Founded in 1889, The Thacher School is a coeducational boarding high school located 85 miles north of Los Angeles, California.
The School serves academically talented students who will benefit from a rigorous college preparatory experience.
The faculty and students live and work closely together in a community in which cooperation, trust, honesty, and respect are the cornerstones of school life.
Together, we commit to the belief that demands in the academic classroom, when combined with those of mountains and horses, of sports and the arts, produce independent minds, strong bodies, and powerful character.
Quick Facts (2026)
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 255 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $77,880
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $63,080
- Acceptance rate: 15%
- Average class size: 11 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 15
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
The Thacher School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 307 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
School Resources
Selectivity
Student Test Scores
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
9-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1889
1909
Campus Size
427 acres
125 acres
Colors
Green, Orange
Student Body
Enrollment
255 students
300 students
% Students of Color
55%
25%
% International Students
12%
20%
% Students Boarding
93%
70%
SAT range (25th-75th percentile)
1260 - 1510
-
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student-Teacher Ratio
6:1
7:1
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
72%
70%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$206 million
(June 2021)
(June 2021)
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$77,880
$59,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$63,080
$33,500
% Students on Financial Aid
31%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$65,750
$25,000
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No
Admissions
Application Deadline
Jan. 15
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Average Percentile SSAT
94%
-
Acceptance Rate
15%
58%
Director of Admissions
Bill McMahon
Application URL
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
14
16
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
20
23
Extracurriculars
PrefectsQuilting
Sir Winston Churchill Debating SocietySpanish Club
Club or Organization:
Cheese ClubChristian Fellowship Club
IndoorLatinos Unidos
Literary SocietyMulti-ethnic Student Union
The NotesUnited Cultures of Thacher
Arts and Music Programs:
ChamberThacher Masquers
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Fitness/Challenge FitnessThacher Pack & Spur Club
College Matriculation
College Acceptance Rate
79%
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
Stanford University
16
New York University
12
Colorado College
11
USC
11
Claremont McKenna College
10
Columbia University
8
Dartmouth College
8
Tafts University
8
Universtity of Richmond
8
Duke University
7
School Notes
- Founded in 1889, The Thacher School is a coeducational boarding high school located 85 miles north of Los Angeles, California. The School serves academically talented students who will benefit from a rigorous college preparatory experience. The faculty and students live and work closely together in a community in which cooperation, trust, honesty, and respect are the cornerstones of school life. Together, we commit to the belief that demands in the academic classroom, when combined with those of mountains and horses, of sports and the arts, produce independent minds, strong bodies, and powerful character.
- The Thacher School accreditations: TABS, NAIS, WBSA, SSATB
- School Motto: The aims of the place are thus in three directions: toward health and happiness, toward unselfish character, and toward accurate, thorough, and self-reliant habits of thought and study.
- School Mascot: Toad
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does The Thacher School cost?
The Thacher School's tuition is approximately $77,880 for boarding students and $63,080 for day students.
What schools are The Thacher School often compared to?
The Thacher Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Cate School by visitors of our site.
What is the acceptance rate of The Thacher School?
The acceptance rate of The Thacher School is 15%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 58%. The Thacher School's acceptance rate is ranked as one of the top boarding schools with low acceptance rates.
What sports does The Thacher School offer?
The Thacher School offers 14 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Climbing, Cross Country, Dance, Equestrian, Football, Lacrosse, Rock Climbing, Soccer, Tennis, Track, Track and Field and Volleyball.
What is The Thacher School's ranking?
The Thacher School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Highest endowment/student, Low acceptance rates and High average SAT scores.
When is the application deadline for The Thacher School?
The application deadline for The Thacher School is Jan. 15.
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Thacher's community on campus is unlike any other, connections at the school go beyond merely knowing every student's name but having had interacted closely with everyone whether on a camping trip, in the dining hall. . .
You cannot mention Thacher without talking about the horse program; each freshman is required to take care of and ride a horse for the first year of high school. I rode all four years and. . .
One thing that makes Thacher unique are the opportunities to form close, meaningful relationships with teachers and its commitment to helping students grow personally as well as academically. Whether it's out in the Domelands wilderness. . .
Show more reviews (23 reviews)
Related Schools
Show me:
Popular comparisons: The Thacher School vs. Cate School
People that viewed The Thacher School also viewed these schools: Cate School, The Webb Schools, Stevenson School, Phillips Academy Andover and Choate Rosemary Hall.
The nearest boarding school to The Thacher School is Besant Hill School (3.6 miles away)
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