Update: This article was last updated on 12th January 2026 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
Image Source: College Gazette
Research, recce, review, and whatnot! Parents must frequently indulge in such time-consuming efforts to choose a suitable school for their child. Whether you are a longtime resident or new to the area, you cannot avoid this process if you have children.
Recommended Reading: Private School vs. Public School in the USA
To assist you in your search and save you time and effort, we have compiled a list of the best private schools in Maryland.
| S.No. | Table Of Contents |
|---|---|
| 1. | Holton-Arms School |
| 2. | Georgetown Preparatory School |
| 3. | Key School |
| 4. | McDonogh School |
| 5. | Stone Ridge School Of The Sacred Heart |
| 6. | The Bryn Mawr School |
| 7. | Gilman School |
| 8. | Rochambeau The French International School |
| 9. | Landon School |
| 10. | St. Timothy's School |
Here are the top 6 private schools in Maryland.
1. Holton-Arms School
Website: https://www.holton-arms.edu
Location: 7303 River Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 301-365-5300
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $50375
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1390
- Average ACT: 32
- College Preparation: Yes.
Located in Bethesda, the Holton-Arms School is an all-girls school where over 80% of the teachers have received advanced degrees in their respective disciplines.
The average class size is 15. As many as 17 students from the school received national merit recognition during the last academic year.
Alumni: Celine Jimenez Crowson, a distinguished lawyer, Candace Green Banks, sports, Ylva Bostrom, swimmer.
Popular Majors
Psychology: 63
Business: 56
Biology: 50
Political Science and Government: 42
2. Georgetown Preparatory School
Website: https://www.gprep.org
Location: 10900 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD 20852Phone: 301-493-5000
- Student-teacher Ratio: 8:1
- Tuition Fee: $42190
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1360
- Average ACT: 32
- College Preparation: Yes.
A prestigious institution that has gained a reputation for excellence, Georgetown Preparatory School has helped its students get admission to highly regarded colleges, such as Boston College, the University of Chicago, Dartmouth, and Georgia Tech.
Approximately 85% of the teachers at this institution hold advanced college degrees. The average class size is 16. All of their students are accepted into 4-year colleges.
Alumni: Dylan Baker actor, Bill Bidwill owner of Arizona Cardinals, a football club, Chris Dodd lawyer and Democratic Party lobbyist.
Popular Majors
Business: 114
Economics: 48
Political Science and Government: 34
Finance: 33
3. Key School
Website: https://www.keyschool.org
Location: 534 Hillsmere Drive Annapolis, MD 21403
Phone: 410-263-9231
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $9000-$33000.
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1330
- Average ACT: 29
- College Preparation: Yes
The Key School, nestled in Annapolis, Maryland, boasts a track record of sending graduates to top-tier universities. Students from the class of 2022 were accepted into reputable colleges such as Johns Hopkins, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. Nearly 80% of the students participate in performing arts, while almost 85% participate in athletics.
With an average class size of 16 students, the school offers a personalized learning experience. Additionally, 80% of applicants receive merit scholarships.
Popular Majors
Business: 30
Psychology: 30
Biology: 27
4. McDonogh School
Website: https://www.mcdonogh.org
Location: 8600 McDonogh Road, Owings Mills, Maryland 21117
Phone: 410-363-0600
- Student-teacher Ratio: 7:1
- Tuition Fee: $36400.
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1320
- Average ACT: 21
- College Preparation: Yes
In 2019-2022, over five students from the school were accepted at prestigious universities such as Boston College, Case Western, Duke, and Columbia. With over 65% of its teachers holding advanced degrees, the school boasts a highly qualified faculty.
The McDonogh School, situated in Owings Mills, Maryland, has an average class size of 16. It fosters close relationships between students and teachers. While the school no longer offers AP courses, it provides advanced and honors alternatives.
Popular Majors
Business: 139
Biology: 64
Computer Science: 54
Pre-Medicine Studies: 54
5. Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
Website: https://www.stoneridgeschool.orgLocation: 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814.
Phone: 301-657-4322
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $41500
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1300
- Average ACT: 31
- College Preparation: Yes
Stone Ridge is an all-girls school. Located in Bethesda, MD, it has an impressive faculty. The average teacher working in the school has over 15 years of experience. Of the 56 faculty members working here, 54 have master’s degrees, and 14 have doctoral degrees. Over 30% of the students learning in the school are of color.
Alumni: Journalist Alex Gangitano
Popular Majors
Business 62
Biology 58
Psychology 52
Pre-Medicine Studies 51
6. The Bryn Mawr School
Website: https://www.brynmawrschool.org/#
Location: 109 W MELROSE AVE BALTIMORE, MD 21210
Phone: 410-323-8800
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $39,060
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1390
- Average ACT: 31
- College Preparation: Yes
The Bryn Mawr School, a private all-girls institution catering to K-12 grades, offers a coed preschool for children aged 2 months to 5 years.
Spread over a lovely 26-acre in Baltimore, Maryland, the school offers great educational opportunities to students by fostering intellectual curiosity and promoting the joys and challenges of learning. The school is profoundly devoted to academic excellence, ethical decision-making, and the dignity of all in order to prepare students for lifetime learning and leadership.
Alumni: Lee McGeorge Durrell
Popular Majors
Mathematics: 40
English: 31
Biology: 28
Psychology: 28
Computer Science: 22
7. Gilman School
Website: gilman.edu
Location: 5407 ROLAND AVE
BALTIMORE, MD 21210
Phone: (410) 323-3800
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $37,690
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1400
- Average ACT: 31
- College Preparation: Yes
Founded in 1897 as the nation’s first country day school, Gilman School is a PK-12 private independent day school for boys. Our mission is to unlock the greatness within each boy by educating the entire boy—mind, body, and spirit.
Our commitment to excellence in everything we do, our rich and rigorous program, our infinitely gifted and fascinating faculty and students, and our commitment to the character values represented by the Gilman Five—Honor, Integrity, Respect, Humility, and Excellence—are the pillars of a school committed to enabling boys of promise to become men of character.
Popular Majors
- Business: 101
- Finance: 52
- Biology: 49
- Economics: 46
- Computer science: 33
8. Rochambeau The French International School
Website: rochambeau.org
Location: 9650 ROCKVILLE PIKE
BETHESDA, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 530-8260
- Student-teacher Ratio: 9:1
- Tuition Fee: $26,196
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1350
- Average ACT: 30
- College Preparation: Yes
For more than 60 years, Rochambeau, the French International School, has been delivering a world-class education to internationally oriented families.
Whether you have a French speaking family or not, our vision is to provide your child with a special and truly life-changing multi-cultural experience.
At Rochambeau, children, starting at 2 years and continuing through high school, are offered the broad, world renowned French curriculum, along with an intensive American language and culture program on par with that of top American schools.
9. Landon School
Website: landon.net
Location: 6101 WILSON LN
BETHESDA, MD 20817
Phone: (301) 320-1067
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $52,360
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1370
- Average ACT: 32
- College Preparation: Yes
Landon is an all-boys day school for grades 3-12 on a 75-acre Bethesda, Maryland campus.
Landon is constructed specifically for boys. We want every student to contribute his energy, goodness, ideas, humor, creativity, curiosity and intensity to each class, performance, project, and practice. The men and women of Landon who will be his teachers, coaches, mentors, and friends will challenge him to do so. This commitment to him is why Landon is a national leader in boys’ college preparatory education. At each level, he will be pushed by master teachers, rigorous curricula, and lofty expectations—all to equip him for college and life success.
Popular Majors
- Business: 77
- Economics: 49
- Finance: 32
- Political Science and Government: 24
- Engineering: 20
10. St. Timothy’s School
Website: stt.org
Location: 8400 GREENSPRING AVE
STEVENSON, MD 21153
Phone: (410) 486-7401
- Student-teacher Ratio: 6:1
- Tuition Fee: $39,900
- Average graduation rate: 100%
- Average SAT: 1390
- Average ACT: 29
- College Preparation: Yes
St. Timothy’s School students are young women of inquiring minds, independent thought, broad perspectives, and firm-but-sensitive voices.
They’re at ease with challenge, learning in the world-respected International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Students are familiar and guided here by motivating teachers who know their unique abilities and learning styles.
Courses convene around seminar tables, in state-of-the-art science and innovation laboratories, and in the new Five Arts and Student Center. Just 1 hour outside Washington, DC and within reach of NYC, learning also takes place outside the classroom—at cultural institutions, policy centers, and historic sites.
Popular Majors
- Psychology: 40
- Business: 32
- Pre-Medicine Studies: 27
- Biology: 22
- Economics: 19
Afterthoughts
We have compiled a list of the top six schools in town, which you can use as a reference, along with your research and reviews. By analyzing the information, you can decide which school is the best fit for your child.
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Which factors should I prioritize the most when choosing a school for my child?
When choosing a school, it’s important to consider things like the quality of the curriculum, the culture and beliefs of the school, how many students are in the class, the teachers’ credentials, what kind of activities the school offers, and where the school is located relative to your home or your kid’s needs. All of these things can have a big impact on your kid’s growth and learning.
Academic rigor, extracurriculars, or well-being: Which is most important in education?
When it comes to a holistic education, it’s important to make sure that students are getting the most out of their time away from school. Not only do they need to focus on academics, but also on activities that help them develop social and emotional skills. Putting students’ well-being first helps them learn how to be resilient and develop emotional intelligence. Diversity and inclusion are key to making sure that students have the opportunity to learn and grow, and to prepare them for a more globalized world.
If you’re thinking about applying to Georgetown Preparatory School, you might be wondering if it’s a good fit for your family or student. But it’s known to be expensive, have a lot of pressure on academics, be homogenous, have strict disciplinary measures, and not give as much individual attention as other schools due to the size of the class.
I am planning to enroll my daughter in private school. How much will it cost in Maryland?
Kenyon College in Ohio took the top spot as the priciest institution for the 2023-2024 academic year, disclosing tuition and fees amounting to $69,330. Following closely, Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania claimed the second position, revealing tuition and fees totaling $68,380.
Which states have the best private schools?
In that year, the leading states for private elementary and secondary schools were Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New York, comprising the top five.
Which school stands out as the most opulent in the world?
The University of Oxford tops the ranking for the seventh consecutive year. Harvard University remains in second place, but the University of Cambridge jumped from joint fifth last year to joint third.