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Private schools in North Carolina

Opportunity Scholarship pays $3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income. Any North Carolina K-12 student at a participating private school. There is no income cap, but lower incomes get more. Renewing students go first, then new applicants by income tier.

730 schools listed
112,369 students (2023-24)
591 on the official Opportunity Scholarship list

Start here

North Carolina private schools at a glance

Counties with a private school
87 of 100
Town pages
63
Most private schools
Charlotte (61), Raleigh (48) and Durham (36)
Typical school
125 students, 8.8 per teacher
Smallest and largest
Anchor Baptist Academy, 10 students; Forsyth Country Day School, 2,150 students
Co-ed or single-sex
9 all-girls and 12 all-boys
Association members
212, most often the Association of Christian Schools International
To a 4-year college
60% of graduates at the typical high school (255 reporting)
Programs
45 Montessori, 37 special education
Public charter schools
219, tuition-free and not counted here
Charter schools in North Carolina

Where these facts come from

What North Carolina pays

NC
North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship Scholarship
$3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household incomeFour income tiers. A family of four earning up to $61,050 gets the top amount. Students with disabilities can also use ESA+.

Figures read from each program’s official pages, October 2, 2026. Sources and how to apply

104,599 students were enrolled in 2025-26, Carolina Journal reported on February 2, 2026, citing the state’s program data page. That page is on ncseaa.edu, which blocks automated reading, so we have not read the count there ourselves.

How Opportunity Scholarship works, start to finish

What share of North Carolina private schools are on the list, next to other states

Charter schools, private schools and school choice in North Carolina, next to other states

By city

Each count: schools in the town or within 6 miles (12 for small towns).

Ranked lists, each on one stated measure: Top private schools in Charlotte, Top private schools in Raleigh

By kind of school

By county

The largest private schools in North Carolina

SchoolCityGradesStudentsPer teacherAffiliation
Forsyth Country Day School ✓LewisvillePreK-122,15024Nonsectarian
Cardinal Gibbons ✓Raleigh9-121,59013.3Roman Catholic
North Raleigh Christian Academy ✓RaleighPreK-121,56815.4Christian (nondenominational)
Charlotte Latin SchoolCharlotteK-121,5238.3Nonsectarian
Charlotte Catholic High School ✓Charlotte9-121,33014.2Roman Catholic
Charlotte Christian School ✓CharlotteK-121,23911.9Christian (nondenominational)
Ravenscroft SchoolRaleighPreK-121,2158Nonsectarian
Durham AcademyDurhamPreK-121,2137.9Nonsectarian
Durham Academy Middle School DivDurhamPreK-121,2114.6Nonsectarian
Metrolina Christian Academy ✓Indian TrailPreK-121,20013.4Baptist
Carmel Christian School ✓MatthewsK-121,14410Baptist
Gaston Christian School ✓GastoniaPreK-121,04013.1Nonsectarian
Wesleyan Christian Academy ✓High PointPreK-121,03112.9Methodist
Covenant Day School ✓MatthewsK-121,02912Presbyterian
Cannon SchoolConcordPreK-121,01710.7Nonsectarian

What private school costs in North Carolina

Kindergarten to grade 5
$11,930 middle, $4,100 to $34,650 (96 schools)
Grades 6 to 8
$11,775 middle, $4,100 to $37,795 (92 schools)
Grades 9 to 12
$11,780 middle, $4,100 to $37,795 (76 schools)

Prices read on each school’s own website; mostly larger schools so far, so a guide, not an average.

2026-27 prices only, read on each school’s own website, all private schools in North Carolina with a verified price for that band. Award from NCSEAA, Opportunity Scholarship award tiers 2026-27, read October 9, 2026. Four income tiers: the top figure is the lowest-income tier, the bottom figure the highest-income tier.

Private school tuition in North Carolina, school by school. Tuition in every state.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

Opportunity Scholarship pays between $3,574 and $7,942 depending on your household. We start with the lower figure. Change it if you know yours. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

Put the next Opportunity Scholarship window in your calendar

No new Opportunity Scholarship application dates are posted yet. How Opportunity Scholarship works.

Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines

Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.

Questions parents ask

How much does North Carolina pay toward private school?

$3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income. Four income tiers. A family of four earning up to $61,050 gets the top amount. Students with disabilities can also use ESA+.

Who can get it?

Any North Carolina K-12 student at a participating private school. There is no income cap, but lower incomes get more. Renewing students go first, then new applicants by income tier.

Is there still room?

104,599 students were enrolled in 2025-26, Carolina Journal reported on February 2, 2026, citing the state’s program data page. That page is on ncseaa.edu, which blocks automated reading, so we have not read the count there ourselves.

How do I know a school takes Opportunity Scholarship?

Schools marked here appear on the direct-payment school list the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority posts for 2026-27. That list gives a name, city and county, so we match on name and city, or on a name that appears only once in the state.

Pick your city How Opportunity Scholarship works