Two California private high schools have secured spots in the top 10 of Niche’s annual rankings, breaking into a list long dominated by prestigious prep schools on the East Coast.
Harvard-Westlake School ranked No. 7, while Stanford Online High School came in at No. 10 on Niche’s “2027 Best Private High Schools in America” list.
Harvard-Westlake is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory school serving approximately 1,600 students in grades 7 through 12. Its middle and high school divisions operate on separate campuses, with students in grades 7 through 9 attending middle school and those in grades 10 through 12 attending high school.
The middle school campus is in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills neighborhood, while the high school campus is in Studio City, roughly seven miles away.
Stanford Online High School enrolls about 1,000 students in grades 7 through 12. The highly selective institution operates under Stanford University and delivers its classes online.
EXPLORE MORE: RHOBH Star Dorit Kemsley Claims Estranged Husband PK Controlled Their Finances
Although the school is virtual, students can participate in clubs and student government. Stanford Online High School also organizes in-person social gatherings, including Homecoming events held at Stanford’s main campus in Palo Alto and in other major cities.
Harvard-Westlake’s tuition is $54,900 for the 2026-2027 academic year. Stanford Online High School charges $31,900 for full-time students.
Phillips Academy Andover, located in Andover, Massachusetts, took the No. 1 spot. Founded in 1778, the college-preparatory school is the oldest incorporated academy in the United States.
Harvard-Westlake’s strong showing in the rankings comes as the Southern California school faces major controversy this year.
According to court documents filed in June, a Harvard-Westlake water polo player allegedly told a Jewish teammate to “die in an oven” while using antisemitic slurs. The player was also accused of racism and sexually assaulting another teammate.
Lucca van der Woude, the son of a Hollywood director, was accused of sexually assaulting two teammates and reportedly referring to a Black teammate using the “N-word.”