Best private high schools in North Carolina

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 North Carolina 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. Carolina Day School

- Location: Asheville, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 600 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#24. Davidson Day School

- Location: Davidson, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 555 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#23. Calvary Day School

- Location: Winston-salem, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,043 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#22. Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School

- Location: Kernersville, NC
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 506 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#21. Charlotte Latin School

- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,546 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#20. Wayne Country Day School

- Location: Goldsboro, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 289 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#19. Cannon School

- Location: Concord, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,046 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#18. Carolina Friends School

- Location: Durham, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 511 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#17. Ravenscroft School

- Location: Raleigh, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,251 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#16. Cardinal Gibbons High School

- Location: Raleigh, NC
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,611 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#15. Salisbury Academy

- Location: Salisbury, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 239 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#14. Greensboro Day School

- Location: Greensboro, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,042 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#13. The Oakwood School

- Location: Greenville, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 447 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#12. Charlotte Country Day School

- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,738 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#11. Charlotte Christian School

- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,327 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#10. Forsyth Country Day School

- Location: Lewisville, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 939 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#9. Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill

- Location: Durham, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 637 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#8. Asheville School

- Location: Asheville, NC
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 258 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#7. British International School of Charlotte

- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 240 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#6. Saint Mary's School

- Location: Raleigh, NC
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 309 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#5. Salem Academy

- Location: Winston-salem, NC
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 72 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#4. Providence Day School

- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 2,059 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#3. Christ School

- Location: Asheville, NC
- Grades: 8-12
- Enrollment: 308 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#2. Cary Academy

- Location: Cary, NC
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 809 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#1. Durham Academy

- Location: Durham, NC
- Grades: PK, K-12
- Enrollment: 1,237 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+