Top private schools near Phoenix, AZ: 4 ranked lists
There is no single best school. These lists rank schools near Phoenix on measures parents ask about, from federal data and tuition we verified on each school’s own website.
We looked at the 70 private schools in Phoenix or within 6 miles of downtown. Each list below uses one measure, says where it comes from and shows the top 10. A school can rank high on one measure and not appear on another, so read the lists together. We leave out any list with fewer than 5 qualifying schools, and no school can pay to appear or move up.
- Most graduates going on to a 4-year college (30 ranked)
- Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher (51 ranked)
- Largest schools (60 ranked)
- Lowest published tuition (7 ranked)
Most graduates going on to a 4-year college
Share of each high school’s graduates who went on to a 4-year college, as the school reported it. Only the 30 high schools that reported a figure are ranked; schools that did not report are left out, not ranked last. 3 reported 100%, so ties are listed by enrollment, largest first.
| # | School | Graduates to a 4-year college | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottsdale Christian Academy | 100% | PreK-12 | 7 mi |
| 2 | Holy Family Academy | 100% | K-12 | 7 mi |
| 3 | Valiant College Preparatory | 100% | 6-12 | 9 mi |
| 4 | Xavier College Preparatory | 99% | 9-12 | 5 mi |
| 5 | Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep | 99% | PreK-12 | 15 mi |
| 6 | Brophy College Preparatory | 98% | 6-12 | 5 mi |
| 7 | Arizona Lutheran Academy | 94% | 9-12 | 13 mi |
| 8 | Paradise Valley Christian Preparatory | 93% | PreK-12 | 4 mi |
| 9 | Valley Lutheran High School | 92% | 9-12 | 4 mi |
| 10 | North Valley Christain Academy | 90% | PreK-12 | 15 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey (as each school reported it). Showing 10 of 30 ranked schools.
Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher
Students per full-time-equivalent teacher, lowest first, among the 51 schools with at least 50 students (so very small schools do not fill the list). This ratio is the closest measure of class size in the federal data; actual class sizes can be larger.
| # | School | Students per teacher | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gateway Academy | 5.1 students per teacher | 6-12 | 5 mi |
| 2 | Desert Garden Montessori | 5.4 students per teacher | PreK-12 | 18 mi |
| 3 | Cheder Lubavitch Arizona | 5.4 students per teacher | 1-8 | 4 mi |
| 4 | Phoenix Hebrew Academy | 6.9 students per teacher | PreK-8 | 4 mi |
| 5 | New Way Academy | 7 students per teacher | 2-12 | 10 mi |
| 6 | Children's Center for Neurodevelopmental Studies | 7 students per teacher | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 7 | Great Hearts Christos | 7.3 students per teacher | K-5 | 23 mi |
| 8 | Our Lady of Sorrow Academy | 7.5 students per teacher | K-12 | 13 mi |
| 9 | Star Autism Academy | 7.7 students per teacher | K-9 | 5 mi |
| 10 | Valiant College Preparatory | 8.3 students per teacher | 6-12 | 9 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 51 ranked schools.
Largest schools
Kindergarten to grade 12 enrollment each school reported, largest first. Pre-K children are not counted in the federal figure.
| # | School | Students (K-12) | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brophy College Preparatory | 1,402 students | 6-12 | 5 mi |
| 2 | Northwest Christian School | 1,369 students | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 3 | Xavier College Preparatory | 1,123 students | 9-12 | 5 mi |
| 4 | Scottsdale Christian Academy | 907 students | PreK-12 | 7 mi |
| 5 | North Valley Christain Academy | 641 students | PreK-12 | 15 mi |
| 6 | Phoenix Christian Preparatory School | 606 students | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 7 | St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School | 507 students | PreK-8 | 8 mi |
| 8 | Christ Lutheran School | 500 students | PreK-8 | 8 mi |
| 9 | St. Thomas the Apostle School | 489 students | K-8 | 6 mi |
| 10 | St. Mary's Catholic High School | 487 students | 9-12 | 7 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 60 ranked schools.
Lowest published tuition
We have a verified tuition figure for 7 of the 70 schools near Phoenix, so a school missing here may cost less. Ranked by the cheapest grade band each school publishes; required fees can be extra.
| # | School | Published yearly tuition | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School | $7,500 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-8 | 8 mi |
| 2 | Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral School | $10,140 to $10,470 (lowest: K-5) | PreK-8 | 3 mi |
| 3 | St. John Bosco Catholic | $10,989 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-8 | 20 mi |
| 4 | Phoenix Christian Elementary | $11,198 to $15,170 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 5 | North Valley Christain Academy | $13,459 to $15,529 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-12 | 15 mi |
| 6 | Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep | $18,000 to $20,000 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-12 | 15 mi |
| 7 | Xavier College Preparatory | $25,389, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 5 mi |
Source: each school’s own website, checked by ChoiceFunded.
Questions parents ask
Which is the best private school in Phoenix?
There is no single best school, and we do not rank schools by opinion or reviews. The right school depends on your child, your faith, your budget and your commute. The lists on this page rank the 70 private schools within 6 miles of Phoenix on measures parents ask about, each with its source, so you can build a short list and then visit.
Which Phoenix private high schools send the most graduates to a 4-year college?
3 of the 30 high schools near Phoenix that reported a figure said 100% of their graduates went on to a 4-year college, among them Scottsdale Christian Academy, Holy Family Academy and Valiant College Preparatory (2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey). The list on this page shows them largest first.
Can a school pay to appear on these lists or move up?
No. Every list is sorted by the measure it names, and the source is printed under each list. Sponsored boxes elsewhere on the site are labelled and never change these lists.
Where do the figures come from?
Enrollment, students per teacher and college-going come from the 2023-24 Private School Universe survey by the National Center for Education Statistics, as each school reported them. Tuition figures were read on each school’s own website, and the school’s page links the source.