As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, education is key: 1.4 million students enrolled in private high schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. There were about 3,600 private secondary schools nationwide as of 2020.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these private high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to send their kids to better schools. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Ohio using 2027 rankings from Niche. Online schools were not included. Niche uses 10 weighted factors for its rankings, including: college enrollment, culture and diversity, parent/student surveys, top enrolled colleges, and student-teacher ratio. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
#25. St. Charles Preparatory School
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 679 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#24. St. Edward High School
- Location: Lakewood, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 867 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#23. Saint Ignatius High School
- Location: Cleveland, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,353 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#22. Beaumont School
- Location: Cleveland Heights, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 310 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#21. Hershey Montessori Middle & Upper School
- Location: Huntsburg, OH
- Grades: 7-12
- Enrollment: 82 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#20. Lake Ridge Academy
- Location: North Ridgeville, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 409 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A
#19. The Miami Valley School
- Location: Dayton, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 516 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#18. Ursuline Academy
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 478 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#17. Hawken School
- Location: Gates Mills, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,333 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#16. St. Xavier High School
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,450 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#15. Gilmour Academy
- Location: Gates Mills, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 856 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#14. Andrews Osborne Academy
- Location: Willoughby, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 350 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#13. Columbus School for Girls
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 549 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#12. Grand River Academy
- Location: Austinburg, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 98 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#11. Maumee Valley Country Day School
- Location: Toledo, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 443 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#10. The Summit Country Day School
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,076 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#9. The Wellington School
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 752 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#8. Cincinnati Country Day School
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 860 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#7. Olney Friends School
- Location: Barnesville, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 37 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#6. The Seven Hills School
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,003 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#5. Columbus Academy
- Location: Gahanna, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,164 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#4. Hathaway Brown School
- Location: Shaker Heights, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 705 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#3. University School
- Location: Hunting Valley, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 877 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#2. Laurel School
- Location: Shaker Heights, OH
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 610 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
#1. Western Reserve Academy
- Location: Hudson, OH
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 443 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+