List of the oldest private schools in the United States information
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
The following are the oldest private schools in the United States that are still in operation. The list does not include schools that have closed or consolidated with another school to form a new institution. The list is ordered by date of creation, and currently includes schools founded before 1800.
Current School Name
Founding Year
City/Location
State
Student Body
Grades Served
Residential Type
Religious Affiliation
Notes
References
Collegiate School
1628
New York City
New York
Boys Only
K-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
Chartered in 1638
[1]
Roxbury Latin School
1645
West Roxbury
Massachusetts
Boys Only
7-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[2]
Hopkins School
1660
New Haven
Connecticut
Coeducational
7-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[3]
Friends Select School
1689
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[4]
William Penn Charter School
1689
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[5]
Abington Friends School
1697
Jenkintown
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[6]
Trinity School
1709
New York City
New York
Coeducational
K-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[7]
Ursuline Academy
1727
New Orleans
Louisiana
Girls Only
PK-12
Day
Catholic
[8]
Norfolk Academy
1728
Norfolk
Virginia
Coeducational
1-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[9]
Moravian Academy
1742
Bethlehem
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Moravian Church
[10]
St. Francis Academy
1743
Bally
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
K-8
Day
Catholic
[11]
West Nottingham Academy
1744
Colora
Maryland
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[12]
Linden Hall
1746
Lititz
Pennsylvania
Girls Only
6-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[13]
Wilmington Friends School
1748
Wilmington
Delaware
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[14]
Germantown Academy
1759
Fort Washington
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[15]
The Governor's Academy
1763
Byfield
Massachusetts
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[16]
Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School
1764
New York City
New York
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[17]
Rutgers Preparatory School
1766
Somerset
New Jersey
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[18]
Salem Academy
1772
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
Girls Only
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[19]
Newark Academy
1774
Livingston
New Jersey
Coeducational
6-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[20]
Phillips Academy Andover
1778
Andover
Massachusetts
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[21]
Plymouth Meeting Friends School
1780
Plymouth Meeting
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-6
Day
Quaker
[22]
Phillips Exeter Academy
1781
Exeter
New Hampshire
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[23]
Derby Academy
1784
Hingham
Massachusetts
Coeducational
PK-8
Day
Non-Sectarian
[24]
Friends School of Baltimore
1784
Baltimore
Maryland
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[25]
Harrisburg Academy
1784
Wormleysburg
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[26]
Moses Brown School
1784
Providence
Rhode Island
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[27]
Moorestown Friends School
1785
Moorestown
New Jersey
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Quaker
[28]
Episcopal Academy
1785
Newtown Square
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Episcopal Church
[29]
Haddonfield Friends School
1786
Haddonfield
New Jersey
Coeducational
PK-8
Day
Quaker
[30]
Friends Seminary
1786
New York City
New York
Coeducational
K-12
Day
Quaker
[31]
Westfield Friends School
1788
Cinnaminson
New Jersey
Coeducational
PK-8
Day
Quaker
[32]
Georgetown Preparatory School
1789
North Bethesda
Maryland
Boys Only
9-12
Boarding/Day
Catholic
[33]
Alexander Robertson School
1789
New York City
New York
Coeducational
PK-5
Day
Non-Sectarian
[34]
Berwick Academy
1791
South Berwick
Maine
Coeducational
PK-12
Day
Non-Sectarian
[35]
Fryeburg Academy
1792
Fryeburg
Maine
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[36]
Washington Academy
1792
East Machias
Maine
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[37]
Lawrence Academy
1793
Groton
Massachusetts
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[38]
Cheshire Academy
1794
Cheshire
Connecticut
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[39]
Buckingham Friends School
1794
Lahaska
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
K-8
Day
Quaker
[40]
Oakwood Friends School
1796
Poughkeepsie
New York
Coeducational
6-12
Day
Quaker
[41]
Deerfield Academy
1797
Deerfield
Massachusetts
Coeducational
9-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[42]
Milton Academy
1798
Milton
Massachusetts
Coeducational
K-12
Boarding/Day
Non-Sectarian
[43]
Westtown School
1799
West Chester
Pennsylvania
Coeducational
PK-12
Boarding/Day
Quaker
[44]
Georgetown Visitation
1799
Washington
District of Columbia
Girls Only
9-12
Day
Catholic
[45]
^"Collegiate School in NY - The Oldest Independent School in the US". Collegiateschool.org. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"RL Fact Sheet". Roxburylatin.org. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"Mission & History - Hopkins School". Hopkins.edu. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"Mission and History - Friends Select School". Friends-select.org. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"History - Penn Charter". Penncharter.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"History - Abington Friends School". Abingtonfriends.net. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
^"All About Trinity/History". Trinityschoolnyc.org. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
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