Private School Universe Survey (PSS)



Table 4. Number and percentage distribution of private schools, by urbanicity type and selected school characteristics: United States, 2017–18
 
Selected school
characteristic
Total   City   Suburban   Town   Rural
Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent
Total 32,461   100.0   10,531   100.0   12,152   100.0   2,754   100.0   7,024   100.0
                     
Private school typology                     
Catholic 7,047   21.7   2,832   26.9   2,658   21.9   1,025   37.2   532   7.6
Parochial 2,422   7.5   939   8.9   861   7.1   430   15.6   192   2.7
Diocesan 3,477   10.7   1,348   12.8   1,380   11.4   544   19.8   204   2.9
Private 1,148   3.5   544   5.2   418   3.4   50   1.8   136   1.9
                      
Other religious 14,501   44.7   3,906   37.1   4,423   36.4   1,182   42.9   4,990   71.0
Conservative Christian 3,782   11.7   922   8.8   1,404   11.6   495   18.0   961   13.7
Other affiliated 2,982   9.2   1,163   11.0   981   8.1   229   8.3   609   8.7
Unaffiliated 7,737   23.8   1,821   17.3   2,038   16.8   458   16.6   3,420   48.7
                      
Nonsectarian 10,913   33.6   3,793   36.0   5,070   41.7   548   19.9   1,502   21.4
Regular 4,250   13.1   1,554   14.8   1,944   16.0   183   6.6   569   8.1
Special emhasis   4,889   15.1   1,610   15.3   2,300   18.9   313   11.4   665   9.5
Special education 1,774   5.5   628   6.0   826   6.8   53   1.9   267   3.8
                     
School level                              
Elementary 20,090   61.9   6,534   62.0   7,884   64.9   1,654   60.1   4,018   57.2
Secondary 2,845   8.8   1,125   10.7   988   8.1   191   6.9   541   7.7
Combined 9,526   29.3   2,873   27.3   3,280   27.0   909   33.0   2,465   35.1
                     
Program emphasis
                    
Regular elementary/secondary 22,088   68.0   7,023   66.7   7,167   59.0   2,202   79.9   5,696   81.1
Montessori 3,053   9.4   993   9.4   1,401   11.5   230 ! 8.3 ! 428 ! 6.1 !
Special program emphasis  1,042   3.2   425   4.0   352   2.9   59   2.2   206   2.9
Special education 1,979   6.1   694   6.6   931   7.7   60   2.2   294   4.2
Vocational/technical  22   0.1                
Alternative 2,245   6.9   666   6.3   1,167   9.6   125   4.5   288   4.1
Early childhood 2,031   6.3   718   6.8   1,128   9.3   76   2.8   108 ! 1.5 !
                     
Size (number of students)                    
Less than 50 13,969   43.0   3,365   32.0   5,135   42.3   899   32.6   4,570   65.1
50-149 8,172   25.2   2,555   24.3   2,929   24.1   1,164   42.3   1,523   21.7
150-299 5,727   17.6   2,408   22.9   2,142   17.6   537   19.5   640   9.1
300-499 2,594   8.0   1,169   11.1   1,131   9.3   112   4.1   182   2.6
500-749 1,154   3.6   539   5.1   503   4.1   32   1.2   79   1.1
750 or more 845   2.6   494   4.7   311   2.6       29   0.4
                     
Region                    
Northeast 7,007   21.6   1,678   15.9   3,197   26.3   386   14.0   1,745   24.8
Midwest  7,937   24.5   2,155   20.5   2,273   18.7   1,155   41.9   2,354   33.5
South  11,156   34.4   3,795   36.0   4,445   36.6   760   27.6   2,157   30.7
West 6,360   19.6   2,903   27.6   2,236   18.4   453   16.4   768   10.9
! 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.