Hickory Day School Photo - Mayor Rudy Wright came to speak about different types of government.

Best Catawba County Private Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 17 private schools serving 2,233 students in Catawba County, NC (there are 45 public schools, serving 22,551 public students). 9% of all K-12 students in Catawba County, NC are educated in private schools (compared to the NC state average of 8%).
The top-ranked private schools in Catawba County, NC include St. Johns Lutheran School, Tabernacle Christian School, and Fairgrove KinderCare.
The average acceptance rate is 84%, which is higher than the North Carolina private school average acceptance rate of 81%.
71% of private schools in Catawba County, NC are religiously affiliated (most commonly Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and Christian).

Top-Ranked Catawba County Private Schools (2026)

School
Location
Quick Facts
Concordia Christian Day School
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
215 5th Avenue SE
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-3011
Gr: PK-8 | 280 students Avg. class size: 24 students Sports: 7 | Extracurrculars: 1 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
Fairgrove KinderCare
Daycare / Preschool
1031 Fairgrove Church SE
Conover, NC 28613
(704) 325-3041
Gr: NS-PK
Hickory Christian Academy
(Christian)
3260 6th St. Dr. NW
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-5405
Gr: PK-12 | 520 students Avg. class size: 20 students Sports: 11 | Extracurrculars: 8 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
St. Johns Lutheran School
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
2126 Saint Johns Church Rd
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-4071
Gr: K-4 | 27 students
St. Stephens Lutheran School
St. Stephens Lutheran School Photo
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
(3)
2304 Springs Rd NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-2166
Gr: PK-8 | 228 students Avg. class size: 24 students Sports: 10 | Extracurrculars: 4 Tuition listed
Tabernacle Christian School
(Baptist)
(1)
1225 29th Avenue Dr NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-9936
Gr: K-12 | 287 students Avg. class size: 16 students Sports: 5 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
University Christian High School
University Christian High School Photo - University Christian High School - North Campus
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
(3)
602 7th Avenue NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 855-2995
Gr: 9-12 | 151 students Avg. class size: 15 students Sports: 8 | Extracurrculars: 11 Tuition listed
Christian Family Academy
(Christian)
(1)
1409 NC-16
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 468-5974
Gr: K-12 | 237 students Avg. class size: 15 students Sports: 6 | Extracurrculars: 4 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
Cornerstone Christian Academy
Special Education School (Christian)
231 3rd Ave. Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 781-2227
Gr: 2-12 | 20 students
Hickory Day School
Hickory Day School Photo - Mayor Rudy Wright came to speak about different types of government.
(2)
2535 21st Avenue NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9492
Gr: K-8 | 136 students Avg. class size: 16 students Sports: 9 | Extracurrculars: 13 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
Johnston Wh Elementary School
Johnston Wh Elementary School Photo
(Seventh Day Adventist)
174 23rd St NW
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-4005
Gr: K-8 | 19 students
Kinderkids At St. Luke's Umc Cdc
Daycare / Preschool (Methodist)
52 16th Avenue Nw
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 327-4010
Gr: NS | 92 students
Little Folks School East
Daycare / Preschool
410 21st Street Se
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 327-9983
Gr: NS-PK | 62 students
Montessori At Sandy Ford
Montessori School
2931 Sandy Ford Rd
Newton, NC 28658
(828) 294-7478
Gr: PK-8 | 63 students Avg. class size: 15 students
Mt. Olive Lutheran Child Devel
Daycare / Preschool (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (formerly AELC, ALC, or LCA))
2780 N Center St
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 324-0120
Gr: PK-K | 100 students
Nc Boys Academy
All-boys (Christian)
6692 Valwood Rd
Conover, NC 28613
(540) 220-9482
Gr: 7-12 | 11 students
Rainbow Child Care Center of Conover Rock Barn
Daycare / Preschool
401 Rockbarn Rd
Conover, NC 28613
(828) 464-6319
Gr: NS-PK

Overview

This County (Catawba County)
This State (NC)
# Schools
17 Schools

Student Body:

# Students
2,233 Students
136,532 Students
% Average Students of Color
11%
24%

Academics and Faculty:

# Teachers
169 Teachers
13,573 Teachers
Average Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
10:1
% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree
57%
47%
Average Class Size
18 students
15 students
Average Number of AP Courses
4 courses
11 courses
Average SAT score
1189
(Out of 1600)
1210
Average ACT score
24
(Out of 36)
26

Tuition and Acceptance Rate:

Average Yearly Tuition Cost
$7,428
$13,172
Average Summer Program Cost
$100
$758
Average % on Financial Aid
14%
30%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$2,533
$5,553
Average Acceptance Rate
84%
81%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.49
0.58
# American Indian Students
3 Students
641 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
22 Students
4,215 Students
% Asian Students
1%
3%
# Hispanic Students
59 Students
5,804 Students
% Hispanic Students
4%
4%
# Black Students
38 Students
9,651 Students
% Black Students
2%
7%
# White Students
1,193 Students
79,836 Students
% White Students
66%
60%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
496 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
486 Students
33,802 Students
% of Others Students
27%
25%
All Ethnic Groups

Extracurriculars and Sports:

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top-ranked private schools in Catawba County, NC?
The top-ranked private schools in Catawba County, NC include St. Johns Lutheran School, Tabernacle Christian School, and Fairgrove KinderCare.
How many private schools are located in Catawba County?
17 private schools are located in Catawba County.
How diverse are private schools in Catawba County?
Catawba County private schools are approximately 11% minority students, which is lower than the North Carolina private school average of 24%.
What percentage of students in Catawba County go to private school?
9% of all K-12 students in Catawba County are educated in private schools (compared to the NC state average of 8%).
What percentage of private schools are religiously affiliated in Catawba County?
71% of private schools in Catawba County are religiously affiliated (most commonly Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and Christian).
Which private schools in Catawba County are often viewed compared to one another?

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