Moreland Notre Dame School
under 1 mi Grades K-8 273 students 20.8 students per teacher Roman Catholic Co-ed
Private schools in Watsonville, CA
3 schools in Watsonville itself and 6 more within 12 miles.
Watsonville private schools at a glance
Watsonville has 3 private schools of its own, and 6 more are within 12 miles. They are Moreland Notre Dame School, St. Francis High School Salesian College Prep and Mount Madonna School. In Watsonville itself: 2 Catholic and 1 nonsectarian; 2 teach elementary grades and 2 teach high school. Counting the 6 nearby, there are 9 in all: 2 Catholic, 2 other Christian and 5 nonsectarian; 6 teach elementary grades and 4 teach high school; 1 is Montessori. All of them are co-ed. 3 report membership in a school association, most often the National Catholic Educational Association (2023-24 federal survey). Of the 4 high schools that reported it, the typical one sends 88% of graduates on to a 4-year college (2023-24 federal survey). The typical school has about 150 students and 14 students per teacher (2023-24 federal survey).
2 Catholic
14 students per teacher, typical
Private schools in Watsonville (3)
Schools that give Watsonville as their address come first, then the 6 more within 12 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 Watsonville matches all of those.
Grades 9-12 212 students 14 students per teacher Roman Catholic Co-ed 74% to 4-year college
Mount Madonna School
8 mi Grades PreK-12 150 students 6 students per teacher Nonsectarian Co-ed 88% to 4-year college
Nearby, within 12 miles (6)
Schools in other towns within 12 miles of downtown Watsonville.
No nearby school matches all of those.
Monterey Bay Academy
4 mi Grades 9-12 154 students 14.7 students per teacher Seventh-Day Adventist Co-ed 70% to 4-year college
Grades Ungraded Under 10 K-12 students Nonsectarian Special education Co-ed
Orchard School
8 mi Grades K-6 55 students 7.9 students per teacher Nonsectarian Alternative Co-ed
Seacliff Academy
8 mi Grades 3-12 25 students Nonsectarian Co-ed 100% to 4-year college
Grades K-8 391 students 18.7 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Co-ed
Tara Redwood School
11 mi Grades PreK-5 70 students 10 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Private schools
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Private school tuition near Watsonville
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Twin Lakes Christian School | $11,250 to $11,600 | 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
- Private high schools in Watsonville (4)
- Private elementary schools in Watsonville (6)
- Private middle schools in Watsonville (5)
- Private schools with kindergarten in Watsonville (5)
- All schools in Santa Cruz County
- Private schools in Aptos (8 mi)
- Private schools in Santa Cruz (15 mi)
- Private schools in Scotts Valley (16 mi)
- Private schools in Morgan Hill (16 mi)
- Private schools in Salinas (18 mi)
- Private schools in Hollister (21 mi)
- Private schools in Monterey (23 mi)
- Private schools in Los Gatos (23 mi)
- Private schools in San Jose (26 mi)
- Private schools in Campbell (27 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 Watsonville) 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 Watsonville?
3 private schools give Watsonville as their address: Moreland Notre Dame School, St. Francis High School Salesian College Prep and Mount Madonna School. Counting nearby towns, we list 9: 3 in Watsonville and 6 within 12 miles of downtown. Together they enrolled about 1,331 students in the last federal survey (2023-24). The largest in Watsonville is Moreland Notre Dame School with 273 students. The largest within 12 miles is Twin Lakes Christian School with 391 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.