16 of the biggest private schools in the Charlotte area

What we're watching: Enrollment could continue to climb as North Carolina lawmakers approved a measure in 2024 that unlocked funding for applications for thousands more students of all incomes to attend private school.

By the numbers: Mecklenburg County accounts for 105 of North Carolina's 930 private schools, according to the latest state data.

• Private school enrollment in Mecklenburg County rose from 20,965 for 2023-24 to 21,882 students.
• Mecklenburg County has the most private schools and the highest private school enrollment in the state. It's also the only county in the state with more than 100 private schools.
• By comparison, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has more than 141,000 students enrolled.

Here's a quick look at the size and cost of local private schools:

How it works: These are the largest private schools in Mecklenburg County — plus a few regionally. Our list is arranged from most to least expensive and only includes schools with 500 or more students.

• Given our 500-student threshold, some popular schools like Trinity Episcopal School and Charlotte Preparatory School are not included.
• Enrollment numbers come from school and state data.
• Student-to-faculty ratios were provided by some schools, but not all.

Charlotte Latin School

• Address: 9502 Providence Road
• Grades: Transitional kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,551
• Student-to-teacher ratio: 9:1
• Tuition: $26,250 (transitional K and K); $31,000 (grades 1-5); $33,500 (grades 6-8); and $34,750 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Providence Day School

• Address: 5800 Sardis Road
• Grades: Transitional kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 2,001
• Tuition: $24,180 (transitional K), $26,550 (K); $31,240 (grades 1-5); and $34,430 (grades 6-12).
• Admissions process

Charlotte Country Day School

• Address: 1440 Carmel Road
• Grades: Junior kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,745
• Average student/faculty ratio: 8:1
• Tuition: $23,350 (junior K); $24,500 (K); $28,930 (grades 1-4); $31,145 (grades 5-8); and $32,450 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Cannon School

• Address: 5801 Poplar Tent Road, Concord
• Grades: Junior kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,057
• Tuition: $20,530 (junior K), $21,340 (K); $24,960 (grades 1-4); $28,580 (grades 5-8); and $30,690 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Charlotte Christian School

• Address: 7301 Sardis Road
• Grades: Junior kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,319
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
• Tuition: $20,350 (junior K and K); $22,345 (grades 1-4); $23,625 (grades 5-8); and $26,105 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Davidson Day School

• Address: 750 Jetton St., Davidson
• Grades: Pre-K through 12th
• Number of students: 545
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
• Tuition: $21,620 (early preschool/preschool/junior kindergarten); $23,930 (K-4); $25,190 (grades 5-8); and $25,750 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Gaston Day School

• Address: 2001 Gaston Day School Road, Gastonia
• Grades: Pre-K through 12th
• Number of students: 500
• Tuition: $8,775 (preschool and pre-K half day); $10,890 (preschool and pre-K full day); $19,500 (K-4); $21,425 (grades 5-8); and $22,390 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Covenant Day School

• Address: 800 Fullwood Lane, Matthews
• Grades: Junior kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,030
• Tuition: $14,290 (junior kindergarten/kindergarten); $16,590 (grades 1-5); $19,290 (grades 6-8); and $21,590 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Charlotte Catholic High School

• Address: 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road
• Grades: 9-12
• Number of students: 1,268
• Tuition: $14,353 for participating Catholics and $20,563 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics.
• Admissions process

Carmel Christian School

• Address: 1145 Pineville-Matthews Road
• Grades: Kindergarten through 12th
• Number of students: 1,131
• Student-to-teacher ratio: 11:1
• Tuition: $11,950 (kindergarten); $13,750 (grades 1-5); $16,350 (grades 6-8); and $17,950 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School

• Address: 3100 Park Road
• Grades: 6-8
• Number of students: 985
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
• Tuition: $10,145 for participating Catholics and $15,705 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics.
• Admissions process

Saint Mark Catholic School

• Address: 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville
• Grades: Kindergarten through 8th grade
• Number of students: 722
• Tuition: $9,042 for participating Catholics and $14,561 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics (K-5). $10,145 for participating Catholics and $15,705 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics (grades 6-8).
• Admissions process

Saint Gabriel Catholic School

• Address: 3028 Providence Road
• Grades: Kindergarten through 5th grade
• Number of students: 635
• Tuition: $9,042 for participating Catholics and $14,561 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics.
• Admissions process

Saint Matthew Catholic School

• Address: 11525 Elm Lane
• Grades: Transitional kindergarten through 5th
• Number of students: 684
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
• Tuition: $9,042 for participating Catholics and $14,561 for non-Catholics and non-participating Catholics.
• Admissions process

Hickory Grove Christian School

• Address: 7200 E. WT Harris Blvd.
• Grades: Transitional kindergarten through 12th grade
• Number of students: 815
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
• Tuition: $11,500 (elementary); $12,500 (middle school); and $13,750 (high school).
• Admissions process

Gaston Christian School

• Address: 1625 Lowell Bethesda Road, Gastonia (Gaston Christian also has an East Cleveland Campus in Kings Mountain).
• Grades: Preschool through 12th
• Number of students: 1,300 (1,125 at the Gastonia campus; 175 at the Kings Mountain campus)
• Tuition for the Gastonia location: $5,995 (three full-day preschool); $6,085 (five half-day preschool); $8,202 (five full-day preschool); $6,275 (half-day kindergarten); $9,590 (full-day K-5); $12,010 (grades 6-8); and $12,850 (grades 9-12).
• Admissions process

Editor’s note: This guide was last updated on Dec. 1, 2025. Have an update to this guide? Email [email protected].