Table 2. Number and percentage distribution of private schools, students, and full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers, by religious or nonsectarian orientation of school: United States, 2017

Private School Universe Survey (PSS)

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Table 2. Number and percentage distribution of private schools, students, and full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers, by religious or nonsectarian orientation of school: United States, 2017–18


Religious or nonsectarian orientation	Schools				Students				FTE teachers
Religious or nonsectarian orientation	Number		Percent		Number		Percent		Number	Percent
Total	32,461		100.0		4,898,154		100.0		482,325	100.0

Religious orientation	21,548		66.4		3,819,450		78.0		335,764	69.6
Roman Catholic	7,047		21.7		1,961,673		40.0		152,901	31.7
African Methodist Episcopal	223		0.7		46,861		1.0		4,229	0.9
Amish	1,474		4.5		45,277		0.9		2,561	0.5
Assembly of God	333		1.0		40,335		0.8		3,894	0.8
Baptist	1,727		5.3		172,912		3.5		18,474	3.8

Brethren	50		0.2		3,612		0.1		417	0.1
Calvinist	93		0.3		19,459		0.4		1,565	0.3
Christian (unspecified)	4,545		14.0		693,387		14.2		66,062	13.7
Church of Christ	191	!	0.6	!	22,611		0.5		2,096	0.4
Church of God	85		0.3		8,033		0.2		705	0.1

Church of God in Christ	‡		‡		‡		‡		‡	‡
Church of the Nazarene	65		0.2		5,327		0.1		543	0.1
Disciples of Christ	‡		‡		‡		‡		‡	‡
Episcopal	352		1.1		106,544		2.2		13,080	2.7
Friends	74		0.2		18,233		0.4		2,524	0.5

Greek Orthodox	28		0.1		2,948		0.1		346	0.1
Islamic	251		0.8		39,292		0.8		4,624	1.0
Jewish	967		3.0		284,757		5.8		29,455	6.1
Latter Day Saints	‡		‡		‡		‡		‡	‡
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod	929		2.9		111,925		2.3		9,169	1.9

Evangelical Lutheran Church In America	109		0.3		9,425		0.2		971	0.2
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod	391		1.2		29,633		0.6		2,533	0.5
Other Lutheran	54		0.2		4,106		0.1		455	0.1
Mennonite	770		2.4		45,385	!	0.9	!	4,393	0.9
Methodist	299		0.9		20,130		0.4		1,701	0.4

Pentecostal	279		0.9		15,511		0.3		1,645	0.3
Presbyterian	196		0.6		26,909		0.5		2,834	0.6
Seventh-Day Adventist	717		2.2		48,713		1.0		4,189	0.9
Other	278		0.9		33,846		0.7		4,147	0.9
Nonsectarian	10,913		33.6		1,078,704		22.0		146,561	30.4
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent (i.e. the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. There are fewer than 15 sample cases.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding or missing values in cells with too few sample cases. These estimates include private schools that provide instruction for one or more of grades kindergarten through twelve (or comparable ungraded levels).
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2017–18.

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