List of the oldest private schools in the United States

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	1833	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]

See also

• List of oldest schools
• List of the oldest public high schools in the United States

References

1. "Collegiate School in NY - The Oldest Independent School in the US". Collegiateschool.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
2. "RL Fact Sheet". Roxburylatin.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
3. "Mission & History - Hopkins School". Hopkins.edu. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
4. "Mission and History - Friends Select School". Friends-select.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
5. "History - Penn Charter". Penncharter.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
6. "History - Abington Friends School". Abingtonfriends.net. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
7. "All About Trinity/History". Trinityschoolnyc.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
8. "Mission & Values - Ursuline Academy". Uanola.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
9. "The History of Norfolk Academy". Norfolkacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
10. "Moravian Academy - Our History". Moravianacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
11. "History - St. Francis Academy". Sfabally.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
12. "West Nottingham Academy - Then and Now". Wna.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
13. "History of Linden Hall - Linden Hall School For Girls". Lindenhall.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
14. "Wilmington Friends - Wilmington Friends I PS- 12 Quaker School in Wilmington, DE". Wilmingtonfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
15. "History & Traditions of Germantown Academy - Pennsylvania". Germantownacademy.net. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
16. "The Governor's Academy: History". Thegovernorsacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
17. "History - Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School". Cgps.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
18. "RPS History - Rutgers Prep School". Rutgersprep.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
19. "History - Salem Academy and College". Salemacademyandcollege.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
20. "Newark Academy - Quick Facts". Newarka.edu. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
21. "History - Phillips Academy". Phillips Academy. October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
22. "Our History - Plymouth Meeting Friends School". Pmfs1780.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
23. "About Us". Phillips Exeter Academy. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
24. "History - Derby Academy". Derbyacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
25. "Friends School - Our Mission". Friendsbalt.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
26. "Then and Now - Harrisburg Academy". Harrisburgacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
27. "About MB - Moses Brown School". Mosesbrown.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
28. "History - Moorestown Friends School". Mfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
29. "Our History - Episcopal Academy, The". Episcopalacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
30. "Haddonfield Friends School -- History". Haddonfieldfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
31. "Friends By The Numbers". Friendsseminary.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
32. "Then and Now – About Us – Westfield Friends School". Westfieldfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
33. "Fast Facts - Georgetown Preparatory School". Gprep.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
34. "ABOUT - Alexander Robertson School". Alexanderrobertson.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
35. "The History of Berwick Academy - Oldest Private School In Maine". Berwickacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
36. "Mission & History - Fryeburg Academy". Fryeburgacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
37. "About - Washington Academy". Washingtonacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
38. "Boarding School in Groton, Mass. - Boston Area Day School". Lawrence Academy. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
39. "AT A GLANCE - Cheshire Academy". Cheshireacademy.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
40. "About Buckingham Friends School - Private School - Buckingham Friends School". Bfs.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
41. "History". Oakwoodfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
42. "Fast Facts". Oakwoodfriends.org. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
43. "History - Milton Academy". Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
44. "Westtown School: Fast Facts". Westtown.edu. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
45. "Georgetown Visitation: History". visi.org. Retrieved November 14, 2021.