25 Best Boarding Schools in the US – 2024 Edition

If you are considering spending grades 9-12 at a boarding school, then you are about to make a financial investment every bit as sizable as the cost of tuition and living expenses at a private college. Fortunately for you, in 2024, there is no shortage of excellent boarding schools in the US. Some even date back to the 1700s, much like the Ivy League universities to which they send large numbers of graduates each year. Yet, in addition to the more famous names (which are mostly concentrated in New England), there are also schools in places like Texas, California, and Washington, D.C., that may not have hundreds of years of history under their belt but also cater to the country’s most talented teens. In today’s blog, we’re profiling the best boarding schools in the US, some of which are also the best boarding schools in the world.

Should I attend one of the best boarding schools in the US?

The best boarding schools in the US are known for several qualities. Firstly, they provide a rigorous academic experience. Secondly, they offer strong and supportive student communities. Finally, their students score highly on standardized tests and historically go on to attend similarly elite colleges in large numbers. However, each one has its own slate of unique offerings, which you can read more about below.

In sum, it depends on what type of academic experience you are looking for as well as your postsecondary goals. It also depends on how a given boarding school’s offerings compare to your local public or private high school.

What should I consider when choosing a boarding school?

The best boarding schools in America provide a unique experience to students. In addition to living away from home most of the year, students also receive an exceptional academic foundation through strong faculty, rigorous classes, and innovative curriculums. As such, each school’s academic program is the most important consideration when choosing a boarding school.

Boarding schools can also offer specific learning environments that may not be accessible at your local public or private high school. For example, some boarding schools are single-sex, such as St. Albans School (boys) and The Hockaday School (girls). Some are religiously affiliated, such as St. Paul’s School (Episcopal). Others may offer incredibly diverse learning environments. For example, two schools on our list—Phillips Academy Andover and Phillips Exeter Academy, colloquially known as “Andover” and “Exeter,” respectively—are widely considered to be among the best boarding schools in the world. As a result, Andover’s students hail from 44 states and 40 countries; 59% are students of color. Exeter enrolls students from 45 states and 38 countries, and 56% are students of color. Many schools on our list have similar demographic breakdowns, which may be optimal for students who hope to surround themselves with a wide variety of backgrounds and identities.

You should also consider what the campus, student body, and surrounding environment are like, as well as how far you feel comfortable traveling away from home.

Finally, the cost of attendance will be an important factor. Many of the best boarding schools in the US cost as much per year as a private college. However, some are known to provide excellent financial aid packages to those who demonstrate need. For example, Phillips Andover and Phillips Exeter both practice need-blind admissions.

Are students who attend boarding school more successful?

This is up for debate. Do a quick Google search of the above question, and the top articles advocating for a boarding school education are mostly written by boarding schools themselves. A recent study conducted by the Arts & Sciences Group of Baltimore (full disclosure: on behalf of The Association of Boarding Schools) did reveal that boarding school students are better prepared for college, more likely to hold mid-career management positions, and more likely to spend their time in more productive ways, among other findings. However, other recent studies conducted on boarding school systems in other countries, including Boarding and Day School Students: A Large-Scale Multilevel Investigation of Academic Outcomes, reveal that academic outcomes between boarding and day school students are quite similar.

In our experience, students at elite boarding schools may enjoy advantages in the college admissions process. Private school counseling offices have long been known to maintain close connections with college admissions offices, particularly at top universities. While attending an elite boarding school doesn’t mean that you will be automatically accepted into the school of your choice, your school counselor’s advocacy could go quite far. There are no “official” published policies, and the actual impact of advocacy calls is certainly up for debate, but it should be noted that Swarthmore admissions now refuses to conduct high school counselor calls after finding that over 90% of the calls came from private school counselors. Will other colleges soon follow suit? It’s hard to say.

Best Boarding Schools in the US — Continued

On the flip side, though, you won’t be alone in applying to highly selective college if you attend an elite boarding school. Dozens of your classmates are likely applying to comparably elite institutions, making the competition stiffer and the pressure to stand out that much greater.

Bottom line: No school—or type of education—is right for every student. While attending certain boarding schools may give you an edge in the college admissions process, you should make the decision about boarding school based on your current academic needs and goals. Will attending boarding school provide you with a better-fit education and social atmosphere than your local public or private high school? More important question: do you want to attend boarding school? If the answer to both of those questions is “yes,” you have some research to do.

How should I research a boarding school?

When researching a boarding school, start with a deep dive into their website. Take advantage of any virtual offerings, like tours or information sessions. Check out their social media accounts and student newspaper. Furthermore, we strongly recommend visiting campuses. While you’re there, sit in on a class, wander the campus and surrounding area, and see what vibe you receive from the student body.

Best Boarding Schools in the US

The following top 10 list is not intended to represent any type of ranking system, but rather, simply to provide prospective students and their parents with a detailed overview of each school. We also included an additional fifteen schools that are “in the same league” academically. All schools profiled below have expert faculty, impressive course offerings, exceptionally high average SAT/ACT scores, selective admissions processes, and a history of sending graduates to the top colleges in the country. For each of our top 10 institutions, College Transitions will provide you with the school’s:

• Location
• Tuition
• Acceptance Rate
• Average SAT Score, if available
• Average ACT Score, if available
• Senior Class Size (or School Size if this number is not available)
• College Admissions Highlights
• Academic Highlights
• Unique Attributes

1) Phillips Exeter Academy

Location: Exeter, NH

Tuition: $64,789

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Average SAT Score: 1450

Average ACT Score: 31

Senior Class Size: 323 students

College Admissions Highlights:

Between 2021-23, ten or more students matriculated into each of Boston University, Bowdoin, Brown, University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, George Washington, Georgetown, Harvard, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Penn, Princeton, Tufts, UC Berkeley, USC, Wesleyan, and Yale. Over 10 students were admitted into UC Berkeley, NYU, Northwestern, USC, and Stanford. 99% of graduates attend four-year institutions.

Academic Highlights:

• 21 Class of 2024 members were National Merit Semifinalists and 76 qualified as National Merit Commended Scholars.
• 67% of staff members have a master’s degree and 26% hold a doctorate.
• The average class size is 12 students.
• The student/teacher ratio is 6:1.
• 450+ courses are offered, with 60% available at the college level.

Unique Attributes:

You can find the Harkness method of instruction being practiced in every single discipline and subject at Exeter. Moreover, Exeter’s Global Initiatives Program gives students the opportunity to study abroad in England, Italy, Japan, Germany, Spain, or The Bahamas.

2) Phillips Academy Andover

Location: Andover, MA

Tuition: $69,600

Acceptance Rate: 13%

Average SAT Score: Not Reported

Average ACT Score: Not Reported

Senior Class Size: 338

College Admissions Highlights:

The Class of 2023 enrolled at a diverse array of institutions, with the most attending the University of Chicago (21), Harvard (12), Yale (12), and Stanford (11). In addition, over the past three years (Classes of 2019-2022), 30+ students have matriculated into Harvard, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Over 20 students have enrolled at BU, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Stanford, Tufts, and UVA.

Academic Highlights:

• The student-faculty ratio is 5:1.
• The average class size is 13 students.
• In 2023, 11 students were named as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.
• 300+ courses are offered, including 8 languages and 150 electives.
• All students are encouraged to take advantage of at least one Learning in the World initiative.

Unique Attributes: 

Every Andover student is required to participate in an athletic activity. Also, students live in one of five “clusters” (about 220 students each) as part of Andover’s cluster system.

Best Boarding Schools in the US — Continued

3) Choate Rosemary Hall

Location: Wallingford, CT

Tuition: $69,370

Acceptance Rate: 16%

Average SAT Score: 1400

Average ACT Score: 30

Senior Class Size: 230

College Admissions Highlights:

In the past five years, the greatest number of Choate grads have enrolled at NYU (54), University of Chicago (46), Yale (41), Columbia (40), Georgetown (31), Northeastern (30), Cornell (30), Brown (26), UPenn (25), University of St Andrews (24), Boston College (23), and Harvard (20).

Academic Highlights:

• 68% of AP test scores were a “4” or a “5.”
• The Class of 2023 saw 9 NMSP Finalists, 10 Semifinalists, and 35 Commended Scholars.
• 65% of current juniors possess unweighted GPAs of 3.75 or higher, and 25% have an unweighted GPA of over 4.0.
• Choate operates on a trimester system, and all students must take at least five classes per term.
• 300 courses are offered across six academic departments.

Unique Attributes:

Choate offers eight Signature Programs that allow students to do deep dives into particular areas of study. These include the Advanced Robotics Concentration, Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, the Arts Concentration Program, the Capstone Program, the Environmental Immersion Program, the Global Engagement Program, the Program in Government and Public Service, and the Science Research Program.

4) Deerfield Academy

Location: Deerfield, MA

Tuition: $68,230

Acceptance Rate: 12%

Average SAT Score: 1380

Average ACT Score: 31

Senior Class Size: 204

College Admissions Highlights:

In the last five years, 30 or more Deerfield grads have entered Brown University, Georgetown, and the University of Virginia. Greater than 20 students have matriculated into Cornell, Columbia, Harvard, UPenn, and Yale. More than 10 students have attended a wide range of prestigious schools that include Amherst, Dartmouth, Duke, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts. Overall, 100% of graduates attend four-year colleges or universities.

Academic Highlights:

• 33% of AP exam scores were “5”s and 39% were “4”s.
• From 2020-2024, only 1.5% of students (15 total) earned a 95% or above GPA in their junior year.
• 70% of faculty have advanced degrees, and 98% live on campus.
• The student/teacher ratio is 5:1.
• Deerfield has moved away from AP courses in recent years and mostly offers undergraduate-level college preparatory courses.

Unique Attributes:

Each weekday, every student spends approximately two hours in a required faculty-supervised activity, including athletics, volunteerism, theater, and special projects. In addition, Deerfield’s community service program is very strong with myriad opportunities available.

5) St. Paul’s School

Location: Concord, NH

Tuition: $65,410

Acceptance Rate: 16%

Average SAT Score: Not Reported

Average ACT Score: Not Reported

Senior Class Size: 141

College Admissions Highlights:

Over the past four years, 99% of students have gone on to college. Accordingly, the colleges most frequently attended by St. Paul’s graduates include Brown (29), Georgetown (27), Yale (22), UVA (20), Tufts (18), Columbia (18), NYU (15), Colby (14), Harvard (11), Bowdoin (11), Cornell (11), Boston College (11), University of St Andrews (11), and Wellesley (11).

Academic Highlights:

• The student-to-faculty ratio is 5:1.
• 77% of faculty have advanced degrees.
• The average faculty member has been teaching at the school for over a decade.
• The median student GPA is 3.78.
• Over 100 courses are offered, and all are college preparatory.

Unique Attributes:

SPS offers students the opportunity to delve as deeply as they’d like into their interests. In addition to the highly selective, project-based Applied Science and Engineering program and the unique Classical Honors program, students can also design their own independent study projects with faculty support.

Best Boarding Schools in America — Continued

6) Groton School

Location: Groton, MA

Tuition: $60,895

Acceptance Rate: 9%

Average SAT Score: 1490

Average ACT Score: 33

School Size: 378

College Admissions Highlights:

From 2019-2023, the largest numbers of graduates have enrolled at the University of Chicago (35), Georgetown (17), Yale (17), Harvard (16), Boston College (13), Stanford (13), UPenn (13), Princeton (12), Brown (10), Columbia (10), and Tufts (10).

Academic Highlights:

• The average class size is 11 students.
• The student/faculty ratio is 4:1.
• 85% of faculty members possess advanced degrees.
• 80% of students earn scores of 4 or 5 on their AP exams.
• Between 2018-22, students took a total of 2,582 AP exams.

Unique Attributes:

Students can design tutorials under the guidance of a faculty member in subjects that range from chemistry to photography to rugby. Moreover, all seniors are given leadership responsibility as dorm prefects.

7) The Lawrenceville School

Location: Lawrenceville, NJ

Tuition: $79,500

Acceptance Rate: 15%

Median SAT Score: Not Reported

Median ACT Score: Not Reported

School Size: 815

College Admissions Highlights:

In the last five years, the greatest number of Lawrenceville grads have gone on to attend NYU (46), Georgetown (41), UPenn (40), Princeton (39), Lehigh (30), Columbia (26), Harvard (26), Tufts (23), Duke (23), Brown (22), and the University of Chicago (21).

Academic Highlights:

• 90% of faculty members hold advanced degrees.
• The average class size is 12 students.
• The student/faculty ratio is 8:1.
• In 2023, 10 Lawrentians were named as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

Unique Attributes:

The Harkness pedagogy is at the core of Lawrenceville academics, including the Travel Programs, which offer spring and summer experiences in other countries. Lawrenceville also has a tight-knit House system, with 18 residential Houses.

8) St. Albans School (Boys)

Location: Washington, DC

Tuition: $78,196

Acceptance Rate: 48% (this includes all grades—acceptance is much more competitive for 9th grade and above)

Median SAT Score: Not Reported

Median ACT Score: Not Reported

Senior Class Size: 77

College Admissions Highlights:

As of 2024, over the past five years, St. Albans graduates have flocked to the University of Chicago (37), Dartmouth (17), Yale (17), Georgetown (13), Boston College (11), Harvard (10), Tulane (10), Columbia (9), Princeton (9), UVA (9), and Wesleyan (9).

Academic Highlights:

• The average class size is 13 students.
• The student/faculty ratio is 7:1.
• 80% of faculty members hold advanced degrees.
• The average faculty member has 12 years of experience at the school.
• All courses are above the secondary level. AP and honors courses are also available.

Unique Attributes:

11 seasons of athletics and 60 hours of community service are required to graduate. The school also offers coordinated academic, artistic, and athletic programs with the National Cathedral School for Girls.

Best Boarding Schools in America — Continued

9) The Hockaday School (Girls)

Location: Dallas, TX

Tuition: $32,095 (does not include room & board)

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Mid-50% SAT Range: 1370-1540

Mid-50% ACT Range: 30-34

School Size: 501 (9-12)

College Admissions Highlights:

100% of Hockaday students enroll in a college or university. Grads enroll in everything from Lone Star State options like the University of Texas Austin, Baylor University, and Southern Methodist University to elite institutions all over the nation like MIT, Harvard, Caltech, USC, NYU, the University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, Columbia, Stanford, Vanderbilt, and Penn.

Academic Highlights:

• 94% of AP test-takers scored a “3” or better on their exams.
• 65 of 127 faculty members have master’s degrees; 19 have doctoral degrees.
• The average class size is 15 students.
• The student/teacher ratio is 10:1.
• 17 AP courses are offered at Hockaday.

Unique Attributes:

Hockaday offers unique Social Impact-designated courses, such as Environment Chemistry and Spanish in the Community, through their Institute for Social Impact. Accordingly, in each course, students have the opportunity to connect academics to real-world applications and problem-solving.

10) The Thacher School

Location: Ojai, CA

Tuition: $74,530

Acceptance Rate: 13%

Mid-50% SAT Range: 1310-1480

Average ACT Score: 30

School Size: 259

College Admissions Highlights:

The most commonly attended schools by Thacher graduates from 2019-2023 were as follows: University of Southern California (13), Colorado College (12), Dartmouth (12), Claremont McKenna (9), Brown (8), Stanford (8), UPenn (8), Columbia (7), Pomona (7), Santa Clara (7), and the University of Chicago (7).

Academic Highlights:

• The average class size is 11 students.
• 72% of faculty members hold advanced degrees, and the average teacher has been at Thacher for 11 years.
• The student/faculty ratio is 6:1.
• A variety of “xBlock”—experiential and experimental—courses are offered.

Unique Attributes: 

The Visiting Scholars program frequently brings influential people to campus for special performances and lectures. Also, every senior participates in the Senior Exhibition program, which entails choosing a focus area and conducting research over the course of several months before presenting their projects. Finally, Thacher’s Horse Program mandates that all new students must care for a horse.

Best Boarding Schools in the US – Continued

Additional boarding schools found near the top of any ranking system and of comparable quality to those highlighted above include:

11) Milton Academy (Milton, MA): Average class sizes of 14 students and a faculty comprised of 75% advanced degree-holders have helped many members earn acceptance to elite colleges. From 2021-23, 27 students were accepted to Georgetown, 25 were accepted to Harvard, and 17 were accepted to Boston College.

12) Cranbrook Schools (Bloomfield Hills, MI): Over 800 students who excel as much on the playing field as in the classroom. The 50 colleges most frequently attended by Cranbrook grads over the past four years include Yale, Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Stanford, Duke, and MIT.

13) Cate School (Carpinteria, CA): One of the most sought-after boarding schools on the West Coast, Cate regularly sends its students to top colleges. Between 2018-2022, the most grads matriculated into NYU (13), Stanford (12), USC (12), Tulane (12), UPenn (10), Columbia (10), and Brown (10).

14) Noble and Greenough School (Dedham, MA): With an acceptance rate of 16%, the 638 students in this 7-12 school go on to earn superb standardized test scores, with a median SAT of 1440 and a median ACT of 32.  Between 2019-23, over 50 students matriculated to Harvard, followed by Georgetown, Tufts, and Middlebury.

Best Boarding Schools in the US — Continued

15) St. Andrew’s School (Middletown, DE): A small school with roughly 300 students, 55% of 2023 grads matriculated into a top 50 institution, including the likes of UVA, Cornell, Skidmore, Emory, Middlebury, UCLA, and MIT.

16) Middlesex School (Concord, MA): Founded in 1901, this “young” New England boarding school has a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio and average SAT scores in excess of 1450. In 2023, students enrolled at UChicago, Boston College, Syracuse, Brown, and the University of Richmond in the highest numbers.

17) The Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, CT): The SAT mid-50% range is 1360-1540 and this talented group matriculates in impressive numbers at NYU, Georgetown, Cornell, Yale, the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia.

18) Concord Academy (Concord, MA): The less-than-100 students per cohort enjoy a student/teacher ratio of 6:1 and an average SAT score of 1480. Additionally, high numbers of students are accepted to Brown, Tufts, Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Northeastern, Haverford, Northwestern, and NYU.

19) The Taft School (Watertown, CT): More than 200 courses are offered at this school that, in the last five years, has seen a dozen or more graduates enter Brown, Bucknell, Colgate, Cornell, Georgetown, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Southern Methodist, Tufts, Tulane, UPenn, University of Richmond, University of Miami, UVA, Wake Forest, Yale, and University of St Andrews.

20) The Loomis Chaffee School (Windsor, CT): Chartered in 1874, this elite institution sports mid-50% SAT ranges of 1220-1510 and has graduated 9 National Merit Semifinalists and 81 National Merit Commended Scholars in one recent five-year period.

Best Boarding Schools in the US — Continued

21) The Madeira School (McLean, VA): At this elite all-girls school, 91% of faculty hold advanced degrees and there is a 4:1 student to adult ratio. In the past five years, the highest numbers of students have enrolled at a range of top institutions that include Bates, Boston College, Claremont McKenna, Colorado College, Harvard, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, MIT, and Occidental.

22) Indian Springs School (Indian Springs, AL): Indian Springs sports a 8:1 student to faculty ratio. The Class of 2023 had 2 National Merit Scholars and 9 Finalists. Over the past five years, at least three students matriculated into each of BU, Columbia, Howard, MIT, NYU, Rhodes, Sewanee, Stanford, UPenn, Wellesley, and Wesleyan.

23) The Peddie School (Hightstown, NJ): Peddie’s 149 seniors enjoy excellent outcomes: 94% score a 3 or better on all AP exams, and the average ACT score is 31. The Classes of 2021-23 attended a wide range of prestigious school that included all eight Ivies, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Duke, Johns Hopkins, the University of Chicago, and UNC Chapel Hill.

24) Princeton International School of Math and Science (Princeton, NJ): The 120 students at PRISMS benefit tremendously from a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio and the STEM-centered curriculum—between 2016-2023, 16 students matriculated at MIT, and others went on to top universities that included Brown, Caltech, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, Rice, and Stanford.

25) The Webb Schools (Claremont, CA): Comprised of two schools (a boys school and a girls school), Webb sends 90% of each graduating class to the top 10% of colleges and universities. In 2023, these included USC, NYU, UChicago, Tufts, Stanford, Duke, Cornell, Dartmouth, and UPenn.

Additional Resources

Looking for more private school resources? You might consider checking out the following:

• Best Private Schools in Boston
• Best Private Schools in Delaware
• Best Private Schools in Connecticut
• Best Private Schools in DC
• Best Private Schools in Philadelphia
• Best Private Schools in NYC