Austin Private Schools Guide (2026)

Austin Private Schools: Complete Guide

Based on the Keenan Group's experience advising luxury families on school-driven home searches, Austin has more than 30 private schools serving families from pre-K through 12th grade, with total private school enrollment in the metro exceeding 15,000 students. Private school tuition in Austin ranges from $12,000/year for smaller programs to $45,000+ at the top-tier independent schools, with most luxury-market families spending $25,000-$35,000 per child per year as of Q1 2026.

"About 30% of our luxury buyers in Tarrytown and Westlake Hills plan to use private schools. That changes the home search completely - instead of buying for a school zone, you are buying for commute proximity and neighborhood character. It opens up neighborhoods that families with public school requirements would not consider." --- Joe Keenan, Keenan Group, #1 ABOR Team 2024

For home buyers, private schools change the calculus. If your children will attend private school regardless of address, you are freed from attendance-zone constraints that drive so much of Austin's residential market. But proximity still matters.

School Comparison (As of Q1 2026)

St. Andrew's Episcopal School

St. Andrew's is Austin's largest independent school, offering Pre-K through 12th grade across two campuses. The lower school sits on a 34-acre campus off Old Walsh Tarpley Road in Southwest Austin, while the upper school occupies a separate campus nearby.

Tuition runs $25,000-$35,000 depending on grade level. Class sizes are small - typically 15-18 students - and graduates regularly place at top-25 universities. Despite the Episcopal name, St. Andrew's is nonsectarian in practice.

Families at St. Andrew's tend to live in Tarrytown, Clarksville, Westlake Hills, and the Zilker/Barton Hills corridor. Commute: 10-20 minutes from those neighborhoods.

St. Stephen's Episcopal School

St. Stephen's occupies a 370-acre campus off Highway 360 in the hills above Westlake. Grades 6-12 with both day and boarding options - one of the few boarding schools in Central Texas.

Tuition for day students runs $35,000-$45,000+, with boarding adding significantly. Academically, St. Stephen's emphasizes writing, discussion-based learning, and independent thinking. The campus itself is one of the most impressive in Texas - hiking trails, a creek, athletic fields, and Hill Country architecture.

Best neighborhoods for proximity: Westlake Hills, Lost Creek, Rob Roy, and parts of Barton Creek. From core Westlake, the campus is about 10 minutes.

Regents School of Austin

Regents follows a classical Christian model - Latin, rhetoric, logic, and a Great Books curriculum layered on rigorous math and science. Pre-K through 12th grade from a campus in the Great Hills area off Highway 183. Tuition is $15,000-$22,000, making it more accessible than the Episcopal schools.

Families at Regents typically live in Great Hills, Northwest Hills, Anderson Mill, and the Arboretum corridor.

Austin Waldorf School

Experiential learning, arts integration, and developmental readiness over standardized testing. Early childhood through 8th grade, East Austin campus. Tuition $12,000-$18,000. Most families live in East Austin, Mueller, and the 78702/78722 zip codes.

St. Michael's Catholic Academy

Grades 9-12, campus off Bee Caves Road. College prep within a Catholic framework. Tuition $15,000-$20,000. South Austin and Westlake Hills neighborhoods offer the shortest commutes.

Admissions and Timing

Applications typically open in the fall with January-February deadlines. St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's are the most competitive - some families apply to multiple schools and wait-list simultaneously. Start the process a full year before your intended entry date.

"If you are relocating to Austin mid-year, call the admissions offices directly. Several schools offer rolling admissions when space is available, but the top schools fill certain grade levels early. We've coordinated moves where families secured a private school spot before they even started their home search." --- Cara Keenan, CLHMS, Million Dollar Guild

How Private Schools Affect Home Values

Homes within a 10-minute drive of St. Andrew's or St. Stephen's carry a convenience premium among private school families, even if the public school zone is average. Conversely, buyers choosing private school can find better value in neighborhoods where public school ratings are lower - East Austin, South Austin, and parts of the 78745 zip code offer more house for the money when the school zone is irrelevant.

Honest Tradeoffs

Private school tuition is a significant ongoing cost. Two children at St. Andrew's runs $50,000-$70,000/year for 12+ years. That is the equivalent of carrying an additional $800K-$1.1M mortgage. Families should factor tuition into their total housing budget - some opt for a less expensive home to fund private education, while others choose the top public school zone and invest the tuition savings elsewhere.

Athletic and extracurricular breadth is also a consideration. Smaller private schools cannot match the program depth of Westlake High (2,800 students) or Lake Travis High (3,500 students) in sports, band, and activities with large participation requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best private schools in Austin?

St. Andrew's Episcopal and St. Stephen's Episcopal are generally considered the top two independent schools, with strong college placement and the most established reputations. Regents School of Austin is the top choice for families seeking a classical Christian education. Rankings depend on what you value - class size, philosophy, athletics, arts, or college outcomes.

How much does private school cost in Austin?

As of Q1 2026, tuition ranges from $12,000-$18,000/year (Austin Waldorf, lower grades) to $35,000-$45,000+/year (St. Stephen's day program). Most luxury-market families spend $25,000-$35,000 per child per year. Financial aid is available at most schools, typically awarded based on demonstrated need.

Should I buy in a good school zone if my kids attend private school?

It depends on your priorities. Buying in a top public school zone (Eanes ISD, Casis zone) provides a safety net if plans change and supports resale value. But you will pay 15-25% more for comparable homes. If private school is definite, neighborhoods with lower-rated public schools can offer significantly more value.

The Keenan Group works with both public and private school families, helping you weigh commute logistics, neighborhood tradeoffs, and timing. We maintain relationships with admission counselors at the major Austin private schools and can coordinate your home search with enrollment timelines.

Ready to take the next step? Get a home valuation if you are considering selling, explore buyer resources if you are searching, or review the Keenan Group's track record across 1,000+ Austin transactions.