Best Private Schools in Pittsburgh – 2024
April 3, 2024
The city of Pittsburgh is lucky enough to a number of fantastic public school districts that contain top-notch high schools. However, if you are unable to access those particular institutions or feel that a private school would be more beneficial to your son or daughter, then you are also in luck. This is due to the fact that Pittsburgh also has a number of fantastic private high school options. Of course, your decision-making process will need to balance your teen’s academic, emotional, and social needs with financial and logistical considerations. College Transitions’ list of the Best Private Schools in Pittsburgh will focus primarily on our area of expertise—college admissions. As such, we will highlight the job that each of the schools does at sending their graduates on to the region/nation’s premier 4-year schools.
Best Private Schools in Pittsburgh
Here’s a quick preview of the schools that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.
1. Winchester Thurston School
2. Shady Side Academy
3. The Ellis School
4. Sewickley Academy
5. Central Catholic High School
6. Aquinas Academy
7. Oakland Catholic High School
8. Seton LaSalle Catholic High School
9. Bishop Canevin High School
10. Greensburg Central Catholic High School
Please note that inclusion on our Best Private Schools in Pittsburgh list is a selective and criteria-based process. However, the order in which the schools appear is not representative of any further ranking; the numbering is solely intended to enhance the ease of navigating this resource. All of the schools profiled below have a history of sending graduates to the top colleges in the country. For each of the best private high schools in Pittsburgh, College Transitions will provide you with the:
- Location
- Tuition (9-12)
- Enrollment (9-12)
- Average SAT Score
- Average ACT Score
- Senior Class Size
- College Admissions Highlights
- Academic Highlights
Winchester Thurston School – Pittsburgh
- 555 Morewood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213
College Admissions Highlights: From 2020-2023, students from Winchester Thurston have enrolled in these fine institutions: American, Babson, Brandeis, Brown, Cal Tech, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Cornell, DePaul, Emory, Georgetown, GaTech, Howard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Pomona, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UMass, UVA, Wake Forest, and WashingtonU.
Academic Highlights: Average class size is 15, with a 7:1 student-faculty ratio. 59 zip codes represented. 38% students of color. 65%+ faculty with advanced degrees. 14 AP Courses are on the menu with an opportunity for accelerated courses as self-study. 15 athletic opportunities. Winchester Thurston is known for an award-winning performing and visual arts program. Over 50 clubs and student unions.
Shady Side Academy – Pittsburgh
- 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
College Admissions Highlights: From 2021-2023, students have enrolled in these fine institutions: American, Bates, BC, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Duke, Emory, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Northwestern, Oberlin, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMichigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, UVA, Wake Forest, WashingtonU, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: Average class size is 13, with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio. 39% students of color. 16% are boarders for either 5 or 7 days a week. School-wide, students come from 13 states & 8 countries. 81% faculty with advanced degrees. Many advanced and Highest Level classes offered. 100% of students participate in visual and performing arts programs. 75 league titles won by 19 athletic teams since 1993.
The Ellis School – Pittsburgh
- 6425 FIFTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15206
College Admissions Highlights: From 2019-2023, students from The Ellis School have enrolled in these colleges & universities: American, Amherst, Bard, BU, Brandeis, Brown, Bryn Mawr, Case Western, Cornell, Davidson, Duke, Georgetown, Hampton, Kenyon, NYU, Northeastern, Purdue, Swarthmore, Tufts, UMiami, Penn, USC, UVA, Vassar, Washington & Jefferson, WashingtonU, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: The Ellis School is an all girls institution. 6:1 student-faculty ratio. 68 zip codes represented. 38% students of color. 66% faculty with advanced degrees. 13 AP Courses offered. 70% of middle & upper students play on the 10 sports offered. 20 student clubs & organizations. 6 fine arts spaces including a dark room, clay studio, digital media lab, and art studios.
Sewickley Academy – Pittsburgh
- 315 Academy Avenue, Sewickley, PA 15143
College Admissions Highlights: From 2021-2023, students from Sewickley have matriculated to these institutions: American, BC, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Dartmouth, Georgetown, GaTech, Hampton, Howard, NYU, Northewestern, Pomona, Princeton, Stanford, William & Mary, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMichigan, Notre Dame, USC, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: The average class size is 11. 25% students of color. 53 zip codes of enrolled students. 68% of faculty with advanced degrees. 83% of AP test takers scored a 3 or highter. 4 National Merit finalists & 9 commended scholars. 80%+ middle & senior school students participate on at least one of the 25+ athletic teams. Arts programs have courses in music, theatre, dance and visual arts.
Central Catholic High School – Pittsburgh
- 4720 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213
College Admissions Highlights: Students from Central Catholic have matriculated 3 or more students to theses institutions from 2019-2023: American, BC, BU, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Drexel, Duquesne, Georgetown, Howard, Kenyon, Ohio State, Purdue, Temple, US Navel Academy, UMichigan, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, Villanova, VaTech, Wake Forest, Washington & Jefferson, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: Central Catholic is an all boys high school. 12:1 student to faculty ratio. 73 of faculty hold advanced degrees. 13 AP level & 27 honor courses offered. 2 National Merit Scholarship commended students & 2 semifinalists for 2024. 75 elective classes offered. 19 Varsity sports with over 20 athletes signing to play in college in the last year. 34 clubs & activities.
Aquinas Academy – Pittsburgh
- 2308 West Hardies Road Gibsonia, Pennsylvania 15044
College Admissions Highlights: Students from Aquinas Academy have been offered admission to the following colleges & universities: BC, BU, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, William & Mary, Cornell, Davidson, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Pepperdine, Purdue, Stanford, UChicago, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, UVA, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: 9:1 student to teacher ratio with an average class size of 16. 9+ college level & AP courses. For 2023, the AP test pass rate was a 71%. 1 out of 3 alumni named an AP Scholar, AP with honors or AP with distinction. 81% of high school students played on an athletic team & 57% played two or more sports. 40+ Extracurricular options.
Oakland Catholic High School – Pittsburgh
- 144 North Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
College Admissions Highlights: From 2019-2023, students from Oakland have been accepted to these fine institutions: Bard, BC, Brandeis, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Duke, Embry-Riddle, GaTech, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Pepperdine, Princeton, Rice, Swarthmore, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UMass, UMichigan, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, Villanova, Wake Forest, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: Oakland Catholic is an all girls school. 19 AP & 7 honors courses. Joan of Arc Society of scholars is for high academic achievers & include summer seminars. Global competence initiative certification is an opportunity for students to interconnect with interdependent world. Arts include music, theatre and visual arts courses. 30+ clubs & activities. 18 sports.
Seton LaSalle Catholic High School – Pittsburgh
- 1000 McNeilly Rd Mt. Lebanon, PA 15226
College Admissions Highlights: The class of 2022 was accepted into over 130 colleges & universities including: Allegheny, Brown, Case Western, Clemson, Cornell, Duquesne, Loyola Chicago, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, RIT, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, UC San Diego, UMiami, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, UWashington, Villanova, VaTech, and West Point.
Academic Highlights: 15:1 student to teacher ratio. 19 AP & 40+ honors courses. 29 school districts represented. 21 National Merit scholars in recent years. 85% of students participate in two or more extracurricular activities. 40+ clubs & activities. 20 athletic teams with 18% of graduates play collegiate athletics. 30+ fine arts classes paired with 8 extra-curricular clubs & organizations.
Bishop Canevin High School – Pittsburgh
- 2700 Morange Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15205
College Admissions Highlights: Students from Bishop Canevin have gone on to attend these fine institutions: Alabama, BC, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Denison, Duquesne, FSU, George Washington, Georgetown, GaTech, Howard, John Hopkins, NYU, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Maryland, Washington & Jefferson, US Naval Academy & Villanova,
Academic Highlights: Average class size is 15 students. 20+ school districts represented. 25 faculty have advanced degrees. 35 honors & AP courses. 27+ online courses. over 90% students participate in extracurricular activities. 5500+ hours of student service. 23 athletic teams with 4 PIAA championships & 4 state hockey championships. Performing arts include music, band, theatre & visual arts.
Greensburg Central Catholic High School – Pittsburgh
- 911 Armory Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601
College Admissions Highlights: The class of 2021 from Greensburg Central went on to attend these colleges and universities: Amherst, Clarion, Chatham, Duquesne, Edinboro University, Gannon University, IndianaU of Penn, Penn State, Pepperdine, Saint Francis, Pitt, VaTech, Washington & Jefferson, WestVa, and Xavier.
Academic Highlights: 15-20 students is the average class size with a student to teacher ratio of 11:1. 8 honors & 8 AP courses. Arts classes include band, chorus, strings, world drumming, guitar, drawing, painting, ceramics, theatre and more. 22 interscholastic varsity athletic teams. Students complete 24 hours of service. Over 15 clubs, activities & honor societies.
Private Schools in Pittsburgh
We hope you found our blog on private schools in Pittsburgh to be helpful. All high school students and families may wish to explore further information regarding the college search and admissions process at our Dataverse, Blog, and List-Building Tool.
