Top Rated Private Schools in Greenville, SC

Greenville has established itself as one of the best places to live in South Carolina, and a big part of that is the options for quality education from kindergarten to 12th grade and beyond. Private schools in Greenville SC offer small class sizes, low student-teacher ratios and some of the highest college acceptance rates in the country.

As a luxury family photographer serving many of these amazing families, I knew it would be helpful to create a list for parents making the important choice about their children’s education. Here are some of the best private schools in the Greenville area.

Best Private Schools in Greenville SC

• Christ Church Episcopal School

• Spartanburg Day School

• Greenville Classical Academy

• St. Joseph’s Catholic School

Christ Church Episcopal School

Christ Church Episcopal School is a K-12 college preparatory school, known for its well-respected arts and theater program as well as its rigorous academics. The school values character, community, excellence and service, and devotes itself to combining academic instruction with encouraging and instilling personal values of humility, empathy and independent thinking. The majority of private schools in Greenville are religiously affiliated, and Christ Church Episcopal Church does host weekly chapel in the Episcopal tradition.

Established in 1959, Christ Church Episcopal School is one of a few area private schools that boasts a 100% college acceptance rate for its students. They have a low student-teacher ratio of 1:10, and of those teachers, 71% hold an advanced degree. The school offers extensive honors program options, including International Baccalaureate and AP courses.

Their students are engaged in the classroom as well as out, with 47 sports teams, well-developed arts programs, and service-learning opportunities. There are also numerous clubs and extracurricular activities for Lower, Middle and Upper Schools.

Spartanburg Day School

Established in 1957, Spartanburg Day School is a nationally accredited college preparatory school in the Greenville-Spartanburg area. An independent, secular school, Spartanburg Day offers grades (Pre-K)2K-12 with a mission to, “provide a superior educational experience, in a community of trust, that prepares students for a life well-lived.”

Spartanburg Day is known for excellence in academics and a strong emphasis on community. Their visual and performing arts programs are also well-respected. The school has one of the most highly educated faculty, with three-quarters of the faculty holding an advanced degree. With extensive college preparatory options, Spartanburg Day also produces students with a 100% college acceptance rate.

Greenville Classical Academy

A PK-12 private Christian school, Greenville Classical Academy takes a classical approach to education, with a vision to “see generations of godly,  biblically-educated, academically-prepared leaders for our homes, our communities, and our world.” Located in Simpsonville, SC, the academy is nationally accredited and offers a University-Model education for Upper School students, who attend on a course-by-course basis.

Greenville Classical’s academics are strong, with an emphasis on college preparatory education and low student-teacher ratio. They also hold the record for the highest SAT scores of private schools in the area, with a 1355 average SAT. Greenville Classical’s students are encouraged in S.T.E.A.M. disciplines and can participate in a range of clubs, teams and extracurriculars.

St. Joseph’s Catholic School

St. Joseph’s Catholic school is a private college preparatory school offering middle and high school levels, grades 6-12. Founded in 1993, St. Joseph’s was formed to serve as a welcoming home for students of all backgrounds to grow in academic achievement and Christian charity.

The school’s curriculum is based on traditional liberal arts education with an emphasis on college preparatory academics like AP and honors courses, as well as excellence in the over 100 extracurriculars and sports offered at the school. The class sizes are small, with the school’s 13:1 teacher to student ratio, and 100% of St. Joseph’s graduates go on to attend a four year college or university.