Best Private Schools in Pittsburgh – 2025

College Admissions Highlights: Over the last three years, students from Winchester Thurston have enrolled in these fine institutions: American, Babson, BU, Brandeis, Brown, Cal Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, DePauw, Duquesne. Emory, Georgetown, Ga Tech, Howard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Penn State, Princeton, RIT, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UMass, Michigan, Penn, Pitt, USC, UVA, Wake Forest, Washington U, WPI, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Average class size is 15, with a 7:1 student-faculty ratio. 59 zip codes represented. 38% students of color.  65% faculty with advanced degrees. 14 AP Courses are on the menu with an opportunity for accelerated courses as self-study. 70% participate in 15 athletic opportunities. Winchester Thurston is known for an award-winning performing and visual arts program. Over 50 clubs and student unions.

College Admissions Highlights: Over the a recent four year span, students from Shady Side have enrolled in these fine institutions: American, Bates, BC, Brown,  Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oberlin, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, USC, Tennessee, UVA, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Wake Forest, WashingtonU, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Average class size is 13, with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. 39% students of color.  16% are boarders for either 5 or 7 days a week. School-wide, students come from 13 states & 8 countries. 81% faculty with advanced degrees. Many advanced and Highest Level classes offered. 100% of students participate in visual and performing arts programs.  75 league titles won by 19 athletic teams since 1993.

College Admissions Highlights: Over the last five years, students from The Ellis School have enrolled in these colleges & universities: American, Amherst, Bard, BU, Brandeis, Brown, Bryn Mawr, Case Western, Cornell, Davidson, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Hampton, Kenyon, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Purdue, RPI, Swarthmore, Tufts, Miami, Penn, USC, UVA, Vassar, Washington & Jefferson, WashingtonU, WPI, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  The Ellis School is an all girls institution. 6:1 student-faculty ratio. 68 zip codes represented. 38% students of color.  66% faculty with advanced degrees. 13 AP Courses offered. 70% of middle & upper students play on the 10 sports offered.  20 student clubs & organizations. 6 fine arts spaces including a dark room, clay studio, digital media lab, and art studios.

College Admissions Highlights: From 2021-2023, students from Sewickley have matriculated to these institutions: American, BC, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Dartmouth, Georgetown, GaTech, Hampton, Howard, NYU, Northewestern, Pomona, Princeton, Stanford, William & Mary, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMichigan, Notre Dame, USC, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  The average class size is 11. 25% students of color. 53 zip codes of enrolled students. 68% of faculty with advanced degrees. 83% of AP test takers scored a 3 or highter. 4 National Merit finalists & 9 commended scholars. 80%+ middle & senior school students participate on at least one of the 25+ athletic teams.  Arts programs have courses in music, theatre, dance and visual arts.

College Admissions Highlights: Students from Central Catholic have matriculated 3 or more students to theses institutions in a recent 4 year span:  American, BC, BU, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Drexel, Duquesne, Georgetown, Howard, Kenyon, Ohio State, Purdue, Temple, US Navel Academy, UMichigan, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, Villanova, VaTech, Wake Forest, Washington & Jefferson, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Central Catholic is an all boys high school.  12:1 student to faculty ratio. 73 of faculty hold advanced degrees. 13 AP level & 27 honor courses offered.  2 National Merit Scholarship commended students & 2 semifinalists for 2024. 75 elective classes offered. 19 Varsity sports with over 20 athletes signing to play in college in the last year. 34 clubs & activities.

College Admissions Highlights: Students from Aquinas Academy have been offered admission to the following colleges & universities: BC, BU, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, William & Mary, Cornell, Davidson, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Pepperdine, Purdue, Stanford, UChicago, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, UVA, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  9:1 student to teacher ratio with an average class size of 16. 9+ college level & AP courses. AP test pass rate 90%. 1 out of 3 alumni named an AP Scholar, AP with honors or AP with distinction.  81% of high school students played on an athletic team & 57% played two or more sports. 40+ Extracurricular options.

College Admissions Highlights: In a recent six year span, students from Oakland have been accepted to these fine institutions: American, Bard, BC, Brandeis, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Dickinson, Duke, Embry-Riddle, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Ohio State, Pepperdine, Princeton, Rice, Stanford, Swarthmore, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMass, UMichigan, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, USC, Villanova, VaTech, Wake Forest, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Oakland Catholic is an all girls school. 18 AP & 41 honors courses. Joan of Arc Society of scholars is for high academic achievers & include summer seminars.  Global competence initiative certification is an opportunity for students to interconnect with interdependent world. Arts include music, theatre and visual arts courses. 30+ clubs & activities. 18 sports.

College Admissions Highlights: The class of 2022 was accepted into over 130 colleges & universities including: Allegheny, Brown, Case Western, Clemson, Cornell, Duquesne, Loyola Chicago, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, RIT, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, UC San Diego, UMiami, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, UWashington, Villanova, VaTech, and West Point.

Academic Highlights:  15:1 student to teacher ratio. 19 AP & 40+ honors courses. 29 school districts represented. 21 National Merit scholars in recent years. 85% of students participate in two or more extracurricular activities.  40+ clubs & activities. 20 athletic teams with 18% of graduates play collegiate athletics.  30+ fine arts classes paired with 8 extra-curricular clubs & organizations.

College Admissions Highlights: Students from Bishop Canevin have gone on to attend these fine institutions: Alabama, BC, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Denison, Duquesne, FSU,George Washington, Georgetown, GaTech, John Hopkins, NYU, NC State, Ohio State, Penn State, Maryland, Notre Dame, Washington & Jefferson, and US Military Academy at West Point.

Academic Highlights:  Average class size is 15 students.  20+ school districts represented. 25 faculty have advanced degrees.  35 honors & AP courses.  27+ online courses. over 90% students participate in extracurricular activities.  5500+ hours of student service. 23 athletic teams with 4 PIAA championships & 4 state hockey championships.  Performing arts include music, band, theatre & visual arts.

College Admissions Highlights: A recent sample of colleges students from Greensburg Central attended include: Amherst, Clarion, Duquesne, Penn State, Pepperdine, Pitt, Edinboro University, Gannon University, IndianaU of Penn, Saint Francis, Pitt, VaTech, Washington & Jefferson, WestVa, and Xavier.

Academic Highlights:  15-20 students is the average class size with a student to teacher ratio of 10:1. 20+ college level & AP courses. Arts classes include band, chorus, strings, world drumming, guitar, drawing, painting, ceramics, theatre and more. 22 interscholastic varsity athletic teams. Students complete 24 hours of service. Over 15 clubs, activities & honor societies.