Best Lake Forest �� Elementary Schools (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 6 private elementary schools serving 1,674 students in Lake Forest, IL.

The private elementary schools in Lake Forest, IL include School Of St. Mary, Lake Forest Country Day School, and School Of St. Mary Upper Grade Center.

The average acceptance rate is 73%, which is lower than the Illinois private elementary school average acceptance rate of 85%.

50% of private elementary schools in Lake Forest, IL are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic).

Montessori School Of Lake Forest Photo - Our main West Laurel Drive campus is on over five acres of prairie adjacent to the Middlefork Savanna County Forest Preserve.

East Lake Academy Photo - Forming tomorrow's leaders through the best academic training, building self-confidence, practicing the Catholic faith and cultivating missionary hearts.

Top-Ranked Lake Forest �� Elementary Schools (2026)

School

Location

Quick Facts

Fusion Academy Lake Forest

Alternative School

Add to Compare

(5)

840 S. Waukegan Road, Suite 224
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(877) 673-8893

Gr: 6-12 | 67 students Avg. class size: 1 student Tuition listed

East Lake Academy

(Catholic)

Add to Compare

(4)

13911 W. Laurel Drive
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 247-0035

Gr: PK-8 | 128 students Avg. class size: 12 students Sports: 3 | Extracurrculars: 14 Tuition & acceptance rate listed

Lake Forest Country Day School

Add to Compare

145 S. Green Bay Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-2350

Gr: NS-8 | 406 students Avg. class size: 15 students Sports: 12 | Extracurrculars: 3 Tuition listed

School Of St. Mary

(Catholic)

Add to Compare

185 E Illinois Rd
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 283-9800

Gr: PK-8 | 425 students Avg. class size: 19 students Sports: 7 | Extracurrculars: 3 Tuition & acceptance rate listed

School Of St. Mary Upper Grade Center

(Catholic)

Add to Compare

900 W Everett Rd
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-0371

Gr: PK-8 | 470 students Tuition listed

Montessori School Of Lake Forest

Montessori School

Add to Compare

13700 W Laurel Dr
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 918-1000

Gr: PK-8 | 178 students Extracurrculars: 5 Tuition listed

Overview

This Town (Lake Forest)

This State (IL)

# Schools

6 Schools

View Data

Trends in Total Number of �� Elementary Schools
Year	Lake Forest, IL Total Schools
2025	6
2024	6
2023	6
2022	6
2021	6
2020	6
2019	5
2018	5
2017	5
2016	5
2015	4

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Student Body:

# Students

1,674 Students

184,580 Students

View Data

Trends in the Average Number of Students Per �� Elementary School
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	279	195	199
2024	279	191	192
2023	274	199	193
2022	266	208	205
2021	266	202	201
2020	270	195	188
2019	273	205	193
2018	296	198	190
2017	330	204	199
2016	337	202	196
2015	318	197	183

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% Average Students of Color

10%

32%

View Data

Percentage of Students of Color Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	10%	32%	33%
2024	10%	32%	32%
2023	10%	32%	32%
2022	10%	32%	32%
2021	10%	32%	31%
2020	10%	33%	31%
2019	14%	31%	31%
2018	15%	31%	30%
2017	18%	32%	31%
2016	17%	32%	31%
2015	15%	33%	31%

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Academics and Faculty:

# Teachers

197 Teachers

14,060 Teachers

Average Student-Teacher Ratio

8:1

13:1

View Data

Student-Teacher Ratio Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	8:1	13:1	11:1
2024	8:1	13:1	11:1
2023	9:1	13:1	11:1
2022	8:1	13:1	11:1
2021	8:1	13:1	11:1
2020	8:1	13:1	11:1
2019	8:1	13:1	11:1
2018	9:1	13:1	11:1
2017	9:1	13:1	11:1
2016	9:1	14:1	12:1
2015	9:1	14:1	12:1

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% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree

46%

50%

View Data

Percentage of Faculty With Advanced Degrees Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	46%	50%	54%
2024	46%	49%	54%
2023	60%	48%	53%
2022	60%	49%	53%
2021	60%	48%	53%
2020	60%	47%	53%
2019	60%	47%	52%
2018	60%	46%	52%
2017	60%	46%	51%
2016	60%	46%	51%
2015	60%	46%	50%

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Average Class Size

12 students

17 students

View Data

Class Size Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	12	16	16
2024	11	16	15
2023	9	17	15
2022	9	16	15
2021	9	16	15
2020	9	16	15
2019	9	16	15
2018	9	16	15
2017	7	16	15
2016	7	16	15
2015	12	16	15

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Tuition and Acceptance Rate:

Average Yearly Tuition Cost

$14,848

$11,006

View Data

Tuition Cost Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	$14,848	$11,088	$14,043
2024	$10,939	$8,946	$12,357
2023	$6,925	$8,284	$11,693
2022	$6,925	$7,867	$11,199
2021	$6,925	$7,585	$10,824
2017	$7,929	$7,146	$9,712
2016	$7,929	$6,568	$9,307
2015	$7,695	$6,285	$8,903

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Average % on Financial Aid

13%

31%

View Data

Percent on Financial Aid Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	13%	31%	34%
2024	13%	30%	33%
2023	16%	29%	33%
2022	16%	28%	32%
2021	16%	27%	32%
2020	16%	27%	31%
2019	16%	27%	30%
2018	16%	25%	29%
2017	21%	25%	29%
2016	18%	24%	28%
2015	18%	23%	27%

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Average Acceptance Rate

73%

85%

View Data

Acceptance Rate Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	73%	85%	81%
2024	73%	90%	85%
2023	65%	91%	85%
2022	65%	90%	85%
2021	65%	90%	86%
2020	65%	90%	86%
2019	65%	90%	85%
2018	65%	90%	85%
2017	65%	90%	86%
2016	65%	92%	85%
2015	65%	92%	86%

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Average Endowment Size

$261 million

$53.36 million

View Data

Endowment Trends (2018-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	$261 M	$53 M	$53 M
2024	$22 M	$9 M	$51 M
2023	$22 M	$11 M	$68 M
2022	$22 M	$13 M	$73 M
2021	$22 M	$13 M	$65 M
2020	$22 M	$11 M	$69 M
2019	$22 M	$10 M	$75 M
2018	$22 M	$8 M	$57 M

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Students by Ethnicity:

0.43

0.64

View Data

Diversity Score Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	0.43	0.64	0.64
2024	0.43	0.65	0.64
2023	0.43	0.65	0.63
2022	0.29	0.64	0.62
2021	0.29	0.64	0.62
2020	0.29	0.65	0.62
2019	0.21	0.64	0.61
2018	0.33	0.63	0.60
2017	0.44	0.60	0.59
2016	0.44	0.61	0.59
2015	0.39	0.61	0.58

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# American Indian Students

9 Students

497 Students

% American Indian Students

n/a

# Asian Students

35 Students

8,659 Students

% Asian Students

View Data

Asian Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	2%	5%	5%
2024	2%	5%	5%
2023	2%	5%	5%
2022	3%	5%	5%
2021	3%	5%	5%
2020	3%	5%	5%
2019	3%	4%	4%
2018	3%	5%	4%
2017	3%	3%	4%
2016	3%	3%	4%
2015	3%	3%	4%

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# Hispanic Students

41 Students

17,462 Students

% Hispanic Students

View Data

Hispanic Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	3%	9%	9%
2024	3%	10%	9%
2023	2%	10%	9%
2022	3%	9%	8%
2021	3%	10%	9%
2020	3%	10%	9%
2019	3%	9%	8%
2018	3%	9%	8%
2017	2%	8%	8%
2016	2%	8%	8%
2015	3%	8%	8%

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# Black Students

14 Students

14,666 Students

% Black Students

View Data

Black Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	1%	8%	8%
2024	1%	8%	8%
2023	1%	8%	8%
2022	1%	8%	7%
2021	1%	8%	8%
2020	1%	9%	8%
2019	1%	9%	8%
2018	1%	9%	8%
2017	1%	8%	7%
2016	1%	9%	8%
2015	1%	9%	8%

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# White Students

1,114 Students

99,938 Students

% White Students

73%

54%

View Data

White Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	73%	54%	55%
2024	73%	54%	55%
2023	73%	53%	55%
2022	84%	55%	57%
2021	84%	54%	57%
2020	84%	54%	58%
2019	89%	55%	59%
2018	81%	55%	59%
2017	72%	59%	61%
2016	72%	58%	61%
2015	76%	58%	61%

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# Hawaiian Students

n/a

290 Students

% Hawaiian Students

n/a

# Two or more races Students

n/a

% of Two or more races Students

n/a

# Others Students

314 Students

43,988 Students

% of Others Students

20%

24%

View Data

Other Races Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Average	Illinois (IL) Average	National Average
2025	20%	24%	22%
2024	20%	23%	22%
2023	20%	24%	22%
2022	7%	23%	22%
2021	7%	23%	20%
2020	7%	22%	19%
2019	4%	23%	20%
2018	12%	22%	20%
2017	22%	20%	19%
2016	22%	20%	18%
2015	17%	21%	18%

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All Ethnic Groups

Extracurriculars and Sports:

Average Number of Extracurriculars

6 extracurriculars

8 extracurriculars

Average Number of Sports

7 sports

5 sports

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top-ranked private elementary schools in Lake Forest, IL?

The private elementary schools in Lake Forest, IL include School Of St. Mary, Lake Forest Country Day School, and School Of St. Mary Upper Grade Center.

How many private elementary schools are located in Lake Forest?

6 private elementary schools are located in Lake Forest.

How diverse are private elementary schools in Lake Forest?

Lake Forest private elementary schools are approximately 10% minority students, which is lower than the Illinois private school average of 32%.

What percentage of private elementary schools are religiously affiliated in Lake Forest?

50% of private elementary schools in Lake Forest are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic).

Which private elementary schools in Lake Forest are often viewed compared to one another?

Popular comparisons of private elementary schools in Lake Forest include: School Of St. Mary Upper Grade Center vs. School Of St. Mary

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