Best Private Schools in Denver for Luxury Home Buyers
Best Denver private schools for luxury home buyers - Kent Denver, Colorado Academy, St. Mary's, Graland tuition 2026, admissions timing, and how school choice drives Hilltop/Cherry Hills purchases.
The 2026 Denver investment thesis
For Denver luxury home buyers with school-age children, the school decision often dictates the neighborhood decision - and the neighborhood decision dictates the property - not the other way around. Denver's top private schools cluster geographically in a tight 8-mile radius around Cherry Hills Village, Hilltop, and Polo Club, with Kent Denver ($43,250 for 2026 - 27), Colorado Academy ($37,990 for Grades K - 5 and $41,550 for Grades 6 - 12), Graland Country Day ($34,365 lower school, $37,635 middle school), St. Mary's Academy ($29,400 - $31,800 depending on grade), Denver Academy (~$36,560 specialized learning), and the Catholic options Regis Jesuit ($27,150) and Mullen High School ($22,500) anchoring the upper tier. For families relocating to Denver, the practical question isn't "which school is best" - it's which school accepts your child, which neighborhood feeds it efficiently, and which combination fits the family's actual life. This guide breaks down each top private school's 2026 tuition, admissions cadence, neighborhood fit, and the practical math of how school choice drives Cherry Hills Village, Hilltop, Polo Club, Greenwood Village, and Bow Mar buying decisions. After two decades of guiding Denver luxury relocations, I can say without hesitation: the school conversation determines the home search for the majority of HNW families with school-age children. Get it right and the neighborhood selects itself. Get it wrong and you'll be moving again in 18 months. This article is what I tell relocating clients before we ever look at a house.
The Honest Public-vs-Private Framing First
Before diving into private schools, the framing question: do you actually need private? The Cherry Creek School District - confusingly named, but it serves Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, and Centennial (not the Cherry Creek Denver neighborhood) - is one of the top-rated public districts in Colorado. Cherry Creek High School ranks in the top 5% of Colorado high schools, with 68% of students proficient in math (vs. 33% state average) and 85% proficient in reading (vs. 45% state average). It's ranked #1 in the district and #15 in the state by US News. The feeder schools (Cottonwood Creek, Belleview Elementary, Cherry Hills Elementary, West Middle) are also strong. The result: a meaningful subset of Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village families opt for public school exclusively. They are not compromising. Cherry Creek High School genuinely competes with the top tier of Denver private schools on academic outcomes, and surpasses them on athletic and extracurricular breadth. Denver Public Schools is more variable. East High School's IB program is nationally recognized, George Washington's magnet programs are strong, and several K - 8 charters perform well. But the variability is real, and the bulk of luxury families in Hilltop, Wash Park, LoDo, and Cherry Creek (the Denver neighborhood) supplement or fully opt into private. The decision is genuinely two-way. Don't default to private without honestly evaluating the public option in the specific neighborhood you're considering.
The Top Denver Private Schools - 2026 Profiles
The schools below are the institutions that consistently anchor HNW Denver private school decisions. Tuition figures are confirmed 2026 numbers from each school's published rates. Verify directly with each school's admissions office for any decision-grade numbers.
Kent Denver School
Grades: 6 - 12 (Middle School + Upper School) 2026 - 27 Tuition: $43,250 Additional fees: $360 (Grades 6 - 8), $300 (Grades 9 - 12) Location: Cherry Hills Village (technically Englewood mailing address; the campus sits at the south end of Cherry Hills Village) Application deadline: Mid-to-late January Admissions cadence: Decisions typically released early-to-mid March Acceptance rate: Not publicly disclosed; widely understood to be selective at the Upper School entry points Kent Denver is the most prestigious 6 - 12 private school in Denver. The campus is one of the largest in Denver private schooling - over 200 acres in Cherry Hills Village, with comprehensive athletic facilities, performing arts spaces, and a science and tech infrastructure that rivals small colleges. Academic outcomes are strong across the board, with consistent college matriculation to top-30 universities. The student body is concentrated in Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Hilltop, Polo Club, and Cherry Creek-area Denver - most students commute under 15 minutes. Who Kent Denver is right for: Families seeking the most established 6 - 12 private institution in Denver, with strong college counseling, comprehensive athletics, and an established alumni network. Particularly strong for families relocating into Cherry Hills, Greenwood Village, Hilltop, or Polo Club. Real estate implication: Buying in Cherry Hills Village or Greenwood Village offers the shortest commute (under 10 minutes door-to-door). Hilltop and Polo Club run 15 - 20 minutes. Bow Mar and Wash Park run 20 - 30 minutes depending on the time of day.
Colorado Academy
Grades: Pre-K - 12 (full continuity) 2026 Tuition: $33,360 (Pre-K full day), $37,990 (Grades K - 5), $41,550 (Grades 6 - 12) Additional fees: Round-trip CA bus service $2,000 - $3,400/year depending on proximity Location: Western Denver (Lakewood-adjacent), south of 6th Avenue Application deadline: January 15 for 2026 - 27; families applying after January 15 considered for waitpool Admissions cadence: Upper School (Grades 9 - 11) decisions released February 20; Pre-K through Grade 5 decisions February 27 Financial aid: Over $5.8M in tuition assistance awarded annually Colorado Academy is Denver's leading full-continuity (Pre-K through 12) private school, sitting on a 94-acre campus in western Denver. Academic rigor is comparable to Kent Denver at the Upper School level, with the added advantage of an integrated Pre-K through Grade 12 experience that allows families to commit once to a 13-year arc. The campus location - west of central Denver - makes CA a slightly different commute profile than the Cherry Hills-clustered schools. Families in Hilltop, Wash Park, Cherry Creek (neighborhood), Greenwood Village, and Cherry Hills typically run 20 - 30 minute commutes. The bus system (at the noted $2,000 - $3,400 annual cost) is genuinely useful for families across this range. Who Colorado Academy is right for: Families wanting full Pre-K through 12 continuity in a single institution. Particularly strong for HNW families relocating with multiple-age children who want to commit to one school across all ages. Strong arts and athletics, with a less hyper-selective feel than Kent Denver while maintaining comparable academic outcomes. Real estate implication: Western Denver locations (Hilltop, Wash Park, Highlands, Bow Mar) have shorter commutes than eastern Denver. Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village families typically rely on the bus or carpool.
Graland Country Day School
Grades: Pre-K - 8 (no high school) 2026 - 27 Tuition: $30,715 (Preschool, Ages 3 - 4 and PreKindergarten Ages 4 - 5), $34,365 (Lower School, Grades K - 4), $37,635 (Middle School, Grades 5 - 8) Application deadline: Early January Financial aid deadline: January 28, 2026 Tuition assistance: One in five families receive aid (financial aid not available for Preschool/PreKindergarten) Admissions testing: WPPSI IV / WISC IV - V / DAS II for Grades 3 - 4 applicants; SSAT or ISEE for Grades 5 - 8 Location: Hilltop / Crestmoor (central Denver) Graland is the most established Pre-K - 8 private school in central Denver, and it dominates the early-grades private school selection for Hilltop, Wash Park, Polo Club, and Cherry Creek-area Denver families. The campus is in the Crestmoor area, walking distance from large portions of Hilltop. Tuition includes daily lunch and snack, books, technology devices, school supplies, class trips, and other program fees - which is unusual among Denver private schools and worth factoring in when comparing apples-to-apples. The institutional reputation is excellent. The constraint is that Graland ends at Grade 8 - so families committing to Graland are signing up for a separate Upper School decision when their child reaches 9th grade. The most common Graland-to-Upper School matriculation patterns are Kent Denver, Colorado Academy, St. Mary's Academy (for girls), Mullen, Regis Jesuit, and Cherry Creek High School (public). Who Graland is right for: Pre-K through 8th-grade families wanting the highest-tier Pre-K - 8 private experience in central Denver. Families comfortable making a second school decision at the Upper School transition. Real estate implication: Hilltop is the natural Graland feeder neighborhood (5-minute commute or walkable). Polo Club, Cherry Creek (neighborhood), Wash Park, and Cherry Hills Village all run 10 - 15 minutes.
St. Mary's Academy
Grades: Pre-K - 12 (K - 6 co-ed, Grades 7 - 12 girls only) 2026 Tuition: $27,800 (Preschool and Pre-K), $29,400 (Lower School), $30,450 (Middle School), $31,800 (High School) Financial aid: Approximately $2.4M annually; ~20% of student body receives financial aid Location: Cherry Hills Village / Englewood (4545 S University Blvd) St. Mary's is the largest Catholic private school option in the Cherry Hills luxury school cluster and is the leading girls-only Upper School option in Denver. The Lower School (K - 6) is co-educational; the Middle School and Upper School (Grades 7 - 12) are girls only. Tuition is meaningfully lower than the non-religious peer schools while academic outcomes are competitive - particularly strong for college matriculation to Catholic and Jesuit institutions plus a broad mix of selective national universities. Who St. Mary's is right for: Catholic families seeking faith-integrated K - 12 education. Non-Catholic families also enroll and represent a meaningful share of the student body. Families with daughters specifically considering a girls-only Upper School environment from Grade 7 onward. Real estate implication: Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village commutes run under 10 minutes. Hilltop and Polo Club run 15 - 20 minutes.
Denver Academy
Grades: 2 - 12 Tuition: Approximately $36,560 Specialization: Students with varied learning profiles - dyslexia, ADHD, twice-exceptional, and other learning differences Denver Academy is the specialized private option for Denver families whose children benefit from a learning-difference-focused educational environment. It is not a "remedial" school - many Denver Academy students have measured high IQs alongside specific learning profiles that benefit from the school's tailored pedagogy. For HNW Denver families with twice-exceptional kids, Denver Academy is consistently the strongest specialized option in the metro. Who Denver Academy is right for: Families with children diagnosed with learning differences who want a specialized environment rather than mainstream private or public. Strong for twice-exceptional students. Worth scoping early in the admissions cycle.
Regis Jesuit High School
Grades: 9 - 12 (operating as separate Boys Division and Girls Division on a shared campus) 2026 - 27 Tuition: $27,150 plus 5% enrollment deposit Location: Aurora (east of Cherry Hills Village) Regis Jesuit is Denver's leading Jesuit Catholic college-preparatory high school, operating as two single-sex divisions on a shared campus. Academic rigor is strong, with consistent matriculation to selective national universities and a significant share of students continuing to Jesuit universities (Georgetown, Boston College, Notre Dame, Marquette, Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount). Who Regis Jesuit is right for: Catholic families seeking high-end single-sex Catholic education at the Upper School level. The Jesuit pedagogical tradition (cura personalis, service-learning, formation-focused education) is a meaningful differentiator for families who specifically value it. Real estate implication: Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village commutes are 15 - 25 minutes. Polo Club and Hilltop run 25 - 35 minutes.
Mullen High School
Grades: 9 - 12 2026 - 27 Tuition: $22,500 plus $400 registration fee Location: Southwest Denver (Sheridan-adjacent) Pedagogical tradition: Lasallian Catholic Mullen is a Lasallian Catholic college-preparatory high school in southwest Denver. The institution's profile is slightly different than Regis Jesuit - strong academics, meaningful Catholic identity, but a more co-educational, service-oriented tone than Regis Jesuit's more selective profile. Tuition is the most accessible among the top-tier Denver private high schools. Who Mullen is right for: Catholic families seeking solid academic and faith-integrated high school education at a meaningfully lower tuition point than Regis Jesuit or Kent Denver. Particularly strong for families in southwest Denver, Bow Mar, and the Highlands.
Other Denver Private Schools Worth Knowing
Several additional Denver private schools surface in HNW family conversations. Worth being aware of even if they're not always in the top consideration set:
The Tuition Snapshot
| School | Grades | 2026 Tuition (lower) | 2026 Tuition (upper) | Religious affiliation | |---|---|---|---|---| | Kent Denver | 6 - 12 | n/a | $43,250 | None | | Colorado Academy | Pre-K - 12 | $33,360 - $37,990 | $41,550 | None | | Graland | Pre-K - 8 | $30,715 - $34,365 | $37,635 (Middle) | None | | St. Mary's Academy | Pre-K - 12 | $27,800 - $29,400 | $30,450 - $31,800 | Catholic | | Denver Academy | 2 - 12 | ~$36,560 | ~$36,560 | None (specialized) | | Regis Jesuit | 9 - 12 | n/a | $27,150 | Catholic (Jesuit) | | Mullen | 9 - 12 | n/a | $22,500 | Catholic (Lasallian) | Multi-child math: For an HNW Denver family with three school-age children at Kent Denver, annual private school spending runs roughly $130,000 in tuition alone, not counting fees, transportation, activities, and tutoring. Colorado Academy K - 12 across three kids runs $115,000 - $125,000. Graland K - 8 runs $100,000+ for three kids. Add tutoring (typical for ambitious HNW families at $5,000 - $15,000 per child annually), travel sports ($5,000 - $25,000 per child), and summer programming ($8,000 - $15,000 per child), and the all-in annual education spend frequently exceeds $250,000 for a three-child Denver luxury household. This is a material part of the cost of operating a Denver luxury household with school-age children. Coastal-relocator families coming from $50,000 - $70,000 Bay Area or LA tuition rates often anchor on Denver private as "cheaper" - and at first-child level, it is. The three-child math is closer than the first-child math suggests.
How School Choice Drives Neighborhood Selection
This is the actual decision flow I walk relocating families through: Step 1: Establish whether private is needed for your specific kids. If you're targeting Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, or Bow Mar with a strong public option, run the public route seriously before committing to private. Step 2: Identify the 2 - 3 target private schools. Most families are choosing among 2 - 3 institutions (e.g., Kent Denver and Colorado Academy; or Graland for K - 8 with Kent Denver to follow; or St. Mary's Academy with Regis Jesuit alternative). Step 3: Map the school commutes. Use Google Maps for both 7:30am school drop and 3:30pm pickup conditions. Denver morning rush traffic can add 15 - 30 minutes to what looks like a 15-minute drive in midday conditions. The commute math drives the neighborhood selection. Step 4: Pick the neighborhood that minimizes commute friction. A 25-minute commute twice a day for 9 months a year is a meaningful family-life tax. A 10-minute commute is barely noticed. The compounding difference over 13 years of K - 12 schooling is significant. The geographic clustering of Denver luxury private schools means that Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Hilltop, and Polo Club are the four neighborhoods that minimize commute time across multiple school options: For the broader neighborhood comparison, see Cherry Creek vs Cherry Hills Village and the complete Denver luxury neighborhood prices breakdown.
Application Timeline Reality
For families relocating to Denver mid-cycle or planning ahead, the private school application timeline is tight and unforgiving: The implication for relocators: if you're moving to Denver in August 2026 for the start of the 2026 - 27 school year, you should have been visiting schools in October 2025 and applying in January 2026. Late applications get waitpooled. Mid-year transfers are possible but space-limited, particularly at Kent Denver, Colorado Academy, and Graland. If you're planning a relocation timed against private school admissions, the full luxury relocation timeline covers the broader 12 - 18 month sequencing.
The "Get-In" Reality
Private school admissions in Denver - particularly at Kent Denver, Colorado Academy, and Graland - is genuinely competitive. None of the schools publish acceptance rates, but anecdotally: For families with children who are strong but not exceptional academic candidates, the realistic playbook is to apply to 3 - 4 schools rather than 1 - 2. The cost of multiple applications is low ($0 at Colorado Academy; modest application fees at others). The cost of being shut out and needing to default to a less-preferred public option after declining your prior city's school is real.
Common Mistakes Relocating Families Make
After two decades of guiding HNW relocations into Denver with school-age children, the most common (and most expensive) mistakes: 1. Buying the house before securing the school spot. I see this every cycle. Family closes on Cherry Hills Village in June, applies to Kent Denver in July, gets waitpooled, and is scrambling in August. Reverse the sequence: school admission first, neighborhood second, house third. 2. Anchoring on the school name without visiting. Denver private schools have meaningfully different cultures. Kent Denver and Colorado Academy are not interchangeable. Graland and St. Anne's are not interchangeable. The campus visit and meeting with current parents matters. 3. Underestimating the tuition multi-child math. First-child tuition feels manageable. Three-child tuition compounds quickly. Factor it into the long-horizon Denver cost-of-operating math, including the 13-year commitment for each child. 4. Assuming Cherry Creek School District is the only public option. Bow Mar (Littleton Public Schools) and Wash Park (DPS - Steele Elementary and South High pattern) both have strong public feeders that some families prefer to Cherry Creek SD. 5. Ignoring the morning commute reality. Denver traffic is real. A 15-minute midday drive can be 30 minutes at 7:45am. Test the actual school-run conditions before signing on a house. 6. Choosing a private school the kids don't fit. Twice-exceptional kids fit Denver Academy better than Kent Denver. Athletically-driven kids may fit Mullen or Cherry Creek High better than Graland. Religious kids may fit St. Mary's or Regis Jesuit better than Colorado Academy. The school-kid fit matters as much as the school-family fit.
Rick's Perspective
For HNW Denver families with school-age children, the school decision is the load-bearing decision in the entire relocation. Everything else - the neighborhood, the house, the daily routine, the family's quality of life - is downstream of which school the kids attend and how long it takes to get there twice a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for 13 years. The good news for Denver luxury buyers: the school options in this metro are genuinely strong across both public (Cherry Creek SD, Littleton Public Schools, DPS magnets) and private (Kent Denver, Colorado Academy, Graland, St. Mary's Academy, Regis Jesuit, Mullen, Denver Academy). There is no shortage of good answers. The work is in matching the specific kid and family profile to the right school, then matching the school to the right neighborhood and the right house. If you're relocating to Denver with school-age children, the first conversation should be about kids and schools - not houses. Bring the kids' transcripts, test scores, and any extracurricular or specialized-learning context. We'll map the school options, the realistic admissions timeline, and the neighborhoods that minimize commute friction. Then the house search follows.
