Rapid City Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School Photo

Best Pennington County Private Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 10 private schools serving 2,062 students in Pennington County, SD (there are 41 public schools, serving 15,928 public students). 11% of all K-12 students in Pennington County, SD are educated in private schools (compared to the SD state average of 9%).
The top-ranked private schools in Pennington County, SD include Rapid City Christian School, St. Thomas More High School, and Black Hills Children's Home.
The average acceptance rate is 90%, which is higher than the South Dakota private school average acceptance rate of 76%.
82% of private schools in Pennington County, SD are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic and Other).

Top-Ranked Pennington County Private Schools (2026)

School
Location
Quick Facts
Black Hills Children's Home
Alternative School
24100 S Rockerville Rd
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 343-5422
Gr: K-8 | 42 students
23757 Arena Drive
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 341-3377
Gr: 6-12 | 333 students Avg. class size: 15 students Sports: 10 | Extracurrculars: 7 Tuition & acceptance rate listed
St. Elizabeth Seton School
(Catholic)
2101 City Springs Rd Ste 100
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 716-5213
Gr: PK-5 | 396 students
St. Thomas More High School
(Catholic)
300 Fairmont Blvd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 343-8484
Gr: 9-12 | 376 students
Calvary Christian School
(Baptist)
4601 South Highway 16
Rapid City, SD 57709
(605) 348-5175
Gr: PK-5 | 210 students
Children's House Montessori
Montessori School
3520 W Main St
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 341-0824
Gr: PK-6 | 68 students Avg. class size: 25 students Extracurrculars: 1 Tuition listed
2225 E Saint Patrick St
Rapid City, SD 57703
(605) 343-2980
Gr: K-8 | 115 students
Rapid City Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School
Rapid City Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School Photo
(Seventh Day Adventist)
1636 Concourse Ct
Rapid City, SD 57703
(605) 343-2785
Gr: 1-8 | 18 students Avg. class size: 12 students Extracurrculars: 3 Tuition listed
St. Pauls Lutheran School
St. Pauls Lutheran School Photo
(Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
835 E Fairmont Blvd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 341-5385
Gr: PK-8 | 174 students Avg. class size: 16 students Sports: 5 | Extracurrculars: 6 Tuition listed
Zion Lutheran School
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
4550 S Highway 16
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-5749
Gr: PK-5 | 166 students Avg. class size: 20 students Sports: 3 | Extracurrculars: 1 Tuition listed
[+] Show Closed Private Schools in Pennington County, South Dakota

Pennington County Private Schools (Closed)

School
Location
Quick Facts
Black Hills Lutheran Schools (Closed 2019)
(Lutheran Church Missouri Synod)
910 Wood Ave
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 721-0760
Gr: 6-12 | 16 students

Overview

This County (Pennington County)
This State (SD)
# Schools
11 Schools

Student Body:

# Students
2,062 Students
15,075 Students
% Average Students of Color
20%
21%

Academics and Faculty:

# Teachers
139 Teachers
1,229 Teachers
Average Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
12:1
% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree
31%
34%
Average Class Size
18 students
15 students
Average Number of AP Courses
6 courses
11 courses
Average ACT score
24
(Out of 36)
24

Tuition and Acceptance Rate:

Average Yearly Tuition Cost
$5,000
$6,448
Average % on Financial Aid
20%
29%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$1,500
$2,500
Average Acceptance Rate
90%
76%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.59
# American Indian Students
79 Students
1,727 Students
% American Indian Students
4%
11%
# Asian Students
39 Students
161 Students
% Asian Students
2%
1%
# Hispanic Students
211 Students
468 Students
% Hispanic Students
10%
3%
# Black Students
36 Students
245 Students
% Black Students
2%
2%
# White Students
1,328 Students
9,019 Students
% White Students
63%
59%
# Hawaiian Students
2 Students
99 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
n/a
n/a
% of Two or more races Students
n/a
n/a
# Others Students
403 Students
3,562 Students
% of Others Students
19%
23%
All Ethnic Groups

Extracurriculars and Sports:

Average Number of Extracurriculars
4 extracurriculars
8 extracurriculars
Average Number of Sports
6 sports
7 sports

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top-ranked private schools in Pennington County, SD?
The top-ranked private schools in Pennington County, SD include Rapid City Christian School, St. Thomas More High School, and Black Hills Children's Home.
How many private schools are located in Pennington County?
10 private schools are located in Pennington County.
How diverse are private schools in Pennington County?
Pennington County private schools are approximately 20% minority students, which is lower than the South Dakota private school average of 21%.
What percentage of students in Pennington County go to private school?
11% of all K-12 students in Pennington County are educated in private schools (compared to the SD state average of 9%).
What percentage of private schools are religiously affiliated in Pennington County?
82% of private schools in Pennington County are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic and Other).
Which private schools in Pennington County are often viewed compared to one another?

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