Janine Davis

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Immigration volunteers (L), give advice during a Citizenship Application Assistance Day event on March 23, 2013 in New York City. More than 150 legal immigrants, all with green cards, turned out for the event at La Guardia Community College in the Queens borough of New York City. The event was sponsored by CUNY Citizenship Now!, an immigrant advocacy organization in the City University of New York. CUNY expects to greatly expand the program if national immigration reform passes. At Citizenship Application Assistance Day events, volunteers, including immigration attorneys, help immigrants with the complicated process of becoming U.S. citizens. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

The Queen City is a thriving one with close to 100 new people moving here every day. Why is Charlotte so popular? There are a number of reasons. First, it’s a major banking hub and home to a number of financial institutions, so the jobs are here.  They don’t call Charlotte the “Wall Street of the South” for nothing.

Secondly, the neighborhoods. They are quaint and modern. And did I mention the food scene?  It’s a unique blend of cultures from classic American to Indian, Ethiopian to Italian, and the list goes on. Charlotte’s culinary scene is rich. And speaking of rich — that brings me to the third reason for Charlotte’s popularity. Families are attracted to the rich schools here as well.

How ‘rich’ you ask? Some of these schools’ tuition is unbelievable, not to mention some of the perks included with a student’s enrollment. According to Private School Review, there are an average of 828 private schools in North Carolina; 96 of those are located in Charlotte.  The majority of these private schools cater to students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. The tuition fees vary at each school and can depend on the grade level of the child.

The term “richest” schools can be somewhat subjective. The “Moms Who Thick” article refers to different aspects like funding, facilities, academic resources, and the socioeconomic backgrounds of students and their families. The comprehensive list below is some of the most prestigious and well-established private schools in Charlotte, from pre-kindergarten to college.

 

  • Charlotte Country Day, 1440 Carmel Road

    If offers classes from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. It’s currently the largest private school in the state with over 1,700 students. The student/teacher ratio 8:1. One of the original characteristics of this school is it is the only school in Charlotte with a separate campus for middle school students. It’s designed to support them during these transitional years.

    Grade Tuition
    Junior Kindergarten $21,185
    Kindergarten $22,220
    Grades 1–4 $26,280
    Grades 5–8 $28,295
    Grades 9–12 $29,480

    Table source: Charlotte Country Day

  • Charlotte Latin School, 9502 Providence Road

    This school sits on a beautiful 128-acre campus.  Founded in 1970, it offers a comprehensive academic program from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Students receive challenging courses, including honors and Advanced Placement (AP) options. The school has won many accolades for it award-winning art and writing programs.

    There are a little over 1,500 students on campus with the student/teacher ratio 9:1.

    Grade Tuition
    Kindergarten $22,550
    Grades 1 – 5 $27,550
    Grades 6 – 8 $30,200
    Grades 9 – 12 $31,300

    Tuition table source: Charlotte Latin

  • Providence Day School, 5800 Sardis Road

    This is a college preparatory school that serves pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Approximately 1,174 students attend this private school and the average class size is eight students for every teacher. Providence Day School currently sits at number two on the list of best PK-12 private schools in North Carolina.

    Grade Tuition
    Transitional Kindergarten $21,890
    Kindergarten $24,035
    Grades 1 – 5 $28,285
    Grades 6 – 12 $31,175

    Tuition table source: Providence Day School

  • Charlotte Christian School, 7301 Sardis Road

    This school’s mission is to provide a Christ-centered education that prepares students to excel academically, grow spiritually, and develop leadership qualities. It was founded in 1950 and serves pre-school through 12th grade.

    The school  has a little over 1,100 students and offers a dedicated robotics and STEM lab, enrichment classes, after-school clubs, and 22 Advanced Placement (AP) and college-level courses. It’s robotics team participated in the 2022 World Robotic Championships. In addition to academics, the school has a large athletic program that includes swimming, soccer just to name a few.

    Grade Tuition
    JK/Kindergarten $18,000
    Grades 1-5 $19,995
    Grades 6-8 $21,275
    Grades 9-12 $23,755

    Tuition table source: Charlotte Christian School

  • The Fletcher School, 8500 Sardis Road

    This private school is a well-respected independent school empowering students with specific learning differences (SLD) or learning disabilities. Established in 1982, the school offers specialized educational programs tailored to meet the unique needs of its students.

    There is one caveat to attend Fletcher. Students must have a diagnosis of a specific learning disability and/or ADHD and demonstrate above-average intelligence. Class sizes are small with roughly a 6:1 student ratio.

    Fletcher School structures its tuition a little differently from the previously mentioned private schools.

    • Application Fee: – $320 (non-refundable)
    • Enrollment Fee – $800 (non-refundable)
    • Tuition for Grades K-5 – $27,600
    • Tuition for Grades 6-12 – $29,100
  • Queens University of Charlotte, 1900 Selwyn Avenue

    Queens University was initially founded as a women’s college in 1857. It currently has approximately  2,300 students. Female students make up 64% of the student population. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors and 10 graduate programs. The more popular programs are the school’s health or business programs.  Seventy-seven percent of classes average twenty or less students. And over half of the students live on the 95-acre campus.

    Tuition: $40,790

  • Johnson & Wales University, 801 West Trade Street

    This private university is known or its flagship program of culinary arts. However, it offers a variety of undergraduate programs in areas such as business administration, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, event management, and entertainment management. Students receive hands-on training and experience in the university’s state-of-the-art culinary facilities that includes specialized labs, kitchens, and classrooms. Finally, the Wildcat Center is a 33,000-foot facility that houses student organizations and a comprehensive fitness center.

    Some 1,400 students attend the university. Regarding academics, the university maintains a student-faculty ratio of 15:1, and over 60% of its classes have fewer than 20 students.

    Tuition: $39,792

  • Davidson College, 405 N. Main Street

    This is a private liberal arts college located in Davidson, North Carolina, about 20 miles north of Charlotte. It offers students the best of both worlds in terms of environment. It sits on an exclusive 110-acre location on Lake Norman, where students hike, canoe, and kayak.

    Davidson focuses on a personalized education and close faculty-student interactions with small classes. Davidson offers students a unique study abroad program. Their athletics are top-notch. Davidson College has a Division I athletic program, especially its men’s basketball team. They actively compete in the NCAA Division/ Atlantic 10 Conference.

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