By Brenna Foley, Margaret Anne Rowe, Grant Stringer, Amada Torres, and Ioana Wheeler
NAIS Researchers
Executive Summary
The 2025–2026 State of the Independent School Sector presents the most recent data on independent schools collected through NAIS’s Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL). The report offers a comprehensive view of key indicators across the sector, including admissions trends, enrollment, tuition, financial aid distribution, advancement outcomes, and financial operations. Together, these insights provide a clear snapshot of the current landscape as well as emerging patterns shaping independent schools. We gratefully acknowledge the hundreds of schools that participate in DASL each year. Their time and commitment make this analysis possible.
Note: In this report, median per-student values are calculated by dividing each variable by a school’s total enrollment and then taking the median of those values across all reporting schools. To assess changes over time, the analysis relies on a cohort of schools that reported data consistently between the 2019–2020 and 2025–2026 DASL collection years. All monetary variables have been adjusted for inflation unless otherwise noted.
Sections include:
- Admissions and Attrition
- Enrollment
- Student Diversity
- Tuition and Fees
- Financial Aid
- Advancement
- Employee Information
- Financial Operations: Revenue and Endowment
- Financial Operations: Expenses
Downloadable Content
- Read the full report: NAIS Research: 2025-2026 State of the Independent School Sector (PDF; member login required)
For Nonmembers, Supporters, and Standard Subscribers: Purchase the Report
We are making this essential research available to nonmembers, supporters, and standard subscribers for purchase in the NAIS Store. Supporters and standard subscribers receive 20% off. Click here to order your PDF copy (link coming soon).
For free access to this report, along with many other resources for independent school leaders, schools can join NAIS today. Contact our membership team if you have any questions about how NAIS membership can benefit your school.