2025 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

February 24, 2025

Philadelphia—along with the surrounding Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware counties—has no shortage of terrific private school options for your child. College Transitions’ list of the Best Private Schools in Philadelphia will focus primarily on our area of expertise—college admissions. As such, we will highlight the job each school does of sending their graduates on to the region/nation’s premier 4-year schools. If you are a Philadelphia-Area parent actively searching for the best-fit private schools for your child or teen (no matter the current age of your student), you are likely interested in the college preparation and counseling offered by each prospective high school. Of course, in addition to that particular angle, you will also need to balance your teen’s academic, emotional, and social needs with financial and logistical considerations.

Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

Here’s a quick preview of the high schools that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Germantown Friends School

2) Friends’ Central School

3) The Baldwin School

4) The Shipley School

5) The Haverford School

6) Friends Select School

7) George School

8) The Episcopal Academy

9) The Hill School

10) William Penn Charter School

Please note that inclusion on our Best Private Schools in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia, College Transitions will provide you with each institution’s:

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

Without further delay, let’s look at the schools that made our list:

#1 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

Germantown Friends School – Philadelphia

31 W Coulter St, Philadelphia, PA 19144

College Admissions Highlights: In a recent three year span, GFS graduates matriculated into Amherst, Barnard, BU, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, George Washington, Georgetown, Harvard, Hamilton, Johns Hopkins, Macalester, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northwestern, Princeton, Pomona, Tufts, UCLA, U Chicago, U Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Penn, UVA, Vassar, Villanova, WashingtonU, Wesleyan, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-teacher ratio is 5:1. 41% are students of color. Over 20 advanced courses available. In one recent four-year period, GFS produced 5 National Scholars, 17 Finalists, and 27 Semifinalists. 70+ student led clubs and affinity groups. 159 FSL Athletic championship titles for 65 athletic teams. 11 visual art classes offered including furniture making.

Tuition (9-12): $48,850
Enrollment (seniors): 110
Average SAT Score: 1410
Average ACT Score: 33

#2 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

Friends’ Central School – Philadelphia

1101 City Ave, Wynnewood, PA 19096

College Admissions Highlights: In the last five years, students have enrolled at the following schools: American, Baylor, BU, Brown, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Drexel, Drexel, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Pepperdine, Rice, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, U Michigan, Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, Vassar, WashingtonU, William & Mary, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: 99% attend a 4-year college; 1% take a gap year. 42% identify as students of color. All students complete 115 hours of community service. Offers over 40 advanced courses. The upper school students can join a Core Teams to take a deep dive into the work of a distinguished leader in the field they are studying. Distinguished Lecture Series invites scholars to speak with students.

Tuition (9-12): $46,000
Enrollment (9-12): 420
Average SAT Score: 1304
Average ACT Score: 31

#3 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

The Baldwin School – Philadelphia

701 Montgomery Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

College Admissions Highlights: Over the last three years, The Baldwin School has had students accepted into the following schools: Barnard, BC, Brown, Bucknell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Ga Tech, Harvard, Kenyon, MIT, Miami, NYU, Northeastern, Northwestern, Penn State, Princeton, USC, Swarthmore, Tufts, Vanderbilt, Villanova, UVA, Wake Forest, Washington U, William & Mary, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: Baldwin is an all-girls institution. 51% identify as students of color. 16 Advanced Topic courses are offered—these go beyond the traditional AP curriculum. There are 15 athletic teams and 45 clubs and activities. 35 upper school courses are offered in art, music and theater. 12th graders spend 3 weeks in individualized externship programs.

Tuition (9-12): $46,100
Enrollment (9-12): 228
Average SAT Score: 1374
Average ACT Score: 29

#4 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

The Shipley School – Philadelphia

814 Yarrow St, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

College Admissions Highlights: The last five senior classes from the Shipley school have gone on to matriculate into the following colleges: Bates, Belmont, BC, BU, Brown, Bucknell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago, Columbia, Conrell, Davidson, Drexel, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, George Washington, Hamilton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Miami, Michigan, NYU, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, USC, Tennessee, Tufts, UVA, Villanova, Wake Forest, Washington U, William & Mary, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: The average class size is 14 students. 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio. 75% of teachers possess an advanced degree. 52 Honors courses. 12th grade english is replaced with two semester long senior seminars. 29 FSL Championships with over 20 varsity programs during 3 sports seasons..

Tuition (9-12): $47,215
Enrollment (seniors): 98
Average SAT Score: 1280
Average ACT Score: 29.3

#5 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

The Haverford School – Philadelphia

450 US-30, Haverford, PA 19041

College Admissions Highlights: Haverford graduates over the last six years have matriculated to these fine colleges and universities: Amherst, BC, Brown Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Howard, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Stanford, Ohio State, UT Austin, Tufts, UC Berkley, UChicago, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, UVA, Vassar, VaTech, Wake Forest, Washington U, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: Haverford is an all-boys school. 9:1 Student to faculty ratio. 75% of faculty members hold advanced degrees. 45 advanced level courses across all subjects. 31% students of color. 35 clubs and activities in the upper school, including the VEX World Champions in Robotics. 16 interscholastic sports and 10 art spaces.

Tuition (9-12): $47,920
Enrollment (seniors): 122
Average SAT Score: Not Reported
Average ACT Score: Not Reported

#6 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

Friends Select School – Philadelphia

N 17th & 1651, Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103

College Admissions Highlights: Students from Friends Select have enrolled in American, Brown, Cooper Union, Dartmouth, Drexel, Emerson, George Washington, Harvard, Howard, JMU, Morehouse, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, RIT, SCAD, Swarthmore, UCLA, U Pittsburgh, UMichigan, Penn, and US Military Academy at West Point.

Academic Highlights: 41% identify as students of color in upper school. 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio. About 88% of students are from the city of Philadelphia. Social Justice Week pauses classes to allow students a contemporary view of issues. 14 sports are offered. Decision Points is a chorus or instrumental ensemble with 3 concerts a year.

Tuition (9-12): $50,750
Enrollment (seniors): 46
Mid-50% SAT Score: 1220-1530
Mid-50% ACT Score: 23-32

#7 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

George School – Philadelphia

1690 Langhorne Newtown Rd, Newtown, PA 18940

College Admissions Highlights: The George School has at least 5 students from the last three years matriculate to: American, Bates, BU, Brandies, Bryn Mawr, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Drexel, Duke, Emory, George Washington, Hamilton, Haverford, Kenyon, NYU, Northeastern, Oberlin, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Skidmore, Swarthmore, Tufts, UCLA, U Mass, UMiami, Penn, USC, UVA, Villanova, Washington U, Wellesley, and William & Mary.

Academic Highlights: Students come from 23 US states and 47 countries. 47% are boarding students. 38.5%% identify as students of color. George School offers 19 AP subjects. There are 35 IB subjects; 95% IB diploma passing rate.. The average class size is 13. 130 years as a Quaker co-ed boarding and day school.

Tuition (9-12): $49,800 (Day); $74,900 (Boarding)
Enrollment (seniors): 134
Median SAT Score: 1275
Median ACT Score: 31

#8 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

The Episcopal Academy – Philadelphia

1785 Bishop White Drive, Newtown Square, PA 19073

College Admissions Highlights: Over the last five years, large numbers of students have achieved offers of admission to the following schools: Bates, BU, BC, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Duke, JHU, Kenyon, Lehigh, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Princeton, Swarthmore, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, Wake Forest, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: The average class size is 13 students. 7:1 student to faculty ratio. 35% are students of color. They offer 23 AP. 87% of AP scores were 3 or higher. 95% of students participate in Community Service. 29 varsity sports with a high number committing to college sports.

Tuition (9-12): $44,700
Enrollment (seniors): 132
Average SAT Score: 1350
Average ACT Score: 30

#9 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

The Hill School – Philadelphia

860 Beech Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

College Admissions Highlights: Over the last five years, two or more Hill students enrolled in each of the following colleges: Amherst, Barnard, BC, Brown, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Pepperdine, Pomona, RPI, Tufts, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, UMass, Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington U, Wesleyan, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: Boarding and day school with average class size of 11 students. The student-to-teacher ratio is 7:1. Students hail from 26 states and 17 countries. 43% identify as students of color and 15% are international. 20 college level and 21 AP Courses are offered. 32 interscholastic sports programs and 12 arts performances a year.

Tuition (9-12): $53,380 (Day); $78,300 (Boarding)
Enrollment (9-12): 527
Average SAT Score: 1330 (most recent available)
Average ACT Score: 28 (most recent available)

#10 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

William Penn Charter School – Philadelphia

3000 W School House Ln, Philadelphia 19144

College Admissions Highlights: A recent five year matriculation had William Penn graduates attending: Amherst, BC, BU, Bowdoin, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Drexel, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, Lafayette, NYU, Northeastern, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Stanford, Tufts, UCLA, U Chicago, Michigan, Penn, USC, UVA, Villanova, Va Tech, Wake Forest, Washington U, Wellesley, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: School was founded in 1689. 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The average class size is 14. 86% of classroom teachers have advanced degrees. 40 advanced courses with 3 certificate programs. 44 clubs and activities. 37% identify as students of color. 18 sports with multiple teams for 3 seasons. 13 visual art and design electives in the upper school.

Tuition (9-12): $49,100
Enrollment (seniors): ~119
Mid-50% SAT Score: 1160-1365 (most recent available)
Mid-50% ACT Score: 22-30 (most recent available)

Best Private Schools in Philadelphia – Additional Resources

We hope you found our blog on private schools in Philadelphia (and the surrounding suburbs) 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.

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High School Success

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).