Private School Universe Survey (PSS)
Publications & Products| Data Tools | Staff

Back Arrow List of Tables Download Excel Excel format (18 KB)
Download SE Excel Excel format (19 KB)

Table 16. Number and percentage distribution of private schools, by school level and selected characteristics: United States, 2015–16

  School level
  Total Elementary   Secondary   Combined
Selected Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent   Number   Percent
Total 34,576   100.0   21,907   100.0   2,946   100.0   9,723   100.0
                               
Private school typology                              
Catholic 7,008   20.3   5,566   25.4   993   33.7   449   4.6
Parochial 2,734   7.9   2,558   11.7   109   3.7   68   0.7
Diocesan 3,129   9.0   2,499   11.4   472   16.0   158   1.6
Private 1,145   3.3   509   2.3   412   14.0   223   2.3
                               
Other religious 16,264   47.0   9,107   41.6   995   33.8   6,163   63.4
Conservative Christian 4,154   12.0   1,322   6.0   150   5.1   2,682   27.6
Other affiliated 3,156   9.1   1,768   8.1   301   10.2   1,088   11.2
Unaffiliated 8,954   25.9   6,017   27.5   544   18.5   2,393   24.6
                               
Nonsectarian 11,304   32.7   7,234   33.0   959   32.5   3,111   32.0
Regular 5,287   15.3   3,644   16.6   434   14.7   1,209   12.4
Special emphasis 4,408   12.7   3,349   15.3   284   9.7   774   8.0
Special education 1,610   4.7   241   1.1   240   8.1   1,128   11.6
                               
Program emphasis                              
Regular elementary/secondary 23,524   68.0   14,240   65.0   2,190   74.3   7,094   73.0
Montessori 3,449   10.0   3,099   14.1   ‡   ‡   328   3.4
Special program emphasis 1,017   2.9   472   2.2   102   3.4   444 ! 4.6
Special education 1,857   5.4   299   1.4   254   8.6   1,304   13.4
Vocational/technical ‡   ‡   ‡   ‡   ‡   ‡   ‡   ‡
Alternative 1,147   3.3   248   1.1   368   12.5   531   5.5
Early childhood 3,563   10.3   3,542   16.2   †   †   ‡   ‡
                               
Size (number of students)                              
Less than 50 15,993   46.3   11,572   52.8   903   30.6   3,519   36.2
50–149 8,293   24.0   5,019   22.9   660   22.4   2,613   26.9
150–299 5,692   16.5   3,576   16.3   466   15.8   1,650   17.0
300–499 2,514   7.3   1,319   6.0   380   12.9   816   8.4
500–749 1,288   3.7   364   1.7   280   9.5   644   6.6
750 or more 796   2.3   58   0.3   258   8.7   481   4.9
                               
Region                              
Northeast 7,771   22.5   5,043   23.0   922   31.3   1,807   18.6
Midwest 8,985   26.0   6,632   30.3   645   21.9   1,708   17.6
South 11,328   32.8   5,768   26.3   777   26.4   4,783   49.2
West 6,491   18.8   4,465   20.4   602   20.4   1,425   14.7
                               
Urbanicity type                              
City 11,476   33.2   7,342   33.5   1,217   41.3   2,917   30.0
Suburban 12,662   36.6   8,551   39.0   930   31.6   3,181   32.7
Town 2,900   8.4   1,781   8.1   198   6.7   921   9.5
Rural 7,539   21.8   4,233   19.3   601   20.4   2,704   27.8
† Not applicable.
! 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 12 (or comparable ungraded levels).
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2015–16.

Back Arrow List of Tables Download Excel Excel format (18 KB)
Download SE Excel Excel format (19 KB)