The 5 Best Private Schools in Houston

If you are a parent on the hunt for the best private education in Houston, Texas, you’re in the right place! The Houston’s private schools offer not only better educational experiences but also open doors to prestigious colleges and promising career paths.

Take the stress out of finding the perfect educational fit for your child by using this guide to explore Houston’s top private schools for 2024.

We’ve done the hard work for you by ranking the best private schools in Houston based on five crucial factors: educational excellence, college admissions rates, future job prospects, affordability and scholarship opportunities, and location within the city. Read on to discover which Houston private school could be the perfect match for your family and child.

School	Rating	Location
The Village School	10/10	Houston
The John Cooper School	9.8/10	The Woodlands
St. John’s School	9.5/10	Houston
St. Agnes Academy	9.1/10	Houston
British International School of Houston	9/10	Katy

Keep reading to learn more about our top picks

The Village School

Address: 13051 Whittington Drive, Houston, TX 77077
Grades: K-12
Enrollment: 1500+ students
Tuition: About $30,000

The Village School in Houston’s Energy Corridor is a diverse educational hub, representing over 90 countries, with a strong focus on math and science. With partnerships with MIT and The Juilliard School, the school excels in a hands-on STEAM curriculum. Their mission is to nurture inquisitive, critical thinkers who are ready to make a positive impact in an ever-changing world.

Founded in 1966, the school is part of the Nord Anglia Education network and offers a highly personalized learning experience. Students here are not just prepared academically, but are also encouraged to collaborate and give generously, shaping them as future leaders.

The John Cooper School

Address: 1 John Cooper Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381
Grades: Pre K-12
Enrollment: 1300+ students
Tuition: About $30,000

Located on 43 scenic acres in The Woodlands and founded in 1988, The John Cooper School offers a top-tier, PreK-12 college prep education. The school combines traditional and innovative teaching methods to turn students into critical thinkers and lifelong learners in a caring environment. Faculty at Cooper are dedicated to guiding students “from curiosity to wisdom,” setting them up to be responsible citizens and future leaders.

St. John’s School

Address: 2401 Claremont Ln, Houston, TX 77019
Grades: K-12
Enrollment: 1500+ students
Tuition: About $30,000

St. John’s School in Houston is a top-rated, K-12 private institution with a student-teacher ratio of just 6 to 1, ensuring personalized attention for your child. With a 100% college matriculation rate, the school is renowned for preparing students for higher education, boasting impressive average SAT and ACT scores.

Located in the family-friendly Greenway/Upper Kirby Area, the school offers a vibrant range of extracurricular activities and has received high grades for culture and safety. Tuition stands at $30,515 for the highest grade, but financial aid options are available, with an average aid package of $20,000. Whether your child is into STEM, arts, or athletics, St. John’s provides an all-rounded experience that nurtures both academic excellence and personal growth.

St. Agnes Academy

Address: 9000 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: About 1000
Tuition: About $25,000

St. Agnes Academy is a highly-rated all-girls Catholic high school in Houston, TX, boasting exceptional academics, a variety of clubs, and strong sports programs. With a student-teacher ratio of 10:1 and yearly tuition at $24,000, the school sends 99% of its graduates to four-year colleges.

Parents will appreciate that the school excels in academics and college prep, holding a 100% graduation rate and impressive SAT and ACT scores. However, it’s essential to know that the competitive environment may not be the best fit for students with certain learning differences. Despite this, many find the school’s robust extracurricular activities and strong sense of community to be invaluable assets in their child’s education.

British International School of Houston

Address: 2203 N Westgreen Blvd, Katy, TX 77449
Grades: Pre K-12
Enrollment: 1000+ students
Tuition: About $30,000

The British International School of Houston is a top-tier private school located in Katy, Texas, offering a rich curriculum from Pre-K3 to 12th Grade. The school boasts strong academics with a focus on STEAM, supported by collaborations with prestigious institutions like The Juilliard School and MIT. Graduates have a 100% graduation rate and typically perform well in SAT and ACT tests, often going on to top universities.

The school has received high marks for its diverse environment and quality of teachers. Tuition for the highest grade is $30,250 per year, with a student-teacher ratio of 6:1, ensuring personalized attention. Extracurricular activities are robust, although sports programs have room for improvement. Overall, the British International School of Houston provides an academically rigorous and culturally inclusive environment for students.

About Our Rankings

We ranked the top Houston area private schools on the following factors:

Educational Excellence – We’ve evaluated the academic programs, faculties, and amenities of Houston’s private elementary, middle, and high schools to identify the best in the city.
Student-Teacher Ratio – The intimate classroom setting is pivotal for fostering individualized instruction. We’ve looked into the student-teacher ratios at Houston’s private schools to measure the level of personalized attention each child receives.
Instructor Credentials – The standing of a private school is often a reflection of its teaching staff. We assessed the qualifications, expertise, and pedagogical approaches of teachers in Houston’s private institutions.
College Readiness – We looked at the percentages of students who proceed to higher education and the caliber of colleges they attend, to gauge how well these schools prepare students for the future.
Career Opportunities – In our evaluation, we considered the employability of graduates, including the job placement rates and the types of positions they typically acquire.
Affordability and Financial Aid – Given that private education is an investment, we examined tuition costs and the availability of scholarship options in Houston’s private schools.
Houston-Area Location – Proximity matters; all schools included in our ranking are conveniently located within the Houston metropolitan area.
Standardized Test Performance – While test scores are not the sole criteria for quality, they are a consistent measure of educational achievement. We took into account how Houston’s private schools perform on state-level assessments.

Houston, Private Schools