Private schools in Catawba County, NC
12 schools across Conover, Hickory, Newton, Vale. About 1,556 students in all (2023-24). 12 on the state’s Opportunity Scholarship list.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Family Academy ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| Concordia Christian Day School ✓ | PreK-8 | 203 |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy ✓ | 3-11 | 29 |
| Hickory Christian Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 529 |
| Hickory Day School ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| Johnston Wh Elementary School ✓ | K-8 | 22 |
| St. Stephen Lutheran School ✓ | PreK-8 | 183 |
| Tabernacle Christian School ✓ | PreK-12 | 389 |
| Tree of Life Christian Academy ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| University Christian High School ✓ | 9-12 | 151 |
| Montessori at Sandy Ford ✓ | PreK-8 | 50 |
| Earthsong Explorers ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
Catawba County private schools at a glance
- Towns
- 4; the most in Hickory (8) and Conover (2)
- Among North Carolina counties
- 15th most private schools of 87; 2% of the state’s 730
- Typical school
- 183 students (8 reporting)
- Smallest and largest
- Johnston Wh Elementary School, 22 students; Hickory Christian Academy, 529 students
- Students per teacher
- 11 typical, 4.4 to 14.2 across 8 schools
- Programs
- 1 Montessori, 1 special education
- Association members
- 2, most often the Association of Classical and Christian Schools
- To a 4-year college
- 95% of graduates at the typical high school (3 reporting)
- Verified tuition
- Christian Family Academy $7,050; Hickory Day School $12,500; University Christian High School $13,325
- State program
- Scholarship, $3,574 to $7,942 per student, by household income
How Opportunity Scholarship works
- Christian, not Catholic7
- Nonsectarian1
- Not in federal survey4
- Pre-K (and up)5
- Elementary (K to 5)7
- Middle (6 to 8)7
- High school (9 to 12)4
- K to 12, one school2
- Under 502
- 50 to 1491
- 150 to 2993
- 300 to 5992
- Catawba County100%
- All of North Carolina81%
Where these facts come from
- Grades, size, affiliation, co-ed, membership, college-going: NCES Private School Universe Survey 2023-24, downloaded September 20, 2026.
- Program list: North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship schools, list read October 26, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
- Award and rules: North Carolina Opportunity Scholarship, official page, read October 2, 2026.
- Tuition for 3 schools: each school’s own website, last read October 11, 2026.
Neighboring counties
- Alexander County (2)
- Caldwell County (1)
- Burke County (5)
- Lincoln County (6)
- Iredell County (10)
- Wilkes County (3)
- Cleveland County (4)
- Gaston County (10)
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