PORTLAND, Ore. — The 2024 roster of top 25 private schools in Portland, as compiled by the Pittsburgh researcher Niche.com, includes at least 14 institutions that charge at least five digits, or $10,000, in yearly tuition.
There's one school, though, that charges at least five digits less than that, and that Niche.com considers a private school. Rosemary Anderson, in North Portland, is a tuition-free, community-based organization that's aligned with Portland Public Schools and other public districts.
It hit the top 25 by virtue of its A-minus grade, accorded for, among other factors, its success in sending students to the next level: A full 98% of Rosemary Anderson graduates go on to attend a four-year college, according to Niche.com.
It also earned high marks in the diversity, academics and sports categories. Among all private high schools in Multnomah County, Rosemary Anderson ranked seventh.
The Business Journal periodically takes a look at Niche.com's school ratings. Such scores help parents decide where to move as they seek quality education options. Top-performing schools can also enhance the quality of life within their neighborhoods.
The List below reveals the top 25 private schools in the Portland area. Niche.com bases its ratings on such factors as test scores, college data and ratings assigned by parents and teachers. While many schools share the same grade, the ranking is based on the weights assigned to each grade category. For private schools, most of the data is self-reported, as such institutions aren't required to report to the Department of Education.
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The grade is weighted on the following factors:
- The "College Score Average,: which tracks "students are most interested in or go on to attend" college, comprises 32.6% of the grade.
- The percentage of seniors who go on to four-year colleges, culled from National Center for Education Statistics, makes up 21.2% of the grade.
- The "Culture & Diversity," "overall experience" and student-teacher ratios each contribute 15.4% to the grade.
The Portland Business Journal, a KGW News partner, has the full list of the top 25 private schools in the Portland area here.
