Boarding School Review - Established 2003
Lake Tahoe Preparatory School Photo - Lake Tahoe is a premier world-renown resort destination year-round. The blue skies, clear water, dense forests, and deep snow make it a haven for for everyone - from outdoor enthusiasts to authors and explorers.
Lake Tahoe Preparatory School

Best California Boarding Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 16 college-prep and junior boarding schools serving 4,989 students located throughout California.
You can also browse our full boarding school directory or specify additional search criteria.

Top California Boarding Schools (2026)

School
Location
Quick Facts
Army and Navy Academy
Army and Navy Academy Photo
(4)
2605 Carlsbad Blvd.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(888) 762-2338
Gr: 7-12 | 320 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Acceptance rate: 73% Tuition listed
The Athenian School
The Athenian School Photo
(1)
2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd.
Danville, CA 94506
(925) 362-7223
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 525 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Tuition listed
Besant Hill School
Besant Hill School Photo - Besant Hill School is located in the Ojai Valley, on 500 acres of private land with beautiful vistas in every direction. Facilities include four dormitories, outdoor sports facilities including a new aquatic center, indoor theater, atelier, and classrooms nestled along winding paths and oak trees. We also have an eight acre organic farm.
(1)
8585 Ojai Santa Paula Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-4343
Gr: 9-12, PG | 100 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 8 students Acceptance rate: 50% Tuition listed
Cate School
Cate School Photo - Day Walk
(19)
1960 Cate Mesa Road, P.O. Box 5005
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 684-4127
Gr: 9-12 | 300 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 17% Tuition listed
Dunn School
Dunn School Photo - In 2020 the new Leadership Center was completed. Overlooking the open space known as Munger Common, the center provides state of the art meeting rooms and learning facilities, is home to the student-run Earwig Cafe, and hosts our college counseling team. Students can be found gathering both indoors and outside the center for conversation and relaxation.
P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(800) 287-9197
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 249 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 45% Tuition listed
EF Academy Pasadena
EF Academy Pasadena Photo - EF Academy is an international high school welcoming day and boarding students from over 60 nationalities. At this sunny Pasadena, California campus, students have the opportunity to become global changemakers and participate in EF Academy's signature Global Leadership Program.
1505 E Howard St.
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 507-9223
Gr: 9-12 | 265 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Acceptance rate: 85% Tuition listed
Idyllwild Arts Academy
Idyllwild Arts Academy Photo - Idyllwild Arts Academy is home to 310 students from 35 countries and 26 US states, all devoted to intensive study of the arts. Located 2 hours from Los Angeles, 2 hours from San Diego, and 1 hour from Palm Springs, the Academy is an artistic crossroads for Southern California.
(18)
52500 Temecula Road
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 468-7223
Gr: 9-12, PG | 280 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Acceptance rate: 65% Tuition listed
Lake Tahoe Preparatory School
Lake Tahoe Preparatory School Photo - Lake Tahoe Prep is a coeducational boarding school for students in grades 9-12 located in Olympic Valley, California. With a student body of 70 and student to teacher ratio of 7:1, we lead a program built upon personalized attention. Our students benefit from our robust curriculum approved by the University of California.
255 Olympic Valley Road | P.O. Box 2180
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(245) 582-8690
Gr: 9-12, PG | 70 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 7 students Acceptance rate: 80% Tuition listed
Midland School
(4)
PO Box 8 / 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-5114
Gr: 9-12 | 82 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 40% Tuition listed
Ojai Valley School
Ojai Valley School Photo - OVS offers an exceptional college-prep program. Recent college acceptances for our students include Stanford, Columbia, Northeastern, NYU, Boston College, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Pitzer College, Smith College, Vassar College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and many more.
(2)
723 El Paseo Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-1423
Gr: 3-12 | PK-12 (day) | 323 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Acceptance rate: 64% Tuition listed
San Domenico School
1500 Butterfield Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
(415) 258-1990
Gr: 9-12 | K-12 (day) | 680 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Avg. class size: 18 students Tuition listed
Santa Catalina School
Santa Catalina School Photo - Come visit our beautiful campus in Monterey, California! Call the admission office at 831.655.9356 or email admission@santacatalina.org to schedule your visit.
(Catholic)
(1)
1500 Mark Thomas Drive
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 655-9356
Gr: 9-12 | 200 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 11 students Tuition listed
Stevenson School
Stevenson School Photo
(11)
3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8309
Gr: 9-12 | PK-12 (day) | 510 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Tuition listed
The Thacher School
The Thacher School Photo - In courses designed for intellectual and creative expansion, students and teachers meet in seminar circles, studios, and laboratories to create a learning environment that is vigorous and supportive, galvanizing and nurturing.
(26)
5025 Thacher Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
Gr: 9-12 | 255 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 11 students Acceptance rate: 15% Tuition listed
The Webb Schools
The Webb Schools Photo - Webb enjoys a 100% admit rate to selective 4-year colleges and universities.
(29)
1175 West Baseline Road
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 482-5214
Gr: 9-12 | 405 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 14 students Acceptance rate: 17% Tuition listed
Woodside Priory School (Priory)
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo - Woodside Priory is a Benedictine Catholic, independent college preparatory school. Founded by Hungarian monks in 1957, Priory has been an international school from its very beginning.
(Catholic)
(2)
302 Portola Road
Portola Valley, CA 94028
(650) 851-8223
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 425 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 13 students Acceptance rate: 30% Tuition listed

Frequently Asked Questions

How many boarding schools are located in California?
There are 16 college-preparatory boarding schools located in California.
What is the average tuition cost of boarding school in California?
The average California boarding school tuition cost is $73,446 per year.
What is the oldest boarding school in California?
San Domenico School, founded in 1850, is the oldest boarding school in California.
What boarding school in California has the lowest acceptance rates?
The Thacher School has the lowest boarding school acceptance rate (15%) in California.
What boarding school in California has the highest average SAT scores?
The Webb Schools has the highest average SAT scores (1510) in California.
Which boarding schools in California are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of boarding schools in California include: The Thacher School vs. Cate School, Woodside Priory School (Priory) vs. Stevenson School, The Webb Schools vs. Cate School

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