Top 10 Boarding Schools in California (2025)
Looking to study in a boarding school in California? California, USA is home to some of the best colleges and universities in the world such as Stanford and UCLA, which makes it an evident location choice for boarding school education. Its cultural diversity and warmer climate could also help young international students ease into their new home. Our article Top 5 Boarding Schools in California takes you through the top boarding schools in CA that have outstanding ratings for education quality, sports, arts, and more.
List of Top California Boarding Schools
* Asterisks denote an average of students’ self-reported scores on Niche.
1. The Thacher School
The Thacher School is a 427-acre campus which began as a preparatory school for Yale in what was then known as the Casa de Piedra ranch. At the heart of education at Thacher is their commitment to academic excellence, character-building and a community culture. What’s unique about Thacher is their Horse Program where each freshman gets paired with a horse and learns to ride and take care of it for a whole year. The school has maintained its characteristic ranch appearance even after adding new buildings and facilities.
Mean SAT Score: 1358 (2024)
Mean ACT Score: 31 (2024)
Annual Boarding Tuition Fees: $77,880
2. Cate School
Founded in 1910, the Cate School is a highly selective preparatory school with about 300 students or so. The school, which is located in Carpinteria, CA, accepts students from grades 9-12 and over half of them are from outside of California. It has been rated the best boarding school in the state and among the top 15 in the country by Niche. Student-reported scores show that the average SAT score is around 1350 while the average ACT score is 31, far exceeding the national average score of 1060 and 20 respectively. Cate School receives an average of about 10 applications per place every year.
Mean SAT Score: 1350 (2024)
Mean ACT Score: 31 (2024)
Annual Boarding Tuition Fees: $79,980
3. Sierra Canyon School
This cosmopolitan school is located in the Greater Los Angeles area on a 37-acre site. Sierra Canyon School is notable for its performance in interscholastic athletics, especially in basketball, soccer, football, and volleyball. Sierra Canyon Athletics is considered to be among the premiere high school athletic programs in the country. The school’s star-studded basketball team is one to watch, with players in the likes of Bronny James, and five-star recruits Ziaire Williams and Zaire Wade on board.
Mean SAT Score: 1293 (2024)
Mean ACT Score: 25.5 (2024)
Annual Tuition Fees: $44,100
4. The Webb Schools
The Webb Schools is the collective name for two schools – the Webb School of California and the Vivian Webb School. The two schools share a 150-acre campus located by the San Gabriel Mountains. The schools welcome 37% international students and have about 62% boarding students. The Webb Schools is known for its record in the college placement of its graduates, with 90% of them attending the top 10% colleges and universities in the US.
Mean SAT Score: 1520 (2024)
Mean ACT Score: 34 (2024)
Annual Tuition Fees: $80,835
5. Fairmont Preparatory Academy
Fairmont Preparatory Academy is part of the Fairmont Schools group, Orange County’s oldest and largest secular, co-educational preschool – 12th grade private school.
Fairmont Prep serves students in grades 9 – 12, providing an experience that is truly unique in providing multiple high-level academic specializations while also providing a wide variety of sports, arts, and extracurricular activities for students to explore. Fairmont Prep offers small school benefits with large school opportunities.
Mean SAT Score: 1250 (2024)
Mean ACT Score: 29 (2024)
Annual Tuition Fees: $84,400 (Including boarding fees)
What is the top boarding school in California?
Cate School tops our list of the top boarding schools in California.
How do I pick boarding schools in the US?
We recommend looking at rankings and average SAT/ACT scores as a gauge of academic performance. Other important factors include athletics, arts programs, and extracurricular activities.
Is California a good place to study?
Yes. California is home to some of the top universities in the world, has great cultural diversity, and offers a warmer climate.
How do I send my child to a US boarding school?
First, gather all the necessary documents (ie. transcripts, test scores, recommendation letter). Then, apply to a school and pay application fees. By March, you should receive an acceptance letter with joining instructions and info about the student visa.
Summary
In summary, there are many choices for private boarding schools in California. Besides high SAT and ACT results, each school strives to educate well-balanced students through sports, arts and other extracurricular activities . When browsing through the high schools in California, it is highly advised that parents check through the schools’ approaches to best match the needs and conditions of each child. Should you need further assistance, please contact us.
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