Top private schools near Chicago, IL: 4 ranked lists
There is no single best school. These lists rank schools near Chicago on measures parents ask about, from federal data and tuition we verified on each school’s own website.
We looked at the 216 private schools in Chicago 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 (46 ranked)
- Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher (152 ranked)
- Largest schools (185 ranked)
- Lowest published tuition (18 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 46 high schools that reported a figure are ranked; schools that did not report are left out, not ranked last. 13 reported 100%, so ties are listed by enrollment, largest first.
| # | School | Graduates to a 4-year college | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Univ of Chicago Lab School | 100% | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 2 | Latin School of Chicago Upper | 100% | 5-12 | 6 mi |
| 3 | British International School of Chicago South Loop | 100% | PreK-12 | 4 mi |
| 4 | Trinity High School | 100% | 9-12 | 8 mi |
| 5 | Bennett Day School | 100% | PreK-12 | 4 mi |
| 6 | Daystar Academy | 100% | PreK-12 | 3 mi |
| 7 | Chicago Waldorf School | 100% | PreK-12 | 10 mi |
| 8 | Providence St. Mel School | 100% | PreK-12 | 3 mi |
| 9 | Gems World Academy Chicago | 100% | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 10 | French American School of Chicago | 100% | K-12 | 6 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey (as each school reported it). Showing 10 of 46 ranked schools.
Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher
Students per full-time-equivalent teacher, lowest first, among the 152 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 | Gems World Academy Chicago | 3.3 students per teacher | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 2 | The Chicago Academy for the Arts | 3.5 students per teacher | 9-12 | 4 mi |
| 3 | Wolcott School | 3.6 students per teacher | 9-12 | 4 mi |
| 4 | Guidepost Montessori at Magnificent Mile | 3.8 students per teacher | K-6 | 5 mi |
| 5 | St. Bede the Venerable | 4.1 students per teacher | 2-8 | 7 mi |
| 6 | Intercultural Montessori Language School | 4.2 students per teacher | PreK-8 | 3 mi |
| 7 | Knapp School and Yeshiva | 4.4 students per teacher | 4-12 | 12 mi |
| 8 | Chicago City Day School | 4.5 students per teacher | K-8 | 8 mi |
| 9 | Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart | 4.5 students per teacher | 9-12 | 5 mi |
| 10 | Fusion Academy Lincoln Park | 4.7 students per teacher | 6-12 | 5 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 152 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 | Univ of Chicago Lab School | 1,946 students | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 2 | St. Ignatius College Prep | 1,492 students | 9-12 | 3 mi |
| 3 | Depaul College Prep | 1,245 students | 9-12 | 7 mi |
| 4 | Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School | 844 students | K-8 | 11 mi |
| 5 | Latin School of Chicago Upper | 806 students | 5-12 | 6 mi |
| 6 | Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School | 794 students | 9-12 | 9 mi |
| 7 | De la Salle Institute - Institute Campus | 765 students | 9-12 | 3 mi |
| 8 | Frances Xavier Warde School | 745 students | PreK-8 | 4 mi |
| 9 | Lycee Francais de Chicago | 687 students | PreK-12 | 9 mi |
| 10 | Br Rice High School | 658 students | 9-12 | 9 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 185 ranked schools.
Lowest published tuition
We have a verified tuition figure for 18 of the 216 schools near Chicago, 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. Nicholas Tolentine School | $5,300 (lowest: K-5), 2025-26 | PreK-8 | 4 mi |
| 2 | St. Christina School | $6,325 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-8 | 10 mi |
| 3 | St. Barnabas Elementary School | $9,189 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-8 | 9 mi |
| 4 | St. Rita of Cascia High School | $14,950, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 6 mi |
| 5 | Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School | $15,700, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 9 mi |
| 6 | Mount Carmel High School | $15,995, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 6 mi |
| 7 | Resurrection College Prep High School | $16,450, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 13 mi |
| 8 | St. Clement School | $17,219 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | PreK-8 | 7 mi |
| 9 | Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi | $18,200 (lowest: K-5), 2026-27 | K-8 | 11 mi |
| 10 | Depaul College Prep | $20,600, 2026-27 | 9-12 | 7 mi |
Source: each school’s own website, checked by ChoiceFunded. Showing 10 of 18 ranked schools.
Questions parents ask
Which is the best private school in Chicago?
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 216 private schools within 6 miles of Chicago on measures parents ask about, each with its source, so you can build a short list and then visit.
Which Chicago private high schools send the most graduates to a 4-year college?
13 of the 46 high schools near Chicago that reported a figure said 100% of their graduates went on to a 4-year college, among them Univ of Chicago Lab School, Latin School of Chicago Upper and British International School of Chicago South Loop (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.