School library · California boarding schools

Top 10 California Boarding High Schools

The top 10 schools in the Niche 2027 ranking of California boarding high schools. Each has a full profile: boarding and day tuition, entrance exams, application dates, international student policy, college outcomes and distance from Irvine.

10
boarding schools
$62,750–$97,800
boarding tuition range per year
30.7
miles: The Webb Schools is closest to Irvine
10
state they enroll international students
Numbers are Niche ranks; the yellow dot is Irvine; schools inside the dashed box are enlarged below. Positions by latitude and longitude on a simplified state outline.

The Top 10 California Boarding High Schools

  1. #1Cate SchoolCarpinteria, CA · 107 mi from Irvine9-12$87,340 / yrSSAT or ISEEInternational studentsCate School, founded in 1910, enrolls 313 students, 79% of them boarders. Boarding tuition for 2026-27 is $87,340, and applications close on January 15.
  2. #2The Thacher SchoolOjai, CA · 94 mi from Irvine9-12$84,000 / yrSSAT or ISEEInternational studentsThe Thacher School, founded in 1889, enrolls 231 boarders and 30 day students in 2026-27, admitted 17% of applicants for fall 2026, and charges $84,000 for boarding.
  3. #4Woodside Priory SchoolPortola Valley, CA · 355 mi from Irvine6-12$97,800 / yrSTAR testInternational studentsWoodside Priory School is a Catholic Benedictine school founded in 1957 for grades 6-12, with boarding in grades 9-12; 2026-27 boarding tuition and fees total $98,400.
  4. #5The Webb SchoolsClaremont, CA · 31 mi from Irvine9-12$87,430 / yrNot requiredInternational studentsThe Webb Schools, founded in 1922, serves grades 9-12 with 405 students, 65% boarding; its two schools became one in 2024-25, and 2026-27 boarding tuition is $87,430.
  5. #7Midland SchoolLos Olivos, CA · 148 mi from Irvine9-12$83,900 / yrSSAT or ISEEInternational studentsFounded in 1932, Midland School had 71 students in 2025-26, all boarding, with a 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio; 2026-27 tuition is $83,900 and applications are due February 15.
  6. #8Santa Catalina SchoolMonterey, CA · 304 mi from IrvinePK-12$79,300 / yrSSAT or ISEEInternational studentsFounded in 1950, Santa Catalina School enrolls 247 Upper School girls, 133 of them boarding, with an average class of 14; 2026-27 boarding tuition is $79,300 and regular applications close February 1.
  7. #9Southwestern AcademySan Marino, CA · 35 mi from Irvine6-12,PG$62,750 / yrNo SSAT requiredInternational studentsSouthwestern Academy is a coed boarding and day school in San Marino for grades 6-12 and PG, with about 100 students, $62,750 boarding tuition and no SSAT requirement.
  8. #10Oaks Christian SchoolWestlake Village, CA · 65 mi from IrvineTK-12$80,240 / yrNWEA MAP GrowthInternational studentsOaks Christian School is a TK-12 Christian school in Westlake Village with more than 1,870 students and a boarding program; 2026-27 tuition plus boarding fee is $80,240.
  9. #11Flintridge Sacred Heart AcademyLa Cañada Flintridge, CA · 40 mi from Irvine9-12$78,500 / yrNot considered for day applicantsInternational studentsFlintridge Sacred Heart Academy is a Catholic Dominican girls' high school founded in 1931, with 390 students; 2026-27 boarding costs $78,500 and applications close January 15, 2027.
  10. #14Villanova Preparatory SchoolOjai, CA · 97 mi from Irvine6-12$77,500 / yrNot requiredInternational studentsVillanova Preparatory School, founded in 1924 in the Augustinian Catholic tradition, enrolls grades 6-12, offers boarding only in high school, and is test-optional.

California Boarding High Schools Top 10 at a Glance

Niche rankSchoolCityGradesBoarding tuitionStudentsEntrance examFrom Irvine
1Cate SchoolCarpinteria9-12$87,340313SSAT or ISEE (PSAT, SAT or ACT for grade 11)106.9 mi
2The Thacher SchoolOjai9-12$84,000261SSAT or ISEE (PSAT also accepted for grades 10 and 11)94.3 mi
4Woodside Priory SchoolPortola Valley6-12$97,800436STAR test (arranged by the school, online for boarding applicants); SSAT or ISEE scores also accepted354.7 mi
5The Webb SchoolsClaremont9-12$87,430405Not required (test-blind; the school does not consider standardized entrance tests)30.7 mi
7Midland SchoolLos Olivos9-12$83,90071SSAT or ISEE (test-optional)148.1 mi
8Santa Catalina SchoolMontereyPK-12$79,300247SSAT or ISEE (optional)304.1 mi
9Southwestern AcademySan Marino6-12,PG$62,750100No SSAT required; non-native English speakers applying to grades 11 and 12 need TOEFL 76+ or Duolingo 110+34.5 mi
10Oaks Christian SchoolWestlake VillageTK-12$80,2401,870NWEA MAP Growth (grades 3-12); international and boarding applicants whose home language is not English also submit English proficiency results65.1 mi
11Flintridge Sacred Heart AcademyLa Cañada Flintridge9-12$78,500390Not considered for day applicants; boarding applicants apply through SAO, and the website does not state an SSAT requirement39.9 mi
14Villanova Preparatory SchoolOjai6-12$77,500266Not required (test-optional); SSAT or HSPT may be submitted for merit scholarships only97.1 mi

Tuition is each school’s published boarding tuition for the current year, before fees and financial aid; distances are straight-line from central Irvine.

How to Read the California Boarding Schools Top 10

List and ranks from Niche 2027

Niche's California boarding ranking combines student and parent reviews, college outcomes and student-teacher ratio. As of 2026-10-07, Niche's list goes from #2 straight to #4 with no #3, This page lists only schools still admitting new grade 9 boarders for 2027-28, so it skips #6 Ronald Reagan Secondary School (a day school per its 2026-27 profile), #12 The Athenian School (boarding ends with the Class of 2029) and #13 Sierra Canyon School (no boarding on its admission pages). The ten here are Niche #1, #2, #4, #5, #7 through #11 and #14.

Applications cluster in mid-January

Most boarding schools close applications in mid-January and release decisions around March 10, with grade 9 as the main entry year. Each school profile lists its own dates, tests and interviews.

The SSAT is the usual test

California boarding schools generally accept the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test), and some also accept the ISEE. EDUBUS SSAT prep

For the leading East Coast schools, see Boarding Schools; for the application process, see the boarding school application guide.

Sources11 sources · checked 2026-10-07

List and ranks from Niche; school facts from each school website, with full sources on each profile page.

  1. niche.com/k12/search/best-boarding-high-schools/s/california
  2. cate.org
  3. thacher.org
  4. prioryca.org
  5. webb.org
  6. midland-school.org
  7. santacatalina.org
  8. southwesternacademy.edu
  9. oakschristian.org
  10. fsha.org
  11. villanovaprep.org

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