St. Paul's Episcopal School (Top Ranked Private School for 2026)

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Quick Facts (2026)

Top Ranked CA School
Grades: Kindergarten-8
Enrollment: 388 students
Yearly Tuition: $32,500
Acceptance rate: 90%
Average class size: 20 students
Application Deadline: Jan. 16 / rolling
Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

St. Paul's Episcopal School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for:

School Facts

School Membership(s)School Assoc.

National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)

Religious Affiliation

Other

Grades Offered

Grades Kindergarten-8

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	St. Paul's Episcopal School
Kind	36
1	36
2	36
3	40
4	42
5	42
6	52
7	52
8	52

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Year Founded

1975

School Calendar

View School Calendar

Student Body

Total Students

388 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

50%

State avg.: 52%

Academics & Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers

40 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

10:1

National avg.: 11:1

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

55%

Average Class Size

20 students

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Tuition & Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline

Jan. 16 / rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$32,500

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

Tuition for K - 5th grade is $32,500; for 6th-8th grade it is $37,030. About 50% of our families receive tuition assistance.

% on Financial Aid

51%

Average Financial Aid Grant

$16,000

Acceptance Rate

90%

National avg.: 82%

Admissions Director

Simrita Dhanjal

Admissions Associate

Niki Rouda

Application URL

Online Application

Sports

Total Sports Offered

6 sports

Sports

BasketballCross Country

Flag FootballSoccer

Ultimate FrisbeeVolleyball

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.

9 extracurriculars

ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.

Advanced Math

Club or Organization:

Asian Student UnionBlack Student Union

Genders and Sexualities AllianceLatinx Student Union

Student CouncilYearbook

Arts and Music Programs:

BandDrama

School Notes

Welcome to St. Paul's Episcopal School, an independent, co-educational K-8 school in Oakland, CA. Our school was founded in 1975 in the belief that a school must be actively engaged with its community.
We are a secular school that welcomes families and faculty members of all faiths and those who do not practice a faith.
Our mission: St. Paul's prepares students to be confident and skiled learners, cultivates in them a strong sense of purpose, and inspires them to be generous and active citizens of the world.
St. Paul`s is a leader in providing students with the experiences and skills they need to thrive in today`s world an excellent academic foundation, facility in confronting complex problems, and an appreciation of the richness of difference. Through instruction from our dedicated teachers, our students gain skill, purpose, and empathy.
St. Paul's students are sought by the top tier of high schools.
Thank you for getting to know us.

School Motto: We develop independence, respect, empathy, fairness, and the moral imperative to serve others and care for our planet.

St. Paul's Episcopal School provides an education that is intellectually challenging and morally enriching. The School enrolls students from widely diverse cultural, religious, family, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds who are motivated to succeed and who, by the virtue of their character, will contribute to the life and spirit of the School.Students are admitted on the basis of academic and social skills, developmental readiness, past school experience, recommendations and character. Kindergarten and sixth grade are primary entry points into the school.
Our successful approach is based on three principles:

1. Supporting students as fearless learners is the best path to academic rigor.Through thoughtful cultivation of the social-emotional growth of our students, we create a supportive community where students approach academic, intellectual, and personal challenges with confidence and courage.
2. We make service and learning interdependent. Our students engage in long-term service projects every year they are here. We help them understand the importance of serving their community and caring for the planet. Their projects reinforce lessons from the classroom, which helps them see first-hand why what they`re learning is important.
3. Deeper learning can be achieved by harnessing the power of diversity.St. Paul`s is one of the most racially and socio-economically diverse independent schools in the nation, and we nurture open and empathetic exploration of cultural, spiritual, and individual differences. Research has shown that a diverse student population fuels critical thinking and results in academic excellence.

Recent high school acceptances included Bentley, Bishop O' Dowd, College Preparatory School, Head-Royce, Lick-Wilmerding High School, and St. Mary's. Our young graduates have gone on to college at Stanford, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Rice, Spelman, the University of California at Berkeley, and many other excellent schools.
The St. Paul`s Admissions process begins in the fall prior to the planned year of attendance. The applications process has three required steps: A tour of the School, the completion of an application, and an assessment. For details, please visit our website: https://www.spes.org/Admissions/Overview.We look forward to getting to know your family; pleasecome for a tour of our school to learn more about us!

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does St. Paul's Episcopal School cost?

St. Paul's Episcopal School's tuition is approximately $32,500 for private students.

What schools are St. Paul's Episcopal School often compared to?

St. Paul's Episcopal School is often viewed alongside schools like Redwood Day by visitors of our site.

What is the acceptance rate of St. Paul's Episcopal School?

The acceptance rate of St. Paul's Episcopal School is 90%, which is higher than the national average of 80%.

What sports does St. Paul's Episcopal School offer?

St. Paul's Episcopal School offers 6 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Flag Football, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball.

What is St. Paul's Episcopal School's ranking?

St. Paul's Episcopal School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for: Largest student body.

When is the application deadline for St. Paul's Episcopal School?

The application deadline for St. Paul's Episcopal School is Jan. 16 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 16 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

In what neighborhood is St. Paul's Episcopal School located?

St. Paul's Episcopal School is located in the Adams Point neighborhood of Oakland, CA.

School Reviews

5 11/21/2022

Our family lives in Rockridge and has been at St. Paul`s since 2019; our two kids are in the lower school and have been so happy with our St. Paul`s experience. This year in particular, as the school emerges from covid-centric operations, we are having the experience we thought we would when we first learned about SPES. Few things I would highlight: Diversity - racial, religious, socioeconomic, and otherwise - permeates the school, both representationally in the faculty and the student body, and programmatically in the curriculum. While the school is connected with an episcopal church, the curriculum is not religion-based and the make-up of the family community is incredibly diverse in faiths and traditions (we don`t observe any religious customs at home). All faiths are welcome and part of the school experience. My kids know more about Diwali than I do. When we first toured the school and I saw student-made Chanukah menorahs made of pasta, we knew it was the right spiritual climate for us. Kindergarten certainly starts with a focus on social-emotional learning (which was critical for us), but as our older child has progressed through grades, academics have become more of a focus but at a reasonable pace. Despite being a relatively urban campus, the kids are outside A LOT. Whether it`s on school grounds, leveraging Lake Merritt for nature/bird walks, or walking to the local YWCA for swimming classes with the P.E. teacher, the kids get out and the school leverages the neighborhood safely and thoughtfully. The % of the school on financial aid is 2x other local independent schools. This is integral to the school`s mission and fosters a level of community diversity that exceeds many public schools, let alone other independent ones. The fact that the school is K8 gives us great peace of mind that we have a home for our family for the foreseeable future. We did tour the Middle School as well (when we were looking at independent schools) and 90% of 8th graders are accepted into the high school of their choice. While we`re not worried about that today, it was a great bonus as we envision our future.

- Posted by Parent - JE

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Oakland, CA is $25,241 for elementary schools and $23,712 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Oakland, CA is 77% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).