Top 10 Private High Schools In PA Revealed In New Ranking

Mercersburg Academy in Franklin County is the best private high school in Pennsylvania, according to a new ranking from Niche.

For the 2026 Best Private High Schools in America ranking released Monday, Niche evaluated 30,000 private schools on measures such as test score, academic performance and input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

Located just west of Gettysburg and far enough south that it's in the Washington-Baltimore metro area, Mercersburg also ranked 66th nationwide.

Behind Mercersburg Academy, rounding out the top 10 private schools in Pennsylvania are:

2. The Hill School, Pottstown, 101st nationally
3. The Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, 124th nationally
4. Espiscopal Academy, Newtown Square, 143rd nationally
5. Moravian Academy, Bethlehem, 171st nationally
6. Germantown Friends School, Philadelphia, 181st nationally
7. Agnes Irwin School, Bryn Mawr, 270th nationally
8. Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, 279th nationally
9. Haverford School, Haverford, 285th nationally
10. Friends Select School, Philadelphia, 292nd nationally

Niche also evaluated the nation’s 93,000 public schools in the rankings. The top 50 schools in Pennsylvania are included here.

The greater Philly area took six of the top seven places, with Main Line area schools also dominating the public sphere.

Niche’s rankings combine comprehensive data with real experiences from students, parents, and educators, which gives families insight they need to choose schools where their children can excel academically, thrive socially, and establish a solid foundation for their future, Niche said