%	7%
2023	5%	3%	8%
2022	4%	3%	7%
2021	4%	3%	7%
2020	4%	3%	8%
2019	7%	3%	7%
2018	7%	3%	7%
2017	3%	2%	7%
2016	3%	2%	7%
2015	3%	2%	8%

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Black student share down 3 points in Polk County private schools, from 7% in 2019 to 4% in 2025.

# White Students

5,328 Students

36,965 Students

% White Students

59%

70%

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

White Student Percentage Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	59%	70%	52%
2024	60%	71%	52%
2023	61%	68%	52%
2022	64%	71%	54%
2021	64%	70%	54%
2020	65%	71%	54%
2019	63%	72%	56%
2018	65%	72%	56%
2017	75%	77%	58%
2016	75%	76%	58%
2015	75%	76%	58%

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White share down 16 points in Polk County private schools, from 75% in 2016 to 59% in 2025.

# Hawaiian Students

3 Students

98 Students

% Hawaiian Students

<1%

# Others Students

2,076 Students

9,655 Students

% of Others Students

23%

18%

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Showing 2016–2025. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

Other Races Student Percentage Trends

Year	Polk County Average	Iowa (IA) Average	National Average
2025	23%	18%	26%
2024	22%	17%	26%
2023	20%	20%	25%
2022	19%	18%	25%
2021	19%	18%	25%
2020	17%	18%	24%
2019	20%	18%	24%
2018	18%	18%	23%
2017	13%	15%	22%
2016	13%	16%	22%
2015	13%	16%	21%

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Other-race enrollment up 10 points in Polk County private schools, rising from 13% in 2016 to 23% in 2025.

All Ethnic Groups

Extracurriculars and Sports:

Average Number of Extracurriculars

3 extracurriculars

6 extracurriculars

Average Number of Sports

6 sports

7 sports

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top ranked private schools in Polk County, IA?

The private schools in Polk County, IA include St. Anthony Elementary School, St. Francis Of Assisi School, and St. Augustin Catholic School.

How many private schools are located in Polk County?

33 private schools are located in Polk County.

How much do private schools cost in Polk County?

The average tuition cost is $6,615, which is lower than the Iowa private school average tuition cost of $7,664.

How diverse are private schools in Polk County?

Polk County private schools are approximately 24% minority students, which is higher than the Iowa private school average of 16%.

What percentage of students in Polk County go to private school?

10% of all K-12 students in Polk County are educated in private schools (compared to the IA state average of 10%).

What percentage of private schools are religiously affiliated in Polk County?

65% of private schools in Polk County are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic and Christian).

Which private schools in Polk County are often viewed compared to one another?

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