Private schools in Dorchester County, SC
9 schools across Charleston, North Charleston, St. George, Summerville and other towns. About 1,746 students in all (2023-24). 5 on the state’s ESTF list.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Cathedral Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 351 |
| Riverpointe Christian Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 41 |
| Legacy Academy of South Carolina ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| Activate Academy ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| Pinewood Preparatory School ✓ | PreK-12 | 672 |
| Dorchester Academy | PreK-12 | 324 |
| Bethany Child Development Center | PreK-K | 14 |
| Summerville Catholic School | PreK-8 | 222 |
| Trinity Classical Academy | K-8 | 122 |
Dorchester County private schools at a glance
- Towns
- 5; the most in Summerville (5)
- Among South Carolina counties
- 15th most private schools of 43; 2% of the state’s 368
- Typical school
- 324 students (6 reporting)
- Smallest and largest
- Riverpointe Christian Academy, 41 students; Pinewood Preparatory School, 672 students
- Students per teacher
- 12.3 typical, 5 to 13.3 across 7 schools
- Association members
- 2, most often the Association of Christian Schools International
- To a 4-year college
- 79% of graduates at the typical high school (3 reporting)
- Verified tuition
- Cathedral Academy $7,000; Pinewood Preparatory School $17,700
- State program
- Education savings account, $7,634 per student for 2026-27
How ESTF works - Public charter schools
- 1 in the county, tuition-free and not counted here
Charter schools in South Carolina
- Catholic1
- Christian, not Catholic5
- Nonsectarian1
- Not in federal survey2
- Pre-K (and up)6
- Elementary (K to 5)7
- Middle (6 to 8)6
- High school (9 to 12)4
- K to 12, one school4
- Under 501
- 50 to 1491
- 150 to 2991
- 300 to 5992
- 600 or more1
- Dorchester County56%
- All of South Carolina54%
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: South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund schools, list dated September 28, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
- Award and rules: South Carolina Education Scholarship Trust Fund, official page, read October 7, 2026.
- Tuition for 2 schools: each school’s own website, last read October 5, 2026.
- Public charter schools: NCES Common Core of Data, public school directory 2025-26 (preliminary), loaded October 8, 2026.
Cities in and around Dorchester County
Neighboring counties
- Berkeley County (10)
- Charleston County (42)
- Colleton County (3)
- Clarendon County (4)
- Bamberg County (1)
- Orangeburg County (10)
- Williamsburg County (5)
- Calhoun County (3)
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