Sewickley Academy ranked No. 1 in Pittsburgh area among college prep private high schools

Sewickley Academy has been named a “Best College Prep Private High School” in Niche’s 2027 Best Private High Schools list, placing No. 1 in the Pittsburgh area and Allegheny County and No. 7 in Pennsylvania.

“The preparation of our students for college is one of the clearest reflections of a Sewickley Academy education,” said Head of School Dr. Ashley Birtwell. “Today’s ranking validates the efforts of our college counseling deans, combined with our rigorous academic programs and the commitment of our students, families, faculty, and staff.”

Nationally, Sewickley Academy climbed 231 spots in this year’s rankings, earning a nationwide rank of 445 out of 4,672 schools evaluated. The Academy also maintained its longstanding A+ Best Private High Schools grade.

Other prominent rankings for the Academy include the No. 2 spot for “Best Private High School,” “Best Private K-12 School,” and “Best High School for STEM” in both Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh area. Sewickley Academy also ranked in the top 10 in Pennsylvania, placing No. 8 as a “Best High School for STEM” among 261 high schools evaluated.

“We are incredibly proud to see our Senior School recognized regionally and statewide for college prep and STEM,” said Andrew Gilhooly, head of Senior School and assistant head of school. “We pride ourselves not only on providing students with a college-ready academic environment but also on helping them find the ‘right-fit’ school. This is evident in the dedication of our college and academic advising deans, who work closely and diligently with our students and their families, as well as the expert faculty members leading our academic programs.”

Released today, Niche’s Best Private High Schools ranking methodology is based on a collection of data from the U.S. Department of Education, various school accrediting agencies and information submitted by schools directly. Test scores, college data and ratings from users also carry weight in scoring.

New for 2027, Niche added factors such as accreditation, endowment per student, instructional spend ratio and tuition value, among others, to capture aspects of school quality in more comprehensive ways.

For more information, explore the 2027 Niche rankings or view Sewickley Academy’s Niche profile.

Founded in 1838, Sewickley Academy is Pittsburgh’s oldest coeducational, college-preparatory, independent school. Sewickley Academy distinguishes itself by offering personalized attention with talented faculty and small class sizes, one campus integrating students from Junior Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, and leadership opportunities across academics, athletics and the arts. For more information, visit sewickley.org.

Trusted by over 70 million people annually, Niche is the country’s leading college and school search platform. With products like Niche Market Intelligence, Niche Engage and Niche Direct Admissions®, we provide over 3,500 higher education and K-12 partners with the tools and support they need to build and shape their future classes. For over 20 years, Niche has been a trusted resource for students and families alike, and we remain dedicated to modernizing, personalizing and simplifying the education journey.