Best private high schools in California

Stacker
A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
Daniel Hoz // Shutterstock

- Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
- Enrollment: 865 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#30. Chadwick School
A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
Achira22 // Shutterstock

- Location: Danville, CA
- Enrollment: 537 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#29. The Athenian School
A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

- Location: Irvine, CA
- Enrollment: 830 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#28. TVT Community Day School
A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
LightField Studios // Shutterstock

- Location: San Jose, CA
- Enrollment: 1,982 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#27. The Harker School
Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock

- Location: La Jolla, CA
- Enrollment: 1,157 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#26. La Jolla Country Day School
A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

- Location: Ross, CA
- Enrollment: 345 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#25. The Branson School
A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
panitanphoto // Shutterstock

- Location: San Diego, CA
- Enrollment: 1,312 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#24. Francis Parker School
A student raising their hand in class.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

- Location: Rowland Heights, CA
- Enrollment: 185 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#23. Elite Open School
An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
ImageFlow // Shutterstock

- Location: Anaheim, CA
- Enrollment: 514 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#22. Fairmont Preparatory Academy
A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

- Location: San Rafael, CA
- Enrollment: 440 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#21. Marin Academy
A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

- Location: Claremont, CA
- Enrollment: 404 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#20. The Webb Schools
A hallway lined with green lockers.
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock

- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Enrollment: 550 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#19. Westridge School
A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock

- Location: Chatsworth, CA
- Enrollment: 1,173 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#18. Sierra Canyon School
An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
maroke // Shutterstock

- Location: Carpinteria, CA
- Enrollment: 298 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#17. Cate School
A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
Studio KIWI // Shutterstock

- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Enrollment: 533 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#16. Marlborough School
A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

- Location: Atherton, CA
- Enrollment: 796 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#15. Menlo School
An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

- Location: Ojai, CA
- Enrollment: 251 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#14. The Thacher School
Students using microscopes in science class.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

- Location: Dublin, CA
- Enrollment: 975 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#13. The Quarry Lane School
High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
Joyseulay // Shutterstock

- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Enrollment: 872 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#12. Polytechnic School
Students raising their hands for class participation.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

- Location: Newport Coast, CA
- Enrollment: 550 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#11. Sage Hill School
A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
Canva

- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Enrollment: 625 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#10. Windward School
Two students sharing a book.
Canva

- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Enrollment: 550 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#9. Lick-Wilmerding High School
A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
Canva

- Location: Oakland, CA
- Enrollment: 900 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#8. Head-Royce School
A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
Roman Kosolapov // Shutterstock

- Location: La Jolla, CA
- Enrollment: 800 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#7. The Bishop's School
Students' backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
LBeddoe // Shutterstock

- Location: Oakland, CA
- Enrollment: 370 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#6. The College Preparatory School
Bookshelves at a high school's library.
Canva

- Location: Hillsborough, CA
- Enrollment: 565 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#5. Crystal Springs Uplands School
A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Enrollment: 424 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#4. Castilleja School
Two rows of red lockers.
Canva

- Location: La Canada Flintridge, CA
- Enrollment: 530 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#3. Flintridge Preparatory School
Empty desks in a high school classroom.
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock

- Location: Hillsborough, CA
- Enrollment: 853 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

#2. The Nueva School
A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
Canva

- Location: Studio City, CA
- Enrollment: 1,620 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. Harvard-Westlake School
LightField Studios // Shutterstock