Top private schools near Boston, MA: 3 ranked lists
There is no single best school. These lists rank schools near Boston on measures parents ask about, from federal data.
We looked at the 51 private schools in Boston (at any distance from downtown) 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 (19 ranked)
- Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher (37 ranked)
- Largest schools (50 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 19 high schools that reported a figure are ranked; schools that did not report are left out, not ranked last. 9 reported 100%, so ties are listed by enrollment, largest first.
| # | School | Graduates to a 4-year college | Grades | From downtown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | British International School of Boston | 100% | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 2 | Maimonides School | 100% | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 3 | German International School Boston | 100% | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 4 | The Newman School | 100% | 7-12 | 3 mi |
| 5 | Boston University Academy | 100% | 9-12 | 5 mi |
| 6 | Commonwealth School | 100% | 9-12 | 3 mi |
| 7 | Berea SDA Academy | 100% | PreK-12 | 5 mi |
| 8 | Meridian Academy | 100% | 6-12 | 5 mi |
| 9 | The Woodward School | 100% | 6-12 | 6 mi |
| 10 | Boston College High School | 99% | 7-12 | 2 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey (as each school reported it). Showing 10 of 19 ranked schools.
Smallest classes: fewest students per teacher
Students per full-time-equivalent teacher, lowest first, among the 37 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 | From downtown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manville School | 2.5 students per teacher | 1-10 | 5 mi |
| 2 | Adams Montessori School | 3.2 students per teacher | PreK-6 | 6 mi |
| 3 | Learning Project Elementary School | 3.7 students per teacher | K-6 | 3 mi |
| 4 | Commonwealth School | 3.9 students per teacher | 9-12 | 3 mi |
| 5 | German International School Boston | 4.2 students per teacher | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 6 | Kingsley Montessori School | 4.6 students per teacher | PreK-6 | 3 mi |
| 7 | The Woodward School | 4.9 students per teacher | 6-12 | 6 mi |
| 8 | The Newman School | 5 students per teacher | 7-12 | 3 mi |
| 9 | Epiphany School | 5.6 students per teacher | 5-8 | 4 mi |
| 10 | Maimonides School | 5.9 students per teacher | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 37 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 | From downtown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston College High School | 1,439 students | 7-12 | 2 mi |
| 2 | British International School of Boston | 481 students | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 3 | The Winsor School | 475 students | 5-12 | 5 mi |
| 4 | St. John Paul Lower Mills | 340 students | PreK-8 | 5 mi |
| 5 | Cathedral High School | 326 students | 7-12 | 3 mi |
| 6 | Maimonides School | 318 students | PreK-12 | 6 mi |
| 7 | Fontbonne Academy | 317 students | 7-12 | 6 mi |
| 8 | St. John Paul II Academy, Neponset | 292 students | PreK-8 | 4 mi |
| 9 | St. John Paul II Catholic Academy | 277 students | PreK-8 | 5 mi |
| 10 | Immaculate Conception | 272 students | PreK-8 | 5 mi |
Source: 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey. Showing 10 of 50 ranked schools.
Questions parents ask
Which is the best private school in Boston?
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 51 private schools in Boston or within 6 miles of downtown on measures parents ask about, each with its source, so you can build a short list and then visit.
Which Boston private high schools send the most graduates to a 4-year college?
9 of the 19 high schools near Boston that reported a figure said 100% of their graduates went on to a 4-year college, among them British International School of Boston, Maimonides School and German International School Boston (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.