ChoiceFunded What your state pays

Private schools in Pennsylvania

Each scholarship organization sets its award; Opportunity Scholarships go up to $8,500, or $15,000 for a student with a disability. Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through 12th grade whose household income is no more than $122,322 plus $21,531 for the student and each other dependent. That is the state’s current limit; through at least July 2026 the state showed $116,055 plus $20,428, so ask your scholarship organization which limit it applies. Higher limits apply to students with disabilities. For an Opportunity Scholarship the student must also live in the attendance boundary of a low-achieving public school, one in the bottom 15 percent.

1,419 schools listed
166,548 students (2023-24)
363 on the official OSTC list
PA
Pennsylvania EITC and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credits Tax-credit scholarship
Set by each scholarship organization. Opportunity Scholarships go up to $8,500, or $15,000 for a student with a disability EITC has no statewide maximum, and no scholarship may exceed tuition and fees. Students at schools in the economically disadvantaged schools supplement can get up to $2,000 more ($4,000 in secondary school). The state’s September 2026 OSTC guidelines restate the $8,500 and $15,000 maximums. EdChoice reports average awards of $2,613 (EITC) and $2,699 (OSTC) in 2022-23.

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

Business credits are capped each year at $590 million for EITC (at least $375 million of it for scholarship organizations and up to $30.5 million for pre-K) and $90 million for OSTC. The state publishes no participation count. EdChoice counted 66,838 EITC and 18,773 OSTC students in 2022-23.

Worth knowing: This is two programs paid for by business donations that earn state tax credits: the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC). Each scholarship organization sets its own rules and amounts, so an eligible family is not guaranteed an award. A House bill (HB 2632) that would replace both with a new Education Options Tax Credit passed the House on June 22, 2026 and is in the Senate Education Committee. Pennsylvania is not on the IRS list for the new federal scholarship tax credit; Gov. Shapiro had not decided as of October 1, 2026.

How EITC / OSTC works, start to finish

By city

The number is how many private schools sit within 6 miles of each town (12 miles for smaller towns), so nearby towns can overlap.

Ranked lists, each on one stated measure: Top private schools in Philadelphia, Top private schools in Pittsburgh

By kind of school

By county

The largest private schools in Pennsylvania

SchoolCityGradesStudentsPer teacherAffiliation
Milton Hershey SchoolHersheyPreK-121,9518.1Nonsectarian
The Episcopal AcademyNewtown SquarePreK-121,2527.9Episcopal
La Salle College High School ✓Wyndmoor9-121,15811.3Roman Catholic, all-boys
Shady Side AcademyPittsburghPreK-121,11820.5Nonsectarian
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy ✓PhiladelphiaPreK-121,0587.5Nonsectarian
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy-UpperPhiladelphiaPreK-121,0587.5Nonsectarian
St. Joseph's Preparatory SchoolPhiladelphia9-1293813.4Roman Catholic, all-boys
Bishop Shanahan High School ✓Downingtown9-1287618.8Roman Catholic
Archbishop Ryan High School ✓Philadelphia9-1287018.9Roman Catholic
Moravian AcademyBethlehemPreK-128365.8Brethren
Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prenderbast HS. ✓Drexel Hill9-1280418.8Roman Catholic
Friends Central SchoolWynnewoodPreK-127918.5Friends
Delaware County Christian School ✓Newtown SquarePreK-1278110.2Christian (nondenominational)
Father Judge High School ✓Philadelphia9-1277419.9Roman Catholic, all-boys
Bishop McDevitt High School ✓Harrisburg9-1275213.2Roman Catholic

What private school costs in Pennsylvania

We have read published tuition on 61 Pennsylvania school websites. The middle price is $16,465 for kindergarten to grade 5 (30 schools), $22,150 for grades 6 to 8 (32 schools), $19,880 for grades 9 to 12 (53 schools). Published prices run from $6,476 to $54,980 a year.

These are the schools we have verified so far, mostly larger ones, so treat the figures as a guide rather than an average. Each school's page links its source. Private school tuition in Pennsylvania, school by school. Tuition in every state.

Run your own numbers

What would you pay?

We could not confirm this year’s EITC / OSTC amount, so type in the figure from your award letter. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.

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 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 much does Pennsylvania pay toward private school?

Set by each scholarship organization. Opportunity Scholarships go up to $8,500, or $15,000 for a student with a disability. EITC has no statewide maximum, and no scholarship may exceed tuition and fees. Students at schools in the economically disadvantaged schools supplement can get up to $2,000 more ($4,000 in secondary school). The state’s September 2026 OSTC guidelines restate the $8,500 and $15,000 maximums. EdChoice reports average awards of $2,613 (EITC) and $2,699 (OSTC) in 2022-23.

Who can get it?

Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through 12th grade whose household income is no more than $122,322 plus $21,531 for the student and each other dependent. That is the state’s current limit; through at least July 2026 the state showed $116,055 plus $20,428, so ask your scholarship organization which limit it applies. Higher limits apply to students with disabilities. For an Opportunity Scholarship the student must also live in the attendance boundary of a low-achieving public school, one in the bottom 15 percent.

Is there still room?

Business credits are capped each year at $590 million for EITC (at least $375 million of it for scholarship organizations and up to $30.5 million for pre-K) and $90 million for OSTC. The state publishes no participation count. EdChoice counted 66,838 EITC and 18,773 OSTC students in 2022-23.

How do I know a school takes EITC / OSTC?

Schools marked “OSTC school” here appear on the Department of Education’s list of schools that accept Opportunity Scholarship (OSTC) students in 2026-27: 398 private schools, reported by the schools themselves (the Department does not audit it). Pennsylvania keeps no list for EITC scholarships, so a school without the mark may still take EITC students. Ask the school which scholarship organizations it works with.

Pick your city How EITC / OSTC works