Shady Hill School (Top Ranked Private School for 2026)

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Quick Facts (2026)

Top Ranked MA School
Grades: Prekindergarten-8
Enrollment: 530 students
Yearly Tuition: $42,280
Acceptance rate: 25%
Average class size: 16 students
Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / Jan. 4 / rolling
Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

Shady Hill School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for:

School Facts

School Membership(s)School Assoc.

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE)

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades Prekindergarten-8

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	Shady Hill School
Pre-K	36
Kind	44
1	46
2	48
3	48
4	51
5	60
6	68
7	65
8	64

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Year Founded

1915

Colors

Blue, Green

Student Body

Total Students

530 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

46%

State avg.: 31%

Academics & Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers

100 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

5:1

National avg.: 11:1

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

91%

Average Class Size

16 students

List of Courses Offered

Link to List of Courses

Matriculation DataMatric. Data

View Matriculation Data

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Tuition & Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline

Jan. 15 / Jan. 4 / rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$42,280

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

2025-2026 tuition ranges from $42,280 for Beginners to $54,330 for Grade 8.

% on Financial Aid

20%

Average Financial Aid Grant

$43,500

Acceptance Rate

25%

National avg.: 82%

Admissions Director

Sandra Zuckerman

Admissions Associate

Cari Li

Application URL

Online Application

Endowment Size

$75 million

Sports

Total Sports Offered

12 sports

Sports

BasketballCross Country

FencingField Hockey

Flag FootballIce Hockey

LacrosseSoccer

TennisTrack and Field

Ultimate FrisbeeVolleyball

School Notes

Shady Hill is an all gender Pre-K through 8th Grade day school on 11 acres in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Our unique village-style campus is a collection of child-scaled buildings set around courtyards and greens with a web of connecting pathways, play spaces, athletic fields, and wildlife areas.
Founded in 1915 on the back porch of Harvard Professor Ernest Hocking and his wife, Agnes Hocking, the goal was for children to experience an education enriched by the same kind of open-mindedness, inquiry, intellectual rigor, and passion for learning that they valued in their own experiences.
The curriculum is built around Central Subject-a year-long, in-depth study of a people, period of history, an idea or movement-and stresses the interrelationships of many disciplines and the use of original sources.
Through exploration and discovery, rigorous and engaging activities, the mastery of skills, purposeful dialogue and meticulous guidance, our students develop into independent, critical thinkers and life-long learners.
Our beliefs in a diverse and inclusive community, cooperation and collaboration, self reflection, and individual responsibility help students grow into confident, ethical citizens of the school and the world beyond.

School Motto: Shady Hill School fosters joyful, active learning informed by multiple perspectives empowering students to be intellectually adventurous and wholeheartedly just.
School Mascot: Not Available

Shady Hill is an all gender Pre-K through 8th Grade day school on 11 acres in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Our unique village-style campus is a collection of child-scaled buildings set around courtyards and greens with a web of connecting pathways, play spaces, athletic fields, and wildlife areas.
Founded in 1915 on the back porch of Harvard Professor Ernest Hocking and his wife, Agnes Hocking, the goal was for children to experience an education enriched by the same kind of open-mindedness, inquiry, intellectual rigor, and passion for learning that they valued in their own experiences.
Today, the school continues to strike a balance between innovation and tradition, providing a fundamentally different approach to teaching and learning.
The curriculum is built around Central Subject-a year-long, in-depth study of a people, period of history, an idea or movement-and stresses the interrelationships of many disciplines and the use of original sources. Each grade's Central Subject has been purposefully designed around the developmental stage of that particular age to captivate and challenge students.
Through exploration and discovery, rigorous and engaging activities, the mastery of skills, purposeful dialogue and meticulous guidance, our students develop into independent, critical thinkers and life-long learners.
Our beliefs in a diverse and inclusive community, cooperation and collaboration, self reflection, and individual responsibility help students grow into confident, ethical citizens of the school and the world beyond.
In 2016 Shady Hill opened a new state-of-the-art STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Center, the Hub, which houses a makerspace, fabrication lab, math classrooms, science labs, and break out spaces.

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Shady Hill School cost?

Shady Hill School's tuition is approximately $42,280 for private students.

What schools are Shady Hill School often compared to?

Shady Hill School is often viewed alongside schools like Buckingham Browne & Nichols School by visitors of our site.

What is the acceptance rate of Shady Hill School?

The acceptance rate of Shady Hill School is 25%, which is lower than the national average of 71%. Shady Hill School's acceptance rate is ranked among the top private schools in Massachusetts with low acceptance rates.

What sports does Shady Hill School offer?

Shady Hill School offers 12 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Fencing, Field Hockey, Flag Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball.

What is Shady Hill School's ranking?

Shady Hill School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for: Lowest average acceptance rates, Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees, Largest student body and Oldest founding date.

When is the application deadline for Shady Hill School?

The application deadline for Shady Hill School is Jan. 15 / Jan. 4 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 15 / Jan. 4 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

In what neighborhood is Shady Hill School located?

Shady Hill School is located in the West Cambridge neighborhood of Cambridge, MA. There are 1 other private schools located in West Cambridge.

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Cambridge, MA is $30,545 for elementary schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Cambridge, MA is 43% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).