Vermont’s boarding schools split into three groups: progressive schools like The Putney School, traditional academies such as Vermont Academy and St. Johnsbury Academy, and the country’s largest concentration of dedicated ski academies. Boarding tuition runs $45,000–$68,000 per year in 2026.
Key facts about Vermont boarding schools
- Vermont has more dedicated ski and snowboard academies than any other US state.
- Burke Mountain Academy, founded 1970, was the first ski academy in the United States.
- The Putney School operates a working dairy farm that students are required to help run.
- Boarding tuition runs $45,000–$68,000 per year for 2025–26.
- St. Johnsbury Academy serves as the public high school for surrounding towns while enrolling boarders.
Which are the boarding schools in Vermont?
| School | Town | Type | Boarding tuition | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Putney School | Putney | Coed, 9–12 | ~$68,000 | Progressive; working farm; narrative evaluations |
| Vermont Academy | Saxtons River | Coed, 9–12, PG | ~$65,000 | Traditional prep; strong LD support |
| St. Johnsbury Academy | St. Johnsbury | Coed, 9–12 | ~$50,000 | Largest in the state; town academy model |
| Burke Mountain Academy | East Burke | Coed, 8–12, PG | ~$63,000 | First US ski academy; Olympic alumni |
| Stratton Mountain School | Stratton | Coed, 7–12, PG | ~$65,000 | Alpine, freestyle, snowboard, nordic |
| Green Mountain Valley School | Waitsfield | Coed, 7–12, PG | ~$63,000 | Alpine racing focus |
| Killington Mountain School | Killington | Coed, 7–12, PG | ~$60,000 | Freestyle and freeski |
The Putney School: progressive boarding
Putney is the clearest alternative to the competitive New England prep model. Students are required to work the school’s dairy farm — milking, barn shifts, harvest — alongside a full academic program, and the school issues narrative evaluations rather than letter grades, with no class rank or honor roll.
This suits a specific student: one who is intellectually serious but disengaged by conventional grading and status competition. It suits poorly a student who needs the structure and metrics of a traditional transcript. Weigh it against the standard model in pros and cons of boarding school.
Vermont’s ski academies
Four dedicated winter sports academies operate in Vermont — Burke Mountain, Stratton Mountain, Green Mountain Valley, and Killington Mountain — more than any other state. They restructure the academic calendar around the competition season, with classes compressed and travel built in.
Burke Mountain Academy, the first in the country, has sent numerous athletes to the US Ski Team and the Olympics. As with Maine’s Carrabassett Valley Academy, these are worth the cost only for athletes already competing seriously — see is boarding school worth it. All states: best boarding schools by state.
Vermont boarding school FAQ
What is the best boarding school in Vermont?
The Putney School in Putney is Vermont's most distinctive boarding school — a progressive, farm-based school where students work the school's working dairy farm alongside academics, with narrative evaluations instead of letter grades. St. Johnsbury Academy is the largest, and Vermont Academy the most traditional.
How much do Vermont boarding schools cost?
Vermont boarding schools charge $45,000–$68,000 per year in 2025–26. Putney and Vermont Academy run $63,000–$68,000, while St. Johnsbury Academy — which serves as the public high school for surrounding towns — charges boarders closer to $50,000.
Are there ski academies in Vermont?
Yes, several. Stratton Mountain School, Green Mountain Valley School, Killington Mountain School, and Burke Mountain Academy are dedicated winter sports academies combining academics with elite alpine, freestyle, or snowboard training. Burke Mountain Academy, founded 1970, was the first ski academy in the United States.
What is the Putney School known for?
The Putney School is known for progressive education on a working farm: students milk cows, work in the barn, and take part in required manual labor alongside academics. The school uses narrative evaluations rather than letter grades and has no honor roll or class rank.
Sources
- The Putney School, Vermont Academy, Burke Mountain Academy: published tuition and program data.
- AISNE: New England independent school directory.