Number and percentage distribution of private schools, students, and full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers, by religious or nonsectarian orientation of school: United States, 2019

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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, 2019–20


Religious or nonsectarian orientation	Schools				Students		FTE teachers
Religious or nonsectarian orientation	Number		Percent		Number	Percent	Number		Percent
Total	30,492		100.0		4,652,904	100.0	481,200		100.0

Religious orientation	20,241		66.4		3,555,570	76.4	325,971		67.7
Roman Catholic	6,449		21.2		1,742,968	37.5	139,996		29.1
African Methodist Episcopal	‡		‡		‡	‡	‡		‡
Amish	1,408		4.6		42,208	0.9	2,480		0.5
Assembly of God	198		0.7		27,945	0.6	2,577		0.5
Baptist	1,763		5.8		198,097	4.3	20,387		4.2

Brethren	49		0.2		4,578	0.1	433		0.1
Calvinist	108		0.4		27,719	0.6	2,246		0.5
Christian (unspecified)	4,451		14.6		697,175	15.0	69,837		14.5
Church of Christ	121		0.4		24,779	0.5	2,273		0.5
Church of God	57		0.2		8,257	0.2	722		0.1

Church of God in Christ	‡		‡		‡	‡	‡		‡
Church of the Nazarene	49		0.2		5,205	0.1	489		0.1
Disciples of Christ	‡		‡		‡	‡	‡		‡
Episcopal	386		1.3		102,024	2.2	13,444		2.8
Friends	79		0.3		17,989	0.4	2,481		0.5

Greek Orthodox	41	!	0.1	!	4,140	0.1	474	!	0.1	!
Islamic	284		0.9		43,420	0.9	5,303		1.1
Jewish	1,067		3.5		264,895	5.7	31,000		6.4
Latter Day Saints	‡		‡		‡	‡	‡		‡
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod	942		3.1		118,178	2.5	9,990		2.1

Evangelical Lutheran Church In America	102		0.3		8,514	0.2	829		0.2
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod	318		1.0		31,846	0.7	2,518		0.5
Other Lutheran	71		0.2		4,777	0.1	438		0.1
Mennonite	474		1.6		25,445	0.5	2,533		0.5
Methodist	306		1.0		14,258	0.3	1,910		0.4

Pentecostal	314		1.0		20,906	0.4	2,211		0.5
Presbyterian	207		0.7		37,282	0.8	3,697		0.8
Seventh-Day Adventist	724		2.4		48,370	1.0	3,742		0.8
Other	232		0.8		30,685	0.7	3,547		0.7

Nonsectarian	10,251		33.6		1,097,334	23.6	155,229		32.3
# Rounds to zero.
! 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 which 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), 2019–20.

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