Best private high schools in Ohio

View a previous report on the best public high schools in Ohio in the video player above.

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a 1996 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 2024 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students.

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#30. St. Francis DeSales High School

- Location: Columbus, OH
- Enrollment: 876 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#29. Ursuline Academy

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 575 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#28. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 1,352 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#27. Saint Ursula Academy

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 637 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#26. Grand River Academy

- Location: Austinburg, OH
- Enrollment: 57 (2:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#25. St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy

- Location: Toledo, OH
- Enrollment: 741 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#24. Liberty Bible Academy

- Location: Mason, OH
- Enrollment: 317 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#23. Gilmour Academy

- Location: Gates Mills, OH
- Enrollment: 732 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#22. St. Edward High School

- Location: Lakewood, OH
- Enrollment: 867 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#21. Bishop Hartley High School

- Location: Columbus, OH
- Enrollment: 706 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#20. Archbishop Moeller High School

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 872 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A

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#19. SPIRE Academy

- Location: Geneva, OH
- Enrollment: 80 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#18. Saint Ignatius High School

- Location: Cleveland, OH
- Enrollment: 1,430 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#17. The Schilling School for Gifted Children

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 49 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#16. Andrews Osborne Academy

- Location: Willoughby, OH
- Enrollment: 350 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#15. St. Xavier High School

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 1,365 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#14. Lake Ridge Academy

- Location: North Ridgeville, OH
- Enrollment: 400 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#13. Columbus School for Girls

- Location: Columbus, OH
- Enrollment: 509 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#12. The Summit Country Day School

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 1,071 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#11. The Miami Valley School

- Location: Dayton, OH
- Enrollment: 490 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#10. Maumee Valley Country Day School

- Location: Toledo, OH
- Enrollment: 542 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#9. The Wellington School

- Location: Columbus, OH
- Enrollment: 712 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#8. Columbus Academy

- Location: Gahanna, OH
- Enrollment: 1,085 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#7. The Seven Hills School

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 1,040 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#6. Hathaway Brown School

- Location: Shaker Heights, OH
- Enrollment: 749 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#5. Cincinnati Country Day School

- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- Enrollment: 870 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#4. Laurel School

- Location: Shaker Heights, OH
- Enrollment: 570 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#3. Western Reserve Academy

- Location: Hudson, OH
- Enrollment: 431 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#2. Hawken School

- Location: Gates Mills, OH
- Enrollment: 1,082 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#1. University School

- Location: Hunting Valley, OH
- Enrollment: 859 (7:1 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.