About Private School Guide
Find the best educational option—from pre-school through 12th grade—for your child.
This list is part of our larger Private School Guide.
The Avalon School
11811 Claridge Rd., Wheaton, MD, 20902; 301-963-8022
Ages: K-12th grade.
Tuition: $10,915 (primary school), $16,355 (lower school), $18,050 (middle school), $21,250 (upper school).
Total number of students: 204.
Mission: “Established in 2003, The Avalon School seeks to cultivate in its students a sense of intellectual freedom and personal responsibility; to foster the gifts of faith and culture that are within each boy’s reach, and to help them fulfill the deep desire to live a noble life that resides in all men.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 8 to 1.
Uniform? No.
DeMatha Catholic High
4313 Madison St., Hyattsville, MD, 20781; 240-764-2200
Ages: 9th-12th grade.
Tuition: $23,850.
Total number of students: 807.
Mission statement: “DeMatha Catholic High School is a college preparatory institution dedicated to educating young men in the Trinitarian tradition.”
Also of note: DeMatha has a nationally known, very strong basketball program. According to the school, the varsity team has won 41 conference championships and six national titles.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 12 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Fork Union Military Academy
4744 James Madison Hwy., Fork Union, VA, 23055; 434-842-4243
Ages: 7th-12th grade.
Tuition: $39,950.
Total number of students: 312.
Mission statement: “Our mission is to educate, develop, and inspire young men in a college preparatory, Christian, military environment.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 7 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Georgetown Preparatory School
10900 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD, 20852; 301-493-5000
Ages: 9th-12th grades.
Tuition: $46,065 (day student), $75,740 (boarding).
Total number of students: 500.
Mission statement: “Georgetown Prep’s mission is to form men of competence, conscience, courage and compassion; men of faith and men for and with others.”
Also of note: Georgetown Preparatory has its own recording studio that provides students with a space to create music. The music program also includes a rock band and selective singing groups.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 9 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Gonzaga College High School
19 I St., NW, Washington, DC, 20001; 202-336-7100
Ages: 9th-12th grade.
Tuition: $33,530.
Total number of students: 960.
Mission statement: “A Catholic, Jesuit high school founded in the nation’s capital in 1821, Gonzaga prepares young men for college success and for lives marked by integrity, purpose, and an enduring commitment to service and justice. Gonzaga develops in our students a love of learning, strength of character, an awareness of their gifts and talents, and an understanding of how deeply and personally they are loved by God.”
Also of note: Every year, students have the opportunity to attend a religious retreat and complete meditative and reflective exercises. The Ignatian Leadership team of upperclassmen lead these retreats.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 13 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
The Heights School
10400 Seven Locks Rd., Potomac, MD, 20854; 301-365-4300
Ages: 3rd-12th grade.
Tuition: $28,625 (lower school), $34,750 (middle school), $38,400 (upper school).
Total number of students: 600.
Mission statement: “The Heights School is a private, independent, preparatory school for boys, grades three to twelve. Our mission is to assist parents in the intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual education of their sons, with dedicated teachers training boys rigorously in the liberal arts. This formation in virtue fosters respect for every person, a desire to serve God and others, and an optimistic attitude towards life’s challenges.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 8 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Landon School
6101 Wilson La., Bethesda, MD, 20817; 301-320-3200
Ages: 3rd-12th grade.
Tuition: $50,250 (3rd-5th grade), $55,750 (6th-12th).
Total number of students: 700.
Mission statement: “Landon School is committed to the ethical, intellectual, and personal development of boys. We challenge and inspire them to think deeply, individually, and broadly; to live with respect and honor; and to grow into healthy, well-rounded men of integrity and character who seek to make a positive difference in the world around them.”
Also of note: Landon Varsity Lacrosse won the Interstate Athletic Conference Championship in 2024 and 2025.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 6 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Mater Dei School
9600 Seven Locks Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20817; 301-365-2700
Ages: 1st-8th grade.
Tuition: $23,275 (1st-8th grade).
Total number of students: 229.
Mission: “Mater Dei School intends to provide an accelerated yet basic Catholic education in which character development is emphasized and appreciated as much as academic accomplishments.”
Also of note: Students in 6th through 8th grade participate in a five-day overnight trip called Outdoor Week. Activities include team building exercises and kayaking.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 13 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
St. Albans School
Mount St. Alban, Washington DC, 20016; 202-537-6435
Ages: 4th-12th grade.
Tuition: $58,476 (4th-12th grade, day student), $82,436 (9-12 grade, boarding).
Total number of students: 592.
Mission statement: “St. Albans School is an Episcopal school for boys that values character above all else, setting high expectations for its students as it challenges them to think deeply and critically, to work and play with discipline and passion, and to build relationships guided by empathy and kindness.”
Of note: The St. Albans varsity baseball team was the 2025 District of Columbia State Athletic Association champion. Additionally, the class of 2025 graduates included 18 students committed to playing a sport at a university. Student-to-teacher ratio: 9 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
St. Anselm’s Abbey School
4501 South Dakota Ave., NE, Washington, DC, 20017; 202-269-2350
Ages: 6th-12th grade.
Tuition: $37,000 (middle school), $38,000 (upper school).
Total number of students: 230.
Mission statement: “St. Anselm’s Abbey School is a Catholic, Benedictine community that nurtures the spiritual, personal, and intellectual development of young men with demonstrated academic achievement through rigorous study of the liberal arts and sciences, preparing them for the demands of college and a life of learning and service to others.”
Also of note: St. Anselm’s places students into four different houses. Throughout the year, students win points for their house through academic, athletic, community service, and extracurricular achievement. The house with the most points wins the House Cup at the end of the year.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 4 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Yeshiva of Greater Washington
1216 Arcola Ave., Silver Spring, MD, 20902; 301-649-7077
Ages: 7th-12th grade.
Tuition: n/a.
Total number of students: 152.
Mission statement: “Our mission at the Yeshiva of Greater Washington–Tiferes Gedaliah is to root each student in Torah, plant a passion for learning, and prepare them for life.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 9 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Military Academies and Boarding Schools
Blue Ridge School
273 Mayo Dr., St. George, VA, 22935; 434-985-2811
Ages: 9th-12th grade.
Tuition: $57,500 (five-day boarding), $68,850 (seven-day boarding).
Total number of students: 170.
Mission statement: “We specifically focus on helping boys reach their potential through personalized, structured, innovative learning practices in a college-preparatory, all-boarding community.”
Also of note: Blue Ridge’s 750-acre campus has trails and places for students to go camping, fishing, and mountain biking. Other campus facilities include rock climbing walls, a high ropes obstacle course, and a zipline. Student-to-teacher ratio: 5 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Fishburne Military School
225 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro, VA, 22980; 540-946-7700
Ages: 6th-12th grade.
Tuition: $17,500 (day student), $36,900 (boarding), $42,900 (international student).
Total number of students: n/a.
Mission statement: “To provide each cadet with a sound academic foundation, a healthy mental and physical environment, and leadership training for a better understanding of the obligations of honor, citizenship, and self-discipline.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 12 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Fork Union Military Academy
4744 James Madison Hwy., Fork Union, VA, 23055; 434-842-4243
Ages: 7th-12th grade.
Tuition: $39,950.
Total number of students: 312.
Mission statement: “Our mission is to educate, develop, and inspire young men in a college preparatory, Christian, military environment.”
Student-to-teacher ratio: 7 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Hargrave Military Academy
200 Military Dr., Chatham, VA, 24531; 434-432-2481
Ages: 7th-12th grade.
Tuition: $18,325 (day student), $46,700 (boarding), $56,700 (international student).
Total number of students: 184.
Mission statement: “Hargrave builds young men into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success.”
Also of note: Campus facilities include an obstacle course, a climbing tower, and a paintball course.
Student-to-teacher ratio: 6 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
Woodberry Forest School
898 Woodberry Forest Rd., Woodberry Forest, VA, 22989; 540-672-3900
Ages: 9th-12th grade.
Tuition: $69,850.
Total number of students: 392.
Mission: “The purpose of the school is to develop in its students, under Christian principles, a high sense of honor and moral integrity, a deep respect for sound scholarship, a full acceptance of responsibility, a love of excellence, and a will toward personal sacrifice in service to others. It is likewise its mission, based on these ideals, to develop its students into leaders, to train its students toward a useful contribution to the democratic society in which they live, and to give them thorough preparation for the best colleges and universities consistent with their individual potentials.”
Also of note: Students passionate in an area of study can develop a plan to execute a project in that given area. Students must apply for a grant from Woodberry Forest’s endowment program to fund these projects. Student-to-teacher ratio: 7 to 1.
Uniform? Yes.
