2023 Best Private Schools in Colorado

• Englewood, CO•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  137 reviews

Parent: I can't believe the incredible transformation my daughter has made in her first year at Kent Denver. Her 6th grade experience continued her positive academic trajectory, in tandem with developing communication and social-emotional skills. It has been amazing to watch her build her confidence, both inside and outside of the classroom. Socially, she found friends quickly and easily (she did not know many other students), and academically, was encouraged to find her voice and self-advocate for herself. Most importantly, my daughter is happy, the happiest we've seen her, and we can't wait to see how she'll to continue to grow. I highly recommend Kent Denver!... Read 137 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 749

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Denver, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  51 reviews

Freshman: CA is an incredible school with incredible people. Their balance of different curriculums through different teachers while still feeling unified is amazing, plus the freedoms that are granted through the different options you have to choose from are great. The teachers and students are great people, and even the grounds crew/custodians are very friendly. They also do an incredible job of keeping the absolutely stunning campus clean and tidy. Overall this is a great school!... Read 51 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,039

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Colorado Springs, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  62 reviews

Parent: The best investment you will ever make is in the education of your child. You will not regret choosing FVS. The school offers academic rigor in an environment that embraces compassion & acceptance. My 2 children attend FVS - just a few words of praise include pride, kindness, challenge, diversity, individual growth, recognition, lifetime friendships. The sense of community amongst staff, students and parents is powerful. FVS offers diverse curriculum, global & cultural awareness, exposure to international students, endless learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. Classes are small. Educators are approachable & interactive. The staff really care. Counseling and support, whether in regard to college admissions or just being a teenager, is outstanding. Sports/activities are vast, from hockey to volleyball, theatre to pottery, equestrian to an on-campus world-class climbing gym. For day students and boarders, the opportunity to attend FVS shouldn't be missed!... Read 62 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 241

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Englewood, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  118 reviews

Parent: I have been a parent at SMA for the past nine years. St. Mary's Academy (SMA) welcomed my three grade school children with open arms when we moved to Colorado. I can't way enough about the warmth of this community and the confidence the school instilled in my three children. Our family has always appreciated the authentic way that each student is embraced and celebrated. As with any school, there are periods of transition or reinvention, but I have only seen SMA become stronger over the years. The school values of faith, community, justice and respect are truly embodied in the curriculum. All three of my children were prepared for the academic rigor of high school and beyond. Thank you SMA!... Read 118 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 678

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Colorado Springs, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  51 reviews

Parent: My child has attended the Children's School at CSS for the past three years and has had an extremely positive experience, even through COVID! The teachers we have gotten to know are passionate about what they do and genuinely care about their students. I am extremely grateful when I see a teacher willing to flex the curriculum or "the way things are done" to make it work for my child, because sometimes students learn differently, and CSS seems to understand that and embrace it. CSS's focus on experiential learning has nurtured my child's curiosity and desire to have a hands on experience. It isn't just about tests and benchmarks here, it's about discovering the world and finding your interests. Colorado Springs is lucky to have a nonsectarian independent school like this, and I'm honestly not sure if I could live in this city without it.... Read 51 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 317

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Lafayette, CO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  27 reviews

Middle School Student: I started school in 5th grade and have loved it since. Faculty, students, and classes are great! The classes are small and usually consist of 10-20 students. Food here is AMAZING! So much better than my old public schools.... Read 27 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 530

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Vail, CO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  75 reviews

Parent: Wonderfully fulfilling independent school surprisingly located in the resort town of Vail, Colorado. With a single campus serving a K-12 student body, it offers a wealth of experiential learning experiences in a cross-age environment building valuable and lasting social skills. Academic rigor is top notch. The school tracks its alumni who achieve over an 80% success rate in being on pace with their majors in their third year of the colleges of their choice. We fill very confident in our investment in our son's education for the first nine years he has attended and look forward to the remaining four years at VMS. Ski Fridays are the cherry on the cake!... Read 75 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 421

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Aurora, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  415 reviews

Alum: Was a solid college preparatory experience. VERY dominantly white, limited resources for lgbtq+ peoples; not accepting of trans identities. Solid resources for applying for colleges, counsellors were good at what they do. Teachers were mostly good with some bad apples mixed in to avoid (ask an upperclassman or alumni). Food was good when I first started but got cheaper and worse over time; they are very willing to flake out on that end. VERY high variety of clubs, whatever you want to do they most likely have it, though it's hard to get involved in the larger ones, such as robotics or theater due to large volume of students. Obviously very religious, theology classes are required and integrated into the main curriculum. Occasional mass attendance required. Bear these in mind before applying. Not for everyone, but wealthy white individuals will likely have a smooth experience. Be wary of it's general low diversity. If you care mostly about college prep, very solid pick.... Read 415 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,714

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Carbondale, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.77 out of 5  30 reviews

Alum: Graduate of 2004. CRMS was a great fit. It had strong academics (Plato and Shakespeare, Didion and Marquez), a great balance of work and sport, and promoted students' passionate ideals. I became a teacher, and have worked in schools from Vermont to California. Lots of schools make claims about prioritizing 'community' and 'values' - but very few walk the walk the way that CRMS does. I gained an appreciation of the arts, of the outdoors, and of an honest day's work. I took classes like Russian Lit (Tolstoy, Solzhenitsyn) and Eastern Philosophy (DT Suzuki, Thich Nhat Hanh); Ceramics and Photography; Geology and Environmental Science. From glass and metalwork to backpacking trips and canoeing, there's no other school like CRMS. It's not for everyone - no school is - but it is an incredible place for young people to grow and develop into the conscientious, capable, and creative adults our world needs.... Read 30 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 178

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Edwards, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.79 out of 5  34 reviews

Parent: My son moved to VCHS his junior year from a larger public school. Although he was nervous about transferring into a smaller school halfway through a HS career, my introverted guy was warmly welcomed into the VCHS community. He thrived in the small class setting and commented numerous times during his time at VCHS how well all the kids got along and supported and lifted each other up. He was never scared to attend a sporting event or school function by himself as he knew there would always be friendly faces to hang with. The teachers and staff were excellent and their care for the students was apparent. My son is very strong academically and he felt content and challenged at VCHS. Not only are academics a focus, but character and community are too. The confidence I saw develop in my son during his time at VCHS will be with him forever. We are grateful we made the move to VCHS to finish out high school.... Read 34 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 150

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Steamboat Springs, CO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.85 out of 5  26 reviews

Parent: Mountain biking? Check! Global Studies with trips to foreign countries? Check! World class snow sports? Check! SMS is a wonderful combination of a rigorous academic college prep school and summer camp. With small class sizes, numerous opportunities to explore the outdoors and the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, SMS provides a place for student to learn and grow. Our 10th grader is thriving while taking all of the “typical” high school classes but also going to Moab with the entire 9-12 for Desert Week. He has climbed 14ers and been learning quadratic equations. His teachers and advisors know him well. They provide inspiration and support. If your student is an adventurer, and academic and a lover of the outdoors, you should come see SMS!... Read 26 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 189

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Highlands Ranch, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  211 reviews

Junior: Valor Christian High School is a private school. Valor is a smaller school, with the average class size of approximately 250-300 students. Valor has a very strong music, drama, dance and arts programs within its conservatory. Valor also offers a strong Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) and college preparatory classes. Unlike local high schools, Valor does not allow freshman to take AP classes unless you have an exception (e.g., math or language placement at the AP level). As a Christian school, 3 years of bible classes are required as part of the curriculum. For those seeking to boost their GPA with Honors, AP or Dual-Credit classes, note that there are no such offerings for the required bible classes or freshman seminar class. As part of the tuition, lunches are included in the overall cost, whether or not you eat the mediocre meals provided at school.... Read 211 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,245

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Denver, CO•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.42 out of 5  31 reviews

Sophomore: DJDSis the most amazing school, home, family, and community. Going to this school has allowed me to flourish in ways that could never be replicated anywhere else. Secularly, the teachers are so invested in my learning and will always find a time to meet with me to go over stuff and genuinely want me to succeed. In regards to the Judaic program, It has allowed me to discover God and spirituality, without ever telling me what I should believe. The classesmerely push you to challenge your own beliefs and think deeply about the subject so every student can benifit.Most importantly, DJDS has given me my second family I can walk down the hallway everyday and be surrounded by people I can count on. DJDS transformed me from a timid 6th grader who was nervous to ask a teacher to fix my grade. To an ambsious high schooler who frequently meets with her teachers, give speeches in front of the school, and advocates for herself. I cannot thank DJDS enough for this.... Read 31 reviews

• grade A

• Students 321

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Boulder, CO•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.92 out of 5  12 reviews

Parent: Transformative, character building, mind expanding, soul nourishing and affirming! The educators are phenomenal and inspire these kids to be authentically interested, involved and motivated. But the emotional intelligence, connections and solid meaningful relationships Watershed fosters will take them farther than any academics possibly could. When relationships and community are at the forefront, one simply cannot fall through the cracks. Thanks to this type of ‘schooling’ (or rather, ‘human-ing’) and incredible teachers and admin, they have blossomed into their full unique selves! Watershed graduates kids who are secure in who they are and what they have to offer. They value themselves and their relationships and are excited to share that knowledge and confidence for the benefit of their community as well as the big wide world. Thank you for helping us shape and develop a couple of well rounded, well balanced, kind and motivated humans to send out into the world!!... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• Students 114

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Denver, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  135 reviews

Senior: I really enjoyed my time at Mullen! Overall, I think mullen is a great school. There is a loving community of peers and teachers. Mullen also is extremely helpful with the college process and made it much less stressful. I think schools can always improve and one of the only things I wish Mullen did different was offer more elective classes like fashion design or American Sign Language. Mullen is coming out with more elective options for next school year however I just never got to experience that. Mullen does offer some awesome electives like ceramics, Holocaust class, forensic law and science and much more!... Read 135 reviews

• grade A

• Students 755

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Boulder, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.79 out of 5  28 reviews

Alum: TARA is a school like no other. As a high schooler who went to three other schools ranging from public to private, TARA far outshines the opportunities, support, and classes that I took and experienced elsewhere. I came to TARA during my senior year with the support and tenacity of the leadership council and my classmates! They truly are miracle workers and wholeheartedly care for the school, the students, and meaningful experiential education. I would have never been able to travel and experience the trips and productions we went on and were a part of (in Covid times) had I been anywhere else. The classes are small, lovely, experiential, and taught by passionate teachers. The trips are, life-changing, perspective-altering, academic, confidence cultivating, and provide time to connect with your peers and learn more about yourself. As a host student, my time at TARA was significantly different than my non-host peers, but the experience taught me so much that I will take into life.... Read 28 reviews

• grade A

• Students 56

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Broomfield, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  232 reviews

Alum: The school really works to encourage students to aid the community and grow their faith. I was challenged in academics, however, in the STEM aspect (coding and robotics classes), the school greatly lacked in qualified facility and equipment. Sports do continue to get better and better and there are excellent facilities provided.... Read 232 reviews

• grade A

• Students 746

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Colorado Springs, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  73 reviews

Parent: Students mature into the best version of themselves at St. Mary's. If you are looking for an environment that is faithful and joyful with challenging academics this is the place for your student! Students will find meaningful relationships with teachers and friends (you can't choose your student’s friends but you can choose the pool from which they select their friends). Teachers are incredibly strong and interested in your student's success. Your student will have the opportunity to play sports on competitive teams with coaches that care not only about winning but the person they are forming. An average class of 60 students typically earns $10K in scholarships! St. Mary’s is a high school that values the whole person. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, alumni parents and community members, tuition assistance is available. Contact the school to visit or set up a shadow day. As a parent, it has been a great transition from a big public school – I couldn’t be happier!... Read 73 reviews

• grade A

• Students 257

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Highlands Ranch, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  31 reviews

Senior: I've been a student at Mile High my entire life. It is a small Christian school so it's not always able to offer the resources and clubs that other schools might have. I would love to see more funding go to arts, clubs, electives, and staffing as opposed to athletics. Mile High has a fantastic athletic department, I only wish the other programs could improve to match it. Overall I love the community, and I've made life-long friends! Going to miss Mile High!... Read 31 reviews

• grade A

• Students 228

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Littleton, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  84 reviews

Parent: As a mom of 4 kids, I couldn't be more pleased with Front Range Christian School! We have experienced preschool through high school here and it's been an extremely positive experience. The teachers here make all the difference. I have complete confidence in the administration and school board as they look to Christ to lead them in leading the school. The teachers pray with me at every parent/teacher conference. Christ is exalted in every area. The musicals here are incredible! Student leadership is truly given the opportunity to make a difference & influence positive change. Students go out into the community to volunteer & experience serving people who are very different from them. I have appreciated the way they accommodate my children's academic needs. One of my kids was allowed to move up 2 grade levels in math in junior high. I was pleased they made sure she was challenged. FRCS teaches students how to follow Christ and how to engage in the world around them.... Read 84 reviews

• grade A

• Students 448

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Lakewood, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  56 reviews

Parent: Denver Christian is a solid school that seeks to holistically educate children and develop life-long learners, and followers of Jesus. We find the environment nurturing and academically challenging! The staff is responsive to needs and feedback--they deeply care about the students! We appreciate the culture of excellence, knit into such a loving environment!... Read 56 reviews

• grade A

• Students 860

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Telluride, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: As a mom of three children who attend Telluride Mountain School, I can say without hesitation that this school is one of the best decisions we have made as a family. The teachers are passionate, the students are kind and look after one another and the academics are challenging but fun. From the rock and roll concerts to the experiential education trips, these students are well rounded and are able to experience life in a way that most students don't have the opportunity to. From the moment you step foot in the school, you will feel a part of the family.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Students 114

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Denver, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  129 reviews

Senior: I love the community of fellowship and intellectual growth and the integrated humanities program that has been instituted. I would love to see the community grow. The size of the school allows for small class sizes and the humanities seminars help students grow to be strong leaders and communicators. I would love to see the student body grow and the administration to encourage the creation of nonacademic clubs.... Read 129 reviews

• grade A

• Students 346

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Loveland, CO•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  85 reviews

Alum: I am a 2015 alumna and I can't endorse Campion enough. The faculty and staff on campus are knowledgeable, wise and compassionate people. They often seemed as dedicated and vested in my education as my own parents did. I made life long friends, and have fantastic memories of touring with the choir, putting on plays with the drama team and time spent outside in the mountains of Colorado. I learned skills at Campion that prepared me for college and the job world. I have never had a second doubt on going to Campion and if I had to make the choice again, I would choose Campion.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 152

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Boulder, CO•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  26 reviews

Alum: I was really happy with my time at SMWS. I felt exposed to a really wide range of subjects that even my liberal arts college could not begin to compete with. I felt like I was allowed to be myself and I liked that my teachers wanted to think about the material critically and thoughtfully --not just come to the same conclusion. The cost of all the range can be a loss of some depth and you might feel the bite of not having AP credit during your freshman or sophomore year science classes but I think the trade-off was worthwhile even for someone like me who ended up pursuing biochemistry/molecular biology. I'm glad I made it out of high school still excited to learn and I attribute a major part of that to how SMWS approaches teaching. I think I would do it all the same if I had to do it over again.... Read 26 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 323

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1