The best-known US boarding schools are Phillips Exeter Academy, Phillips Academy Andover, Groton School, St. Paul’s School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Deerfield Academy, Hotchkiss School, and Lawrenceville School — selective New England and Mid-Atlantic schools with acceptance rates of 10–25%, tuition of $65,000–$85,000, and billion-dollar-class endowments funding deep financial aid.
Key facts about top US boarding schools
- No official ranking exists — all boarding school rankings are editorial, built from self-reported data.
- The elite tier admits roughly 10–25% of applicants with SSAT medians in the 85th–95th percentile.
- Boarding tuition at the top tier runs $65,000–$85,000 for 2025–26.
- Exeter and Andover hold endowments above $1 billion and are free for families below published income thresholds.
- The Ten Schools Admission Organization (TSAO) groups ten historically elite schools that share admission events.
Which are the top US boarding schools?
The table lists ten consistently top-ranked schools with their key published figures. Verify current numbers on each school’s site — figures shift annually.
| School | Location | Boarding tuition | Acceptance rate (approx.) | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Exeter Academy | Exeter, NH | ~$67,000 | ~15% | Harkness method; $1B+ endowment |
| Phillips Academy Andover | Andover, MA | ~$69,000 | ~15% | Need-blind admission |
| Groton School | Groton, MA | ~$63,000 | ~10% | Small enrollment; lowest admit rate |
| St. Paul’s School | Concord, NH | ~$68,000 | ~15% | 100% boarding |
| Choate Rosemary Hall | Wallingford, CT | ~$67,000 | ~20% | Arts and STEM signature programs |
| Deerfield Academy | Deerfield, MA | ~$70,000 | ~20% | Community traditions |
| Hotchkiss School | Lakeville, CT | ~$69,000 | ~20% | Environmental campus programs |
| Lawrenceville School | Lawrenceville, NJ | ~$76,000 | ~20% | House system |
| Milton Academy | Milton, MA | ~$69,000 | ~25% | Boston proximity; day/boarding mix |
| Thacher School | Ojai, CA | ~$72,000 | ~20% | Horse program; top West Coast option |
How should you use boarding school rankings?
Use rankings only for discovery: build a starting list from them, then judge schools on current matriculation lists, retention rates, aid policies, and your child’s realistic admission odds. A school where your child sits above the admitted median usually delivers more — attention, leadership, aid — than a reach school where they’d sit at the bottom.
Narrow by geography with best boarding schools by state, calibrate odds with acceptance rates, and plan the applications with how to apply. Looking beyond the US? See the UK and international guides.
Best schools FAQ
What is the #1 boarding school in America?
Phillips Exeter Academy and Phillips Academy Andover trade the top spot across major rankings, with Exeter most often first on academic measures — a $1B+ endowment, the Harkness discussion method, and consistently top-tier college matriculation. No official ranking body exists; all lists are editorial.
How are boarding schools ranked?
Boarding school rankings are editorial products built from self-reported data: endowment, acceptance rate, SSAT medians, class size, and college matriculation. No government or accreditor ranks schools. Treat rankings as a discovery tool, then verify each school's current data directly and prioritize fit over rank.
Are the best boarding schools worth the price?
For admitted families the calculus is unusual: the richest schools have the strongest aid — Exeter and Andover are free below published income thresholds — so the "best" schools can cost less out of pocket than mid-tier ones. At full price, worth depends on the same fit factors as any school.
What SSAT score do the best boarding schools require?
The most selective boarding schools enroll students with SSAT medians in the 85th–95th percentile, though none publishes a cutoff. Scores below the 80th percentile make elite admission unlikely without an exceptional distinguishing factor such as recruited athletics.
Sources
- Phillips Exeter Academy, Phillips Academy Andover, Groton School: published tuition and admission statistics.
- Ten Schools Admission Organization: the elite-tier admission consortium.