Limai Montessori Academy
under 1 mi Grades PreK-1 18 students 9 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Private schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
6 schools in Rancho Santa Margarita itself and 17 more within 6 miles.
Rancho Santa Margarita private schools at a glance
Rancho Santa Margarita has 6 private schools of its own, and 17 more are within 6 miles. In Rancho Santa Margarita itself: 1 Catholic, 1 other Christian, 3 nonsectarian and 1 of other faiths; 6 teach elementary grades and 0 teach high school; 3 are Montessori. Counting the 17 nearby, there are 23 in all: 1 Catholic, 6 other Christian, 14 nonsectarian and 2 of other faiths; 21 teach elementary grades and 3 teach high school; 10 are Montessori. All of them are co-ed. 10 report membership in a school association, most often the American Montessori Society (2023-24 federal survey). Of the 3 high schools that reported it, the typical one sends 0% of graduates on to a 4-year college (2023-24 federal survey). The typical school has about 26 students and 9.1 students per teacher (2023-24 federal survey).
1 Catholic
9.1 students per teacher, typical
Private schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (6)
Schools that give Rancho Santa Margarita as their address come first, then the 17 more within 6 miles. Closest schools first in each group. No school can pay to change its place in this list or its badge.
Affiliation, co-ed or single-sex, association membership and the share of graduates going on to a 4-year college come from the 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey.
No school in Rancho Santa Margarita matches all of those.
Rancho Viejo Montessori School
under 1 mi Grades PreK-6 35 students 7.8 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
St. Johns Episcopal School
under 1 mi Grades PreK-8 401 students 9.1 students per teacher Episcopal Co-ed
RSM Christian School
under 1 mi Grades PreK-8 306 students 12.2 students per teacher Other religious Co-ed
Grades PreK-3 23 students 23 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-8 948 students 16.2 students per teacher Roman Catholic Co-ed
Nearby, within 6 miles (17)
Schools in other towns within 6 miles of downtown Rancho Santa Margarita.
No nearby school matches all of those.
Ocean View NPS
under 1 mi Grades 6-12 40 students 6.7 students per teacher Nonsectarian Special education Co-ed 0% to 4-year college
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Early childhood Co-ed
Grades PreK-Transitional K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades K-1 13 students 13 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades K-8 510 students 17.2 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Co-ed
Pillars Academy
4 mi Grades PreK-Transitional K Islamic Early childhood Co-ed
Grades 7-12 43 students Nonsectarian Alternative Co-ed 60% to 4-year college
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Early childhood Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-Transitional K Church of Christ Early childhood Co-ed
Pacific Preschool
5 mi Grades PreK-Transitional K Nonsectarian Early childhood Co-ed
Grades K-8 234 students 13 students per teacher Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) Co-ed
Grades PreK-12 271 students 5.2 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Co-ed 0% to 4-year college
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-1 26 students Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Mission Montessori
6 mi Grades PreK-Transitional K Christian (nondenominational) Montessori Co-ed
Private schools
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Private school tuition near Rancho Santa Margarita
We verified published tuition at one of these schools so far. Each figure comes from the school’s own website, and we link it on the school’s page. Ask the others for their full-year price.
| School | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| St. Junipero Serra Catholic School | $15,757 to $16,388 | 2026-27 |
Ranges run from the lowest to the highest grade band the school publishes. How private school tuition compares by state.
What private school costs across California: every verified price in the state, by city and grade.
Paying for private school in California
No state program pays private school tuition. What California families can use instead.
Keep looking
- Christian schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (6)
- Montessori schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (10)
- Private high schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (3)
- Private elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (21)
- Private middle schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (9)
- Private schools with kindergarten in Rancho Santa Margarita (16)
- Private schools with pre-K in Rancho Santa Margarita (13)
- All schools in Orange County
- Private schools in Mission Viejo (4 mi)
- Private schools in Lake Forest (5 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Hills (6 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Niguel (9 mi)
- Private schools in San Juan Capistrano (10 mi)
- Private schools in Irvine (10 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Beach (11 mi)
- Private schools in Dana Point (12 mi)
- Private schools in San Clemente (13 mi)
- Private schools in Tustin (14 mi)
- School choice in California: what is available
Get one email when applications open
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state (you are looking at Rancho Santa Margarita) and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.
One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.
Questions parents ask
How many private schools are there in Rancho Santa Margarita?
6 private schools give Rancho Santa Margarita as their address: Limai Montessori Academy, Rancho Viejo Montessori School, St. Johns Episcopal School, RSM Christian School, Montessori at the Park and St. Junipero Serra Catholic School. Counting nearby towns, we list 23: 6 in Rancho Santa Margarita and 17 within 6 miles of downtown. Together they enrolled about 3,040 students in the last federal survey (2023-24). The largest in Rancho Santa Margarita is St. Junipero Serra Catholic School with 948 students.
Does California pay for private school?
No state program pays private school tuition. No California program pays private school tuition, and the state has no tuition tax credit or deduction. Families rely on a school’s own financial aid and on privately funded scholarships.