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Best Pennsylvania Boarding Schools (2026-27)

For the 2026-27 school year, there are 12 college-prep and junior boarding schools serving 5,872 students located throughout Pennsylvania.

You can also browse our full boarding school directory or specify additional search criteria.

Westtown School Photo - Independent Research

The Phelps School Photo - At Phelps, students are at the heart of all we do. We educate boys in grades 6-12 from potential to purpose.

The Hill School Photo - All students are required to attend sit-down family-style meals together in the Dining Room for lunch, and boarding students attend seated dinners several nights a week. Faculty members and their families join the students in a relaxed, yet formal atmosphere, where they enjoy interaction with one another outside of the classroom.

Solebury School Photo - Solebury School's Math and Science (STEM) program offers students opportunities to pursue AP and Honors classes, as well as Engineering courses that will prepare them for college.

Shady Side Academy Photo - Rowe Hall is the Senior School's main academic building residing at the heart of its 130 acre campus which feels like a small college. The campus also includes 2 dormitories, dedicated buildings for the visual and performing arts, an extensive athletic complex and ice rink, and in 2018 the McIlroy Center for Science and Innovation.

The Kiski School Photo - Kiski's outdoor classroom and project-based learning culture gives boys the opportunity to get out of traditional four-walled classrooms and experience the beautiful scenery that Western Pennsylvania autumn offers! With our dedicated STEAM and Makerspace areas, our students get to roll up their sleeves and enjoy hands-on learning!

Historical Statistics Overview

This State (PA)

# Schools

12 Schools

271 Schools

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Trends in Total Number of Boarding Schools
Year	(PA) Total Schools
2025	12
2024	11
2023	11
2022	11
2021	10
2020	9
2019	9
2018	9
2017	9
2016	9
2015	9

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# Students

5,774 Students

107,111 Students

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Trends in Total Number of Boarding School Students
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Total	National Total
2025	5,774	107,111
2024	5,724	101,427
2023	5,736	97,896
2022	5,712	96,187
2021	5,537	91,931
2020	3,332	86,584
2019	3,384	86,463
2018	3,365	84,502
2017	3,415	82,705
2016	3,464	78,072
2015	3,439	76,278

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Academics and Faculty

This State (PA)

Average Student-Teacher Ratio

7:1

8:1

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Trends in Average Student-Teacher Ratio
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	6.83	7.54
2024	6.73	7.4
2023	6.91	7.27
2022	6.91	7.23
2021	6.8	7.14
2020	6.56	7.1
2019	6.67	7.3
2018	6.44	7.24
2017	6.44	7.28
2016	6.56	7.24
2015	6.56	7.4

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% Faculty with Advanced Degree

69%

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Trends in Average % Faculty with Advanced Degrees
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	69.45%	68.81%
2024	68%	68.45%
2023	69.9%	68.67%
2022	71.7%	68.31%
2021	70.89%	67.44%
2020	70.63%	66.48%
2019	67.78%	65.36%
2018	67.89%	65.95%
2017	68.11%	65.9%
2016	69.22%	65.26%
2015	66.89%	64.79%

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Academic Programs

This State (PA)

Avg. AP Courses

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Trends in Average Number of AP Courses Offered
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	19.11	21.74
2024	21.2	21.91
2023	22.1	21.82
2022	22.2	21.59
2021	22.22	21.84
2020	25.44	21.69
2019	25.56	21.2
2018	25.33	20.95
2017	24.33	20.75
2016	24.11	20.14
2015	24.33	20.15

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Avg. IB Courses

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Trends in Average Number of IB Courses Offered
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	43	28.38
2024	43	32.52
2023	43	32.26
2022	43	31.86
2021	43	33.35
2020	43	31.32
2019	43	32.14
2018	43	33.3
2017	43	29.79
2016	43	30.11
2015	43	27.5

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Avg. Class Size

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Trends in Average Class Size
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	11.82	12.77
2024	11.9	12.77
2023	12	12.73
2022	12.1	12.61
2021	11.89	12.54
2020	12	12.41
2019	12.22	12.58
2018	12.33	12.69
2017	12.33	12.59
2016	12.22	12.56
2015	11.75	12.61

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Academic Performance

This State (PA)

Avg. SAT Score

1336

1270

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Trends in Average SAT Score
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	1336	1270
2024	1330	1274
2023	1330	1277
2022	1328	1276
2021	1326	1277
2020	1320	1273
2019	1320	1271
2018	1322	1272

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Avg. ACT Score

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Trends in Average ACT Score
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	29	27.07
2024	28.75	26.89
2023	28.75	26.97
2022	28.75	26.73
2021	28.25	26.63
2020	28.25	26.71
2019	28.25	26.51
2018	28	26.42
2017	26.4	26.11
2016	25.75	25.94
2015	25.33	25.68

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Avg. Acceptance Rate

56%

59%

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Trends in Average Acceptance Rate
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	55.71%	58.56%
2024	48.83%	57.36%
2023	48.33%	56.77%
2022	50%	56.56%
2021	46.6%	55.98%
2020	46.6%	55.35%
2019	46.6%	54.65%
2018	47.4%	54.6%
2017	46.5%	54.44%
2016	45.67%	53.5%
2015	48.67%	53.79%

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Tuition and Finances

This State (PA)

Avg. Tuition (Boarding)

$71,512

$64,480

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Trends in Average Tuition Cost
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	$71,512	$64,480
2024	$67,134	$62,576
2023	$66,046	$60,435
2022	$62,631	$58,354
2021	$60,438	$57,014
2020	$59,622	$55,774
2019	$58,839	$54,179
2018	$57,563	$52,121
2017	$54,830	$50,567
2016	$53,886	$49,157
2015	$48,312	$47,544

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Avg. Tuition (Day)

$42,118

$38,054

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Trends in Average Day Student Tuition
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	$42,118	$38,054
2024	$42,199	$36,756
2023	$42,518	$35,835
2022	$40,386	$34,524
2021	$37,061	$34,604
2020	$38,531	$33,316
2019	$36,895	$31,542
2018	$34,496	$30,141
2017	$33,553	$29,371
2016	$33,177	$29,161
2015	$32,022	$28,079

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Avg. Tuition (International)

$67,699

$62,481

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Trends in Average International Student Tuition
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	$67,699	$62,481
2024	$65,400	$60,029
2023	$65,400	$57,947
2022	$53,975	$56,709
2021	$53,975	$54,096
2020	$53,975	$52,942
2019	$53,975	$51,284
2018	$51,038	$47,702
2017	$50,013	$45,431
2016	$49,138	$45,254
2015	$50,100	$45,218

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Avg. Financial Aid Rate

47%

42%

View Data

Trends in Average Financial Aid Rate
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	46.64%	41.88%
2024	44.3%	40.71%
2023	45.9%	40.8%
2022	46.2%	39.97%
2021	46.67%	39.96%
2020	45.22%	39.22%
2019	41.67%	38.36%
2018	43.33%	37.75%
2017	43.33%	36.75%
2016	43.33%	36.15%
2015	40.89%	35.59%

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Avg. Financial Aid Grant

$26,520

$26,973

View Data

Trends in Average Financial Aid Grant
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	$26,520	$26,973
2024	$30,212	$26,559
2023	$29,227	$26,052
2022	$28,661	$26,033
2021	$26,413	$26,059
2020	$26,286	$25,953
2019	$26,152	$26,083
2018	$25,551	$25,157
2017	$25,122	$24,334
2016	$25,265	$23,177
2015	$25,726	$22,734

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Avg. Endowment

$96 MM

$83 MM

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Trends in Average School Endowment
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	$96 million	$83 million
2024	$98 million	$82 million
2023	$97 million	$76 million
2022	$92 million	$72 million
2021	$96 million	$72 million
2020	$84 million	$66 million
2019	$84 million	$66 million
2018	$78 million	$71 million
2017	$76 million	$70 million
2016	$74 million	$67 million
2015	$77 million	$66 million

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Student Diversity

This State (PA)

% Students of Color

37%

30%

View Data

Trends in Average % Students of Color
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	37%	29.6%
2024	33.4%	29.31%
2023	31.9%	28.48%
2022	31.8%	27.2%
2021	30.33%	26.53%
2020	29.22%	25.77%
2019	26.56%	24.4%
2018	25.56%	23.58%
2017	24.89%	22.35%
2016	24.78%	21.55%
2015	23.67%	21.08%

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% International Students

27%

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Trends in Average % International Students
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	26.91%	26.63%
2024	23%	26.5%
2023	23.1%	26.3%
2022	23.5%	25.88%
2021	22.67%	25.05%
2020	22.89%	25.43%
2019	22%	25.64%
2018	22.56%	26.42%
2017	22.33%	26.64%
2016	23.89%	25.9%
2015	22.56%	25.34%

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% Boarding Students

69%

59%

View Data

Trends in Average % Boarding Students
Year	Pennsylvania (PA) Avg	National Avg
2025	68.67%	58.98%
2024	66.91%	60.08%
2023	66.27%	60.42%
2022	66.64%	61.01%
2021	66.9%	60.88%
2020	63.11%	61.59%
2019	64.11%	62%
2018	66.11%	62.16%
2017	66.11%	62.77%
2016	65.67%	63.13%
2015	65.11%	63.35%

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many boarding schools are located in Pennsylvania?

There are 12 college-preparatory boarding schools located in Pennsylvania.

What is the average tuition cost of boarding school in Pennsylvania?

The average Pennsylvania boarding school tuition cost is $74,439 per year.

What is the oldest boarding school in Pennsylvania?

Linden Hall School for Girls, founded in 1746, is the oldest boarding school in Pennsylvania.

What boarding school in Pennsylvania has the lowest acceptance rates?

The Hill School has the lowest boarding school acceptance rate (25%) in Pennsylvania.

What boarding school in Pennsylvania has the highest average SAT scores?

Mercersburg Academy has the highest average SAT scores (1403) in Pennsylvania.

Which boarding schools in Pennsylvania are often viewed compared to one another?

Popular comparisons of boarding schools in Pennsylvania include: Solebury School vs. Perkiomen School, Solebury School vs. George School, Westtown School vs. George School

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