Best Private Schools in NJ – 2023

There are more than 250 private schools within the state of New Jersey. There are also numerous fantastic public options in the Garden State as well. In fact, 8 of the top 100 nationally ranked (by US News) high schools are located in NJ. With no shortage of solid options available, there are numerous factors that will likely guide your decision-making process. Ultimately, you will need to balance your teen’s academic, emotional, and social needs with financial and logistical considerations. However, College Transitions’ list of the Best Private Schools in NJ will focus primarily on our area of expertise—college admissions. As such, we will highlight the job that each of the schools fare at sending their graduates on to the region/nation’s premier 4-year schools.

Please note that inclusion on our Best Private Schools in New Jersey list is a selective and criteria-based process. However, the order in which the schools appear is not representative of any further ranking; the numbering is solely intended to enhance the ease of navigating this resource.  All of the schools profiled below have a history of sending graduates to the top colleges in the country. For each of the best private high schools in NJ, College Transitions will provide you with the:

• Location
• Tuition (9-12)
• Enrollment (9-12)
• Average SAT Score
• Average ACT Score
• Senior Class Size
• College Admissions Highlights
• Academic Highlights

Without further ado, let’s look at the best private high schools in NJ.

1) The Lawrenceville School

Location: 2500 Main St, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

Tuition (9-12): $60,250 (Day); $73,220 (Boarding)

Enrollment (9-12):815

Mid-50% SAT Score: Not Reported

Mid-50% ACT Score: Not Reported

College Admissions Highlights:

In the last five years, a sampling of matriculations includes the following amazing results: Brown (28), CMU (15), Duke (21), Cornell (30), Columbia (26), NYU (51), Princeton (44), Tufts (22), Georgetown (47), Harvard (23), UChicago (26), Penn (42), and Yale (22).

Academic Highlights:

• Has 9 scientific research partners and 5 highly-selective summer research programs.
• 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
• Incredible 700-acre campus with 18 residential houses.
• Offers a wealth of experiential learning options.
• Guided by “Harkness Learning” which involves in-depth discussion, active listening, and valuing multiple perspectives.

2) Blair Academy

Location: 2 Park St, Blairstown, NJ 07825

Tuition (9-12): 48,900 (Day); $70,200 (Boarding)

Enrollment (9-12): 465

Average SAT Score: Not Reported

Average ACT Score: Not Reported

College Admissions Highlights:

Multiple graduates in 2022 went on to enroll at Barnard (2), BU (2), Columbia (4), Georgetown (3), Princeton (5), Penn (3), USC (2), Boston College (3), Colby (2), Emory (3), NYU (5), Northeastern (4), UNC Chapel Hill (3), and UVA (5).

Academic Highlights:

• Blair has a 15% acceptance rate.
• The average class size in high school is 12 students.
• 90% of faculty live on campus.
• 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio
• They offer 54 AP, Honors, and Post-AP courses.

3) Newark Academy

Location: 91 S Orange Ave, Livingston, NJ 07039

Tuition (9-12): $47,120

Enrollment (seniors): 114

Average SAT Score: 1434

Average ACT Score: 32

College Admissions Highlights:

From 2019-2022, multiple grads have matriculated into USC (6), UChicago (5), Tufts (6), Tulane (4), BC (6), Cornell (17), NYU (19), Harvard (9), WashU (12), Columbia (8), Yale (5), Duke (13), Georgetown (7), McGill (6), UMich (8), Penn (15), Northwestern (12), and Princeton (5).

Academic Highlights:

• The average class size is 14.
• 95% of the Class of 2023 is enrolled in at least one IB course.
• 60% identify as students of color.
• 89% of teachers have earned advanced degrees.
• There are 45 National Merit Commended Scholars in the Class of 2023.

4) Delbarton School

Location: Trinity Hall, 230 Mendham Rd, Morristown, NJ 07960

Tuition (9-12): $43,800

Enrollment (seniors): 135

Mid-50% SAT Score: 1220-1490

Mid-50% ACT Score: 25-32

College Admissions Highlights:

In the last three years, three or more graduates have enrolled at Amherst, BC, Bowdoin, CMU, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Hamilton, Michigan, Middlebury, NYU, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Penn, Princeton, USC, Vanderbilt, UVA, William & Mary, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:

• Of 82 full-time teachers, 76 possess advanced degrees.
• This is an all-boys school.
• 95% of students take one or more AP course.
• Students generally cannot take more than 3 AP courses per year.
• Offer programs for French, Spanish, Latin, Italian, and Arabic.

5) Dwight-Englewood School

Location: 315 E Palisade Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631

Tuition (9-12): $54,500

Enrollment (seniors): 126

Mid-50% SAT Score: 1250-1480

Mid-50% ACT Score: 30-34

College Admissions Highlights:

Large numbers of students from the Classes of 2020-2022 landed at Babson (5), BU (9), Cornell (13), Fordham (10), Lehigh (14), NYU (17), Northeastern (15), Tufts (9), Tulane (8), UMich (16), Penn (13), Wisconsin (10), WashU (10), and Yale (5).

Academic Highlights:

• The acceptance rate for the Upper School is 30%.
• 63% earned 4 or above on the AP exams.
• 12 members of the Class of 2023 are AP Scholars, 8 are AP Scholars with Honors, and 3 are AP Scholars with Distinction.
• 77% of faculty members hold advanced degrees.
• 45% are students of color.

6) Kent Place School

Location: 42 Norwood Ave, Summit, NJ 07902

Tuition (9-12): $48,560

Enrollment (seniors): 78

Mid-50% SAT Score: 1280-1490

Mid-50% ACT Score: 30-34

College Admissions Highlights:

Looking at the Class of 2022 (only 78 total students), multiple students went on to enroll at Boston College (3), Bucknell (2), Cornmell (5), Duke (2), Hamilton (2), Harvard (2), UMich (2), NYU (3), Penn (6), URichmond (2), Tufts (4), Tulane (3), UVA (2), and Yale (3).

Academic Highlights:

• Kent Place School is an all-girls institution.
• 52% of the Class of 2022 were AP Scholars.
• 14 members of the Class of 2022 were National Merit Commended Scholars.
• Of 88 faculty members, 62 hold a master’s degree and 13 have earned doctorates.
• 80% earn a 3 or higher on AP exams.

7) Princeton Day School

Location: 650 Great Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540

Tuition (9-12): $42,530

Enrollment (seniors): 101

Average SAT Score: 1400

Average ACT Score: 30

College Admissions Highlights:

Multiple PDS grads headed to the following schools in 2022: Babson, Brown, Columbia, Davidson, Hamilton, Harvard, NYU, Pomona, Princeton, Skidmore, Penn, Vassar, and WashU.

Academic Highlights:

• The Research Experience Program allows juniors to gain laboratory experience over the summer.
• Those who complete a subject at the highest level are eligible to take courses at Princeton University.
• 56% identify as students of color.
• 17 AP courses are on the menu.
• 100% are accepted into 4-year colleges.

8) The Pingry School

Location: 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

Tuition (9-12): $47,336

Enrollment (seniors): 143

Mid-50% SAT Score: 1290-1540

Mid-50% ACT Score: 30-34

College Admissions Highlights:

In 2021, multiple students attended the following schools: Brown (6), UChicago (4), Georgetown (4), Johns Hopkins (3), Northwestern (3), Notre Dame (3), Penn (4), Yale (3), University of Michigan (4), Dartmouth (2), Duke (3), Colgate (3), Stanford (2), WashU (5), Vanderbilt (2) and Bowdoin (3).

Academic Highlights:

• 32% of the Class of 2022 earned some level of National Merit award.
• 136 of 187 faculty members have an advanced degree.
• 17 AP courses are offered.
• 53% identify as students of color.
• The average faculty member has 8+ years of tenure.

9) Stuart Country Day School

Location: 1200 Stuart Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540

Tuition (9-12): $44,300

Enrollment (seniors): 32

Median SAT Score: 1344

Median ACT Score: 29

College Admissions Highlights:

From 2019-21, seniors enrolled in the following schools: BU, Brown, Bryn Mawr, UC Berkeley, CMU, Cornell, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Grinnell, JHU, Kenyon, UMiami, NYU, Northwestern, Princeton, Rice, Tufts, US Air Force Academy, Vassar, WashU, Wesleyan, William & Mary, and Williams.

Academic Highlights:

• Stuart Country Day is an all-girls institution.
• There are 18 AP courses offered.
• 80% of students scored 3 or higher on AP exams.
• 62% of faculty possess advanced degrees.
• 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

10) The Peddie School

Location: 201 S Main St, Hightstown, NJ 08520

Tuition (9-12): $58,700 (Day); $67,900 (Boarding)

Enrollment (seniors): 147

Average SAT Score: 1360

Average ACT Score: 31

College Admissions Highlights:

In the last five years, 10+ students have enrolled at NYU (40), Penn (20), Cornell (15), Columbia (12), Princeton (12), Tufts (12), CMU (10), USC (10), Wake Forest (10), Northeastern (10), and Washington University in St. Louis (10).

Academic Highlights:

• 90% of faculty live on campus.
• Students come from 21 states and 25 countries.
• 150 courses are offered.
• 34 AP and Honors courses are available.
• 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

The Best Private Schools in NJ – Final Thoughts

We hope you found our blog on private schools in NJ to be helpful. All high school students and families may wish to explore further information regarding the college search and admissions process at our Dataverse, Blog, and List-Building Tool.