Boarding Schools with < 200 Students with the Smallest Average Class Size (2026-27 Rankings)

Q: Which boarding schools with fewer than 200 students have the smallest average class size?

The boarding schools with fewer than 200 students with the smallest average class size are The Gow School, Oldfields School and Wolfeboro Camp School.

Q: How many boarding schools with fewer than 200 students are ranked for the smallest average class size?

80 boarding schools with fewer than 200 students are ranked for the smallest average class size.

National Average Class Size (Trends)

Showing 2016–2025. View full 21-year historical data

Total Growth: +2.4% (+0.3 since 2016)

View Data

Year	National avg	YoY Change (#)	YoY Change (%)
2025	12.7	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2024	12.6	— 0	— 0.0%
2023	12.6	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2022	12.5	▼ -0.3	▼ -2.3%
2021	12.8	▲ +0.2	▲ +1.6%
2020	12.6	▼ -0.1	▼ -0.8%
2019	12.7	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2018	12.6	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2017	12.5	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2016	12.4	— 0	— 0.0%
2015	12.4	— 0	— 0.0%
2014	12.4	— 0	— 0.0%
2013	12.4	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2012	12.3	— 0	— 0.0%
2011	12.3	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2010	12.2	— 0	— 0.0%
2009	12.2	▼ -0.1	▼ -0.8%
2008	12.3	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2007	12.2	▲ +0.1	▲ +0.8%
2006	12.1	▲ +0.2	▲ +1.7%
2005	11.9	—	—

Schools counted: listing status from database copies near the year end in 2012–2014, 2019 and 2022–2025; estimated listing status in 2015–2018, 2020 and 2021; archive coverage in 2005–2011 (a lower bound of the schools listed). The downloads give the source date of each year.

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Show school map — National (# Students range: 5–22, avg 11)

# Students Range: 5 22 Avg. # Students: 11

Frequently Asked Questions

Which boarding schools with fewer than 200 students have the smallest average class size?

The boarding schools with fewer than 200 students with the smallest average class size are The Gow School, Oldfields School and Wolfeboro Camp School.

How many boarding schools with fewer than 200 students are ranked for the smallest average class size?

80 boarding schools with fewer than 200 students are ranked for the smallest average class size.

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Did You Know?

Keep in mind that small statistical differences in average class sizes between schools do not always indicate better student performance at one school or another.

Also keep in mind that boarding schools in general have smaller average class sizes than public schools - even for schools with larger class sizes, a "large" class in a boarding school would still often be considered small by public school standards which often have class sizes of 20 students.