Seattle’s best private schools – 2024 edition

Note from the Tomo Editorial Team:

Tomo will always say and write it like we see it. We advocate first for parents and home buyers, so some of our comments may be unusually transparent and pointed. This article was a team project from a number of Tomo staffers who have walked the halls of these schools, applied to them and have kids attending them or who are recent attendees. Our point of view has been shaped by decades of personal interactions with these schools and conversations with friends and coworkers who are current parents.

Summary

The Seattle Public School district has long been less than the city’s parents have hoped for, especially in elementary and middle schools. The turmoil of COVID certainly didn’t help. Nor has the dismantlement of programs for highly capable students. And recent discussion by the district about consolidating schools (a “Plan for Well-Resourced Schools”) has parents alarmed. This has all given rise to remarkable increases in interest and enrollment in private schools in the Seattle area, which even before COVID ranked third behind only San Francisco and Milwaukee. 

This trend holds across the state: Today the number of K-12 students in Washington in private school is up by more than 25% from before COVID — especially in elementary private schools where the growth is twice that of private high schools. 

Homebuyers in Seattle are now considering not only what public school district the house is in but also private schools that are located within an easy commute. Let’s take a look at Seattle’s most coveted private schools by area, with links to homes for sale near each.

This article focuses on independent schools, which are distinct from both public schools and from parochial schools. But we’ve broken our own rules and included a few familiar institutions that frequently attract folks who are primarily considering independent schools, like Villa Academy, Holy Names Academy, Seattle Prep, and Forest Ridge.

The tuition at all of these schools can be eye-popping, with some topping out in 12th grade at $48,000. The few parochial schools tend to ring in lower, often at around $20,000 a year. Bear in mind that all of these schools offer need-based financial aid, with between 20-30% of their students receiving some assistance and the average assistance often around 70% of tuition. And financial aid is available even for middle and upper middle class families, because the burden of $35,000 in tuition across 13 years is immense. All the same, socioeconomic diversity is something most of these schools struggle to achieve.

Top Private Schools in Seattle Region

School	Location	Elementary Grades	Middle School	High School Grades	2023-24 Tuition + Fees*
Bear Creek – *honor role	Redmond	PS-5	6-8	9-12	$31,090-$37,775
Billings Middle School *hr	Green Lake	N/A	6-8	N/A	$39,990
Bright Water Waldorf School	International District	PS-5	6-8	N/A	$26,400
Bertschi	North Capitol Hill	PK-5	N/A	N/A	$35,360
Bush	Madison Park	K-5	6-8	9-12	$34,800-$43,475
Downtown	Uptown	N/A	N/A	9-12	$21,000
Epiphany	Denny Blaine	K-5	N/A	N/A	$33,725
Evergreen	Shoreline	PS-5	6-8	N/A	$36,400-$40,800
Forest Ridge	Bellevue	5	6-8	9-12	$42,950
Holy Names – *hr	Capitol Hill	N/A	N/A	9-12	$23,018
Giddens	Beacon Hill	PS-5	N/A	N/A	$31,995
Lakeside – *hr	Haller Lake	5	6-8	9-12	$42,000-$48,104
Northwest	Capitol Hill	N/A	6-8	9-12	$44,075-$46,550
Open Window – *hr	Bellevue	K-5	6-8	9-12	$36,000-$40,360
Overlake – *hr	Redmond	5	6-8	9-12	$42,160-$47,660
SAAS	Capitol Hill	N/A	6-8	9-12	$46,392
SAGA	Broadview	PS-5	N/A	N/A	$14,002
SCDS – *hr	Queen Anne	K-5	6-8	N/A	$36,142-$46,891
Seattle Girls – *hr	Leschi	5	6-8	N/A	$35,477
Seattle Prep – *hr	North Capitol Hill	N/A	N/A	9-12	$29,020
Seattle Waldorf	Meadowbrook	PS-5	6-8	9-12	$28,400-$31,800
St. Joseph’s	Stevens	K-5	6-8	N/A	$19,014-$19,852
UCDS – *hr	U-District	PS-5	N/A	N/A	$37,635
UPrep – *hr	Wedgwood	N/A	6-8	9-12	$42,900-$46,950
Valley School	Madison Park	PK-5	N/A	N/A	$33,342
Villa	Laurelhurst	K-5	6-8	N/A	$31,710-$35,740

*hr – we are awarding honor roll to schools which fully disclose tuition and fees as many don’t publish the full fee number.

Seattle’s best private schools:

The Seattle private school scene has lots of great options, and we’ve recognized five standouts as most worthy of your consideration. 

Best Academics – Middle and High School:

Lakeside School: College level curriculum for kids who can swing it

Best Academics – Elementary and/or Middle School:

Evergreen: Going deeper and further for highly capable kids

Best Focus on Social Justice:

Giddens School: Walking the walk, not talking the talk

Best Girls School:

Seattle Girls School: Advanced and innovative education for girls in today’s world

Best Resourced:

SaaS: The endowment, the glitzy facilities, the special services

Capitol Hill is packed with great private schools

• Bertschi (PK-5) is a neighborhood school with a vibrant community, strong learning support, and a new Head of School. Its campus is absolutely charming and will appeal to those who love Seattle’s progressive urban environment; it evolved from a single family home to include a former church building and newer buildings with green roofs, rainwater catchment, and a chicken coop. Bertschi is also known for its science and robotics lab. See homes near Bertschi. 

• Holy Names (9-12) is a veritable institution, founded in 1880 (!) and currently nestled in a gorgeous building in a leafy part of Capitol Hill and surrounded by beautiful older homes. Holy Names is an all-girls school with a strong focus on developing future female leaders – what the world needs now! They also offer a large number of AP courses. Holy Names is well-known for its strong sports program and has won 18 state titles. See homes near Holy Names. 

• Northwest (6-12) is an artsy and progressive school with a strong commitment to social justice in the heart of Capitol Hill. Teachers here are flexible – students can get credit by demonstrating their knowledge in multiple ways. It is one of the more diverse schools in the area, in part because some of the class is international students who live on campus. The school is also famous for a rooftop garden and a dining hall that uses its produce and serves amazing food. This school has true PNW vibes! See homes near Northwest School.

• St. Joseph’s School (K-8). St Joe’s is an institution on Capitol Hill, perhaps more popular among families in the gridded Stevens neighborhood than even public school. Sought after by Catholic and non-Catholic families alike, the St. Joe’s community is exceptionally strong and the school is known for inculcating strong values. St. Joe’s parents (who are an unusually social bunch) appreciate the school’s strong extracurriculars, including a robust drama and sports program, speech team, and ski bus. See homes near St Joe’s. 

• Seattle Academy of Arts and Science (SAAS) (6-12) was founded in 1983 in a spurt of creativity and some of the original faculty are still involved. The school is in the heart of Capitol Hill and has been making massive investments in new buildings and programs. SAAS is known for superior learning support and impressive arts programs – especially dance. Noteworthy are the robotics, maker spaces and the rooftop soccer field. The vibe on campus is high energy and urban and the student body is known to be socially sophisticated (read: fast). The school is among Seattle’s most expensive.  See homes near SAAS.

• Seattle Prep (9-12) is a coeducational, Catholic, Jesuit school founded more than 130 years ago – that’s saying a lot in the relatively young city of Seattle! Seattle prep produced generations of Seattle’s business and political leaders – the power brokers of an earlier era. The school is located in North Capitol Hill, situated in a residential neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle. Seattle Prep has a reputation for a heavy workload and as a school has a focus on social justice inspired by the Jesuit tradition. They have more than 30 extracurriculars and their Mock Trial team recently took 4th place at Nationals! See homes near Seattle Prep. 

Madison Park’s private schools are as well-heeled as its homes

• Epiphany (PK-5) is a posh neighborhood school on a lovely campus in Madison Park. The co-ed student body wears uniforms and has a remarkably spirited recess. Many families walk their children to school from Madrona, Leschi, and Madison Park. The school is also well known for its exceptionally strong learning support program. The school is not affiliated with Epiphany Early Learning despite being on the same property. See homes around Epiphany. 

• Valley School (PK-5). The Valley School is a small school with just one class per grade, and perhaps for this reason it is a less well-known school, even a “hidden jewel.” The school has a relaxed atmosphere and minimal homework, an emphasis on learning through play, and a focus on kindness. It’s interesting, kid-centered campus is a landmark in the neighborhood, and it has a reputation for being protective of the childhood experience. See homes around Valley.

• Bush (K-12) is extremely difficult to gain admission to and has the distinction of being the only independent school in Seattle to run K through 12. It was originally a girls school but began admitting boys in 1970. The campus overlooks Lake Washington, has some beautiful private sports fields, and is known to be especially open minded on social issues. Many Bush parents walk their children to school from Madison Park, Leschi, and Madrona. It also has a heavy emphasis on experiential learning and the outdoors. Bush is investing heavily to upgrade its facilities and boasts some beautiful new buildings. See homes around Bush.

Queen Anne packs two academically rigorous programs

• Seattle Country Day School (SCDS) (K-8) is an academically intensive school in north Queen Anne that exclusively admits gifted students (with a standard of 97th percentile on an IQ test). The school offers an impressive roster of extracurriculars throughout the year and a focus on the winter sports during the annual six-week Winterim period. SCDS has a focus on immersive learning through travel, with trips to far-flung locations at multiple grade levels. Interest in schools like SCDS (and Evergreen up north and Open Window out east) is spiking as Seattle Public Schools effectively phases out its high-cap programs. See homes around SCDS.

• Spruce Street School (K-5). A tiny school with just 100 students, Spruce Street is located near Denny Triangle in a more urban setting than most Seattle private schools – for now! The school will be moving to its “forever home” at the border of First Hill and Capitol Hill in 2030. Families rave about the strength of the school community, where each family is expected to have a playdate with every kid in their class by the end of the year. Spruce Street is unusual among Seattle private schools in that it organizes kids into multi-age classrooms. See homes around the Spruce Street School.

• Downtown School (9-12) is a new school that is a division of the Lakeside School and is essentially a bare bones version thereof. Think the same main classes but far fewer electives and extracurriculars. Many describe the Downtown School as an especially good fit for students who aren’t looking for a traditional high school experience, including but not limited to neurodivergent kids. While it’s called the Downtown School, it is technically located in the Uptown neighborhood, formerly known as Lower Queen Anne. See homes around the Downtown School. See homes around the Downtown School. 

Lots of options in Seattle’s northern neighborhoods 

• Billings Middle School (6-8). Located near Green Lake, the Billings focus on middle school allows it to double down on helping students facing the challenges of adolescence, presenting middle school as a unique opportunity for discovery and learning rather than a nightmare to be survived. Billings has a focus on outdoor education, but lacks the international programs of some of its peers. Parents value its focus on creativity, but its academics get mixed reviews. Sports are no-cut with a focus on participation rather than performance. See homes around Billings.

• Lakeside (5-12), originally on the shores of Lake Washington but now closer to Seattle’s northern border with Shoreline, was founded in 1919 and became coeducational with its merger with St. Nicholas’s school on Capitol Hill in 1971. It is widely regarded as the best private high school in Washington, and among the best in the country, with remarkable academics, extracurriculars, and college placement results, as well as very challenging admissions standards.The school is known for a competitive student body who are striving to win (vs their peers) in academics. Lakeside is where Bill Gates and Paul Allen famously first collaborated, working in the computer lab to automate the school’s class scheduling system. See homes around Lakeside. 

• Evergreen (PS-8) is like SCDS a school for highly capable students that is just over the Seattle border in Shoreline. Evergreen emphasizes social-emotional and project-based learning and has one of the largest maker spaces in the region. The school places a heavy emphasis on educating global citizens, and its focus on global education culminates in a month-long trip to either Vietnam or Peru for its 8th graders. The school has strong extracurriculars and sports and is well-known for its chess program. See homes around Evergreen.

• Seattle Area German American School (SAGA) (PS-5). Where else in Seattle can your kids learn German at all, let alone through a full-on German immersion program? This tiny (100 student) K-5 school by Carkeek Park holds itself to both Washington and German educational standards, preparing students to move on to middle school either here or in Germany. Because of the school’s small size and focus on German language, there is a much narrower breadth of extracurricular activities. See homes around SAGA. 

• Seattle Waldorf School (PS-12). One of two major Waldorf schools in Seattle, Seattle Waldorf has three campuses to cover its wide range of grades. Waldorf education is not immensely popular here, but for those who dig it and are willing to trust in the approach, Seattle Waldorf is their top choice. The curriculum is heavily integrated, features lots of travel, and prioritizes time outside and away from technology. Parents report that the environment is supportive and that their children are “seen and known.” Sports and extracurricular activities are limited here. See homes around Waldorf. 

• University Cooperative Development School (UCDS) (PS-5) began life as the University of Washington Lab School and to this day maintains a reputation as a school for eggheads. Its campus is admirably built to the scale of children, and the school is currently working to purchase it outright and develop it further. The school is best known in Seattle for the strength of its early education. See homes around UCDS. 

• University Prep (6-12) is an academically rigorous private high school located in the Wedgwood neighborhood of Seattle. Its admissions standards and college placements are second only to Lakeside. UPrep, as it is commonly called, offers a unique feature called twice-yearly “Intensives” where students go deep in academic areas of their choice. UPrep has strong support for language challenges like dyslexia for middle schoolers and strong accommodations for high schoolers. See homes near University Prep. 

• Villa Academy (K-8). Villa is not a traditional parochial school; you could almost say it is “inspired by” the Catholic church, having been taken over by a secular Board of Trustees in 1977 and opened to students of all faiths. Originally founded as an orphanage and converted to a school in 1950, the Villa board owns most of its campus but is currently working to acquire an additional 21 acres that it uses for outdoor education and which the church is now looking to sell. Villa is a neighborhood school in that it is a popular choice for children living in nearby Laurelhurst. Villa has a robust summer camp offering that attracts students from other schools. See homes near Villa. 

A few great private schools in South Seattle

• Giddens (PS-5) is famous throughout Seattle for “walking the walk” on social justice and is located in the diverse community of Beacon Hill. They are famous for their social-emotional learning curriculum and produce some of the kindest humans in Seattle! Working parents will appreciate that at Giddens full access to before- and after-care is included in the cost of tuition. See homes near Giddens. 

• Seattle Girls School (5-8) was founded in 2000 by a group of parents concerned about the rate at which girls drop out of STEM subjects during adolescence.This is a close knit community known to leave no girl behind – very different from some of the cliquey larger co-ed schools.  Like UPrep, Seattle Girls has amazing hands-on science classes—for example, teams of girls build a clay model of the human body complete with a circulatory system, organs, etc., with each girl on the team becoming an expert in one area. The girls then do mock boards in which they are asked questions about their area by physicians. Girls looking to experience the school can check out their STEAM summer camp for rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. The school is located on a relatively new campus just south of I90 between Judkins and Colman Parks. See homes near Seattle Girls School. 

The Eastside is better known for public schools, but…

Let’s not overlook private schools on the Eastside of Seattle. Many families relocate to the east for their public schools but ultimately find their expectations unmet. A mother famously introduced herself at a Bertschi new parent orientation as living in “Mercer Island, where we moved for the great schools.” And some Seattle families are willing to drive to the east side for the right school. The best public school on the eastside are in Bellevue, which is rivaled only by Mercer Island and Bainbridge Island, but here are your private school options to consider too. 

• Bear Creek (PS-12) offers a Christian classical education in Redmond. Parents appreciate the schools’ focus on character development, support for their children as real individuals, close-knit community, and rigorous academics. The school is not known for its racial or socioeconomic diversity, and it is politically quite distinct from most of Seattle. See homes near Bear Creek. 

• Forest Ridge (5-12) is a well-known day and boarding all-girls school in Bellevue founded in 1907. Only a quarter of the student body is Catholic, likely drawn to the school by the student:faculty ratio of 6:1 and the 100% college acceptance rate. As a Sacred Heart school Forest Ridge allows students to do exchange programs for a week or two in a different city or even country with sister schools. Opportunities for improvement include athletics and clubs. Unlike other parochial schools, Forest Ridge tuition is in line with most independent schools in the area. See homes near Forest Ridge.

• Open Window (K-8) is a school for gifted children by Cougar Mountain in Bellevue founded in 1985. Open Windows generally teaches a year ahead of grade level, and goes further than that for some children in math. The school also emphasizes technology education more than most in the area. Parents report that the families at Open Window are competitive and that the pressure they put on their children is notable. See homes near Open Window.

• Overlake (5-12) is the Eastside’s answer to Lakeside, just on the other side of the lake. Its beautiful, modern campus is located in Redmond down the street from the bridle trails. In addition to rigorous academics including 17 AP classes and strong college placement results, Overlake also has nearly comprehensive extracurricular, arts, and music offerings. See homes near Overlake.

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