For the 2026 school year, there are 16 college-prep and junior boarding schools serving 4,982 students located throughout California.
You can also browse our full boarding school directory or specify additional search criteria.
Top California Boarding Schools (2026)
School
Location
Quick Facts
2605 Carlsbad Blvd.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(888) 762-2338
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(888) 762-2338
Gr: 7-12 | 275 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Acceptance rate: 73% Tuition listed
2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd.
Danville, CA 94506
(925) 362-7223
Danville, CA 94506
(925) 362-7223
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 535 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Avg. class size: 15 students Tuition listed
8585 Ojai Santa Paula Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-4343
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-4343
Gr: 9-12, PG | 100 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 8 students Acceptance rate: 50% Tuition listed
Cate School
(19)
1960 Cate Mesa Road, P.O. Box 5005
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 684-4127
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 684-4127
Gr: 9-12 | 311 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 17% Tuition listed
P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(800) 287-9197
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(800) 287-9197
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 249 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 45% Tuition listed
1505 E Howard St.
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 507-9223
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 507-9223
Gr: 9-12 | 265 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 13 students Acceptance rate: 85% Tuition listed
52500 Temecula Road
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 468-7223
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 468-7223
Gr: 9-12, PG | 320 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Acceptance rate: 65% Tuition listed
255 Olympic Valley Road | P.O. Box 2180
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(245) 582-8690
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(245) 582-8690
Gr: 9-12, PG | 70 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 7 students Acceptance rate: 80% Tuition listed
Midland School
(4)
PO Box 8 / 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-5114
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-5114
Gr: 9-12 | 82 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 10 students Acceptance rate: 40% Tuition listed
723 El Paseo Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-1423
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-1423
Gr: 3-12 | PK-12 (day) | 300 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Acceptance rate: 64% Tuition listed
1500 Butterfield Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
(415) 258-1990
San Anselmo, CA 94960
(415) 258-1990
Gr: 9-12 | K-12 (day) | 680 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Avg. class size: 18 students Tuition listed
1500 Mark Thomas Drive
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 655-9356
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 655-9356
Gr: 9-12 | 200 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 11 students Tuition listed
Stevenson School
(11)
3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8309
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8309
Gr: 9-12 | PK-12 (day) | 510 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Avg. class size: 12 students Tuition listed
The Thacher School
(26)
5025 Thacher Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
Gr: 9-12 | 255 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 11 students Acceptance rate: 16% Tuition listed
The Webb Schools
(29)
1175 West Baseline Road
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 482-5214
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 482-5214
Gr: 9-12 | 405 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Avg. class size: 14 students Acceptance rate: 17% Tuition listed
302 Portola Road
Portola Valley, CA 94028
(650) 851-8223
Portola Valley, CA 94028
(650) 851-8223
Gr: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 425 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Avg. class size: 13 students Acceptance rate: 30% Tuition listed
Frequently Asked Questions
How many boarding schools are located in California?
There are 16 college-preparatory boarding schools located in California.
What is the average tuition cost of boarding school in California?
The average California boarding school tuition cost is $76,270 per year.
What is the oldest boarding school in California?
San Domenico School, founded in 1850, is the oldest boarding school in California.
What boarding school in California has the lowest acceptance rates?
The Thacher School has the lowest boarding school acceptance rate (16%) in California.
What boarding school in California has the highest average SAT scores?
The Webb Schools has the highest average SAT scores (1510) in California.
Which boarding schools in California are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of boarding schools in California include: The Thacher School vs. Cate School, Woodside Priory School (Priory) vs. Stevenson School, The Webb Schools vs. Cate School
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