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Austin Private Schools Guide

Private school profiles, admissions context, commute strategy, and nearby Austin real estate.

16

School Profiles

A+

Niche Grade

Not Rated

GreatSchools

Live MLS

Median Sold

What is Private Schools and why do families choose it?

Private Schools is the Austin private-school guide for families comparing admissions, commute, educational philosophy, grade range, and nearby real estate. The Keenan Group has 25+ years and 1,000+ transactions helping families align school priorities with Austin neighborhoods and home searches.

  • Niche: A+ (2025-2026)
  • GreatSchools: Not Rated (2025-2026)
  • School profiles: 16
  • Admissions: application-based, not attendance-zone based
  • School-zone pricing: verify live MLS median price, price bands, active inventory, and recent sales-through before making an offer
  • Cities Served: Austin, Westlake Hills

Source: Keenan Group at Compass Real Estate, Austin TX

Schools in Private Schools

16 schools · 8,129 students

Elementary Schools

About Austin Private Schools

Austin's private school landscape offers families an alternative to the public district system, with options ranging from Episcopal college prep to classical Christian education, Waldorf pedagogy, and Montessori methods. The city's top private schools compete nationally for academic outcomes, with St. Stephen's Episcopal consistently ranking among the best boarding schools in the South and St. Andrew's Episcopal producing graduates who attend Ivy League and top-25 universities at high rates. Private school families in Austin tend to cluster in central and west Austin neighborhoods where commute access to multiple campuses is practical. Tuition ranges from $12,000 at Brentwood Christian to $39,700 day/$74,400 boarding at St. Stephen's.

Why Families Choose Private Schools

Families choose Austin private schools for specialized programs unavailable in public districts: St. Stephen's Tennis and Soccer Academies, St. Andrew's global travel programs, Regents' classical education model, Austin Waldorf's arts-integrated curriculum, or Griffin's 160-student creative college prep. Others choose private for religious formation or for class sizes below 15 that public schools can't match. Some families split between public elementary and private upper school to get the best of both systems.

Real Estate in Private Schools

Private school families have more geographic flexibility than public school families since attendance isn't tied to address. That said, most luxury private school families concentrate in central and west Austin for commute reasons. Homes within a 15-minute drive of St. Stephen's command attention from relocating families who've already decided on the school before choosing a neighborhood.

When families are considering private schools, the conversation shifts from geography to philosophy - Montessori, classical, faith-based, or college-prep. We help families match the right school with the right neighborhood.

- Cara Keenan, Keenan Group at Compass

Things to Consider

Private school tuition in Austin ranges from $15K to $35K per year. Most schools have competitive admissions with waitlists, so families should apply 12-18 months ahead.

District Statistics

Total Schools
16
Total Students
8,129
Student-Teacher Ratio
9:1
Graduation Rate
99%

Communities Served

AustinWestlake Hills

ZIP Codes

Ratings & Rankings

A+
Niche (2025-26)
View source →
Not Rated
GreatSchools (2025-26)
Ask us about fit →
Top-rated in Austin
Austin Metro Ranking

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Schools

Which Austin neighborhoods work best for private-school families?

Austin private-school families usually compare commute patterns, admissions calendars, school model, and daily drive time before choosing between central, west, northwest, and southwest Austin neighborhoods. Private Schools market context should be checked against trailing-12-month single-family median sold price, price bands, active inventory, and recent sales-through before setting a school-zone budget.

What are the top-rated schools in Private Schools?

As of the 2025-2026 school year, featured Austin private school profiles include Acton Academy Austin (Niche A (Innovative microschool model)), Austin International School (Niche A (Top-rated international school in Austin)), Austin Waldorf School (Niche A). Private schools are not attendance-zone based, so buyers should evaluate admissions timing, commute, tuition, and neighborhood fit together.

How should private-school families compare Austin neighborhoods?

Private Schools market context should be checked against trailing-12-month single-family median sold price, price bands, active inventory, and recent sales-through before setting a school-zone budget. Because Austin private schools are admissions-based rather than attendance-zone based, the right real estate strategy is usually commute radius, neighborhood fit, price band, and school calendar timing.

What is the graduation rate for Private Schools?

Private Schools has a 99% graduation rate as of the 2025-2026 school year. The student-teacher ratio is 9:1.

How do I find homes near a specific Austin private school?

Tell Keenan Group the private schools you are considering, your commute tolerance, and your target price band. We will map realistic neighborhoods and homes by drive time, school calendar timing, and daily family logistics rather than treating private schools as attendance zones.

How do Austin private-school admissions affect home search timing?

Private-school admissions calendars, tour dates, testing, recommendations, and waitlists can shape the buying timeline. Families should confirm admissions status before locking in a commute-heavy neighborhood decision, especially when comparing west, central, and southwest Austin options.

Which Austin neighborhoods offer strong private-school access?

Central Austin, Westlake, Northwest Hills, Barton Creek, Southwest Austin, and selected North Austin neighborhoods can all work depending on the target school. The strongest fit is usually the neighborhood that balances admissions confidence, commute time, housing quality, and resale depth.

How does Private Schools compare to other Austin districts?

Private Schools is not an attendance-zone district. Families compare Austin private schools by educational model, admissions calendar, tuition, commute, grade range, and neighborhood fit. Niche A+ (Top-rated in Austin) is shown as a private-school profile signal, not a public attendance-zone rating.

What is the best way to tour Austin private schools?

Start with each school admissions office for official tours, open houses, testing requirements, and application deadlines. Then pressure-test the commute from actual homes at morning drop-off and afternoon pickup times before deciding where to buy.

What private-school factors should I weigh when buying in Austin?

Beyond ratings, weigh educational model, admissions odds, grade range, tuition, learning support, religious or secular fit, commute, carpool options, extracurricular depth, and whether the surrounding neighborhood also holds resale value without relying on a public-school zone.

Which private-school models are represented in Austin?

Austin private schools include Episcopal, Catholic, classical Christian, Waldorf, international, progressive, college-prep, and specialized learning-support models. That variety is why the home search should start with school fit and commute reality, not only a neighborhood list.

How Private Schools Compares

Ratings as of the 2025-2026 school year. Market values use live MLS district stats where available.

DistrictGreatSchoolsNicheGrad RateMedian Sold
Eanes ISD10/10A+98%$2.0M
Lake Travis ISD9/10A+98%$850K
Dripping Springs ISD9/10A+98%$820K
Round Rock ISD8/10A94%$519K
Leander ISD7/10A98%$630K
District Intelligence

Compare School Districts

Side-by-side analysis of academics, demographics, and real estate value.

vs

Private Schools

Austin, Westlake Hills

Luxury

0/10

GreatSchools

A+

Niche

$1.0M

12M Median Sold

Lake Travis ISD

Lakeway, Bee Cave, Spicewood

Luxury

9/10

GreatSchools

A+

Niche

$850K

12M Median Sold

Head-to-Head Comparison

GreatSchools Rating
0/10
Private Schools
9/10
Lake Travis ISD
Niche Grade
A+
Private Schools
A+
Lake Travis ISD
Graduation Rate
99%
Private Schools
98%
Lake Travis ISD
Student-Teacher RatioLower is better
9:1
Private Schools
16:1
Lake Travis ISD
12M Median Sold
$1.0M
Private Schools
$850K
Lake Travis ISD
Total Students
8,129
Private Schools
11,230
Lake Travis ISD

Homes for Sale in Private Schools

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Private Schools Strategy

Find Your Home in Private Schools

Our team specializes in Austin, Westlake Hills real estate. Let us help you find the perfect home in your preferred school zone.

#1

Austin Team 2024

16

Schools

8,129

Students

Written by the Keenan Group - Joe Keenan and Cara Keenan, Austin's #1 real estate team (Austin Board of Realtors 2024). 25+ years, 1,000+ transactions, $1B+ career sales.

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