I’m so excited to bring you another article on some of the best online schools for high school. This time, I’m focusing specifically on non-religious online schools that are both affordable AND highly rated.
I know a lot of you have been asking for high quality online school options that won’t break the bank. So today I’m sharing 10 accredited online high schools that have great reviews from students and parents, solid academic programs, and reasonable tuition. And the best part? Every single school on this list is under $15,000 a year when you take into account the scholarships and other discounts mentioned.
I’ve got options ranging from under $1,000 a year all the way up to mid-range prices, so there’s something here for every budget. Let’s get started!
Global Town School – Online Schools for High School #1
First up is Global Town School, which is a really unique option that focuses on personalized education and success coaching. Every student at Global Town School gets paired with a success coach who supports their academic and personal growth. In 11th and 12th grade, this coaching shifts to college applications, including help with selecting schools, writing essays, and navigating admissions. It feels like having a full-time college counselor guiding you along each step in a personalized way.
The school offers over 150 high school courses including AP courses and dual enrollment through Arizona State University at no extra cost for full-time students. They use a course-based model instead of semester-based, which means students can move at their own pace. And here’s something really cool – if you want to graduate early by completing more coursework in one year, there’s no extra charge!
Because Global Town School is self-paced and flexible, it’s a great option for student athletes, actors, performers, and other students who need a school that can work around their busy schedules. Whether your student is traveling for competitions, auditions, or performances, they can keep up with their coursework from anywhere. And for student athletes planning to play college sports, many of the courses at Global Town School are NCAA approved, so students will be able to meet the requirements.
Full-time tuition is $16,000 per year for high school, but here’s something exciting – if you mention my name (Amanda Melrose) when you sign up, you’ll get 30% off! That brings the cost down to $11,200, which makes this incredible program so much more affordable. You can also apply for merit or need-based scholarships before you even apply to the school, so you’ll know exactly how much you’ll be awarded.
Once you enroll, your tuition price is locked in until graduation, and the college counseling included would typically cost families thousands elsewhere. The school is also WASC accredited and welcomes international students.
This is a great option if college preparation and personalized support are priorities for your family. By the way, if you want a deeper dive into Global Town School, I’ve got a full review video on my YouTube channel.
Penn Foster High School
Next is Penn Foster High School, which is honestly one of the most affordable options out there. Penn Foster has been around since 1890, so they have over 130 years of experience in distance education, and they’re the largest online high school in the country by enrollment.
Penn Foster is completely self-paced with no live classes, which means students can work on their own schedule 24/7 from anywhere. The total cost for a high school diploma program starts at $1,099 if you pay in full, or you can make monthly payments with a small down payment. And here’s what’s really great – if you’ve completed courses at another accredited school, Penn Foster will transfer up to 15 courses and reduce your tuition by $20 for each one transferred.
The school is regionally accredited by the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association, and also holds national accreditation from Cognia and the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. Their diploma is recognized by colleges, employers, and the military, and Penn Foster graduates have gone on to attend universities nationwide. Penn Foster has a 4 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot with thousands of reviews from students and parents.
Penn Foster isn’t for everyone. Because it’s completely self-paced with no live classes, it works best for self-motivated students who don’t need a lot of hand-holding. But if your student can stay on track independently, this is an incredibly affordable way to get an accredited high school diploma.
If you want to take a look at their curriculum, I recently did a review video on my YouTube channel that shows their curriculum in detail.
Excel High School
Next is Excel High School, another really affordable online school option. Excel has been around since 2004 and is accredited by Cognia along with several other accrediting bodies. Full-time tuition for high school is only $1,950 per year for the Silver Plan with standard courses, or $2,500 per year for the Gold Plan which includes honors courses. They also offer a monthly payment option where you can pay over 10 months.
Excel High School is completely self-paced with rolling enrollment, so students can start anytime and work 24/7 on their own schedule. They offer several diploma options including a standard diploma that requires 21.5 credits and a college preparatory diploma that requires 24 credits. Individual courses are $325 each and can be completed in 4 to 8 weeks.
One of the best things about Excel High School is that they’re approved for state-funded scholarships in ten states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. If you qualify for school choice funding in one of these states, you may be able to attend Excel tuition-free! They’ll also transfer up to 75% of your credits from another accredited school, which means you only need to complete a minimum of 6 credits with Excel to graduate.
For student athletes, Excel High School offers NCAA-approved core courses, so this is a solid option if your student is planning to play college sports. Excel High School has an impressive 4.8 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot with hundreds of positive reviews. This is an affordable, flexible, accredited online high school that’s recognized by colleges, employers, and the military. And if you’re considering Excel, I’ve posted a detailed review on my YouTube channel.
The Keystone School
Next we have The Keystone School, which has been a pioneer in distance learning since 1974. The Keystone School offers a really flexible program where you can enroll in individual courses or create a full-time curriculum. You pay per course, and you have one full calendar year from the date of purchase to complete each course at your own pace.
For high school, full-year courses start at $399, and semester courses start at $250. Full-time students typically take 5 to 6 full-year courses per year, so families can expect to pay between $1,800 and $2,800 per year depending on which courses you choose. Keystone offers discounts when you purchase multiple courses at once – 5% off for 5 courses and 10% off for 6 courses.
This online high school is accredited by Cognia and the Middle States Association, and Keystone graduates have been accepted at prestigious schools like New York University, Dartmouth, Duke, Stanford, Yale, and West Point. Keystone’s high school courses are also NCAA-approved, which is important if your student wants to play college sports. They award up to five scholarships for tuition-free full-time enrollment each year, and they participate in state-funded scholarship programs from Arizona, New Hampshire, and West Virginia. They also offer family discounts, military discounts, and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new students.
Because Keystone is self-paced with no live classes, it works well for students with busy schedules like athletes, actors, or families who travel. You can work on your courses anytime, anywhere, as long as you have internet access. If you want more details, be sure to check out my full Keystone School review video.
Whitmore School
Next up is Whitmore School, which was actually founded back in 1994 and advertises itself as the world’s first online high school. Whitmore uses a self-paced mastery-based learning model, which means students work one-on-one with their teacher until they’ve truly mastered the concepts in each lesson before moving forward. Instead of just memorizing for a test, students demonstrate real understanding, and they can take the time they need to fully grasp each topic. This approach also helps students develop important life skills like time management, critical thinking, and independence.
The standard diploma program is $2,099 per year, and the Diploma Plus program is $2,479 annually or $2,899 per year if you add the College Advisor service. They offer discounts for paying in full, and they also have military and first responder discounts, plus sibling discounts.
Whitmore School is nationally accredited by Cognia and also holds regional accreditation from the North Central Association, and has an A- rating on Niche with excellent reviews from students and parents. And here’s what’s really great – Whitmore School is approved in several states for school choice scholarships including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. If you’ve been approved for school choice funding in one of those states, your scholarship could pay 100% of your Whitmore tuition!
Students can enroll any time of year and have 12 months from their enrollment date to complete their coursework. If you complete 6 credits before your 12 months are up, you can re-enroll early to accelerate your graduation date. And if you want to attend an in-person graduation, Whitmore holds an annual ceremony in South Carolina. If you’d like to dive deeper into Whitmore School, I’ve done a complete review on my YouTube channel.
Christa McAuliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences (CMASAS)
Next is the Christa McAuliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences, or CMASAS. This school was inspired by Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who was selected to be the first schoolteacher to fly into space, and it has a really personalized approach to education.
CMASAS uses a mastery-based, self-paced learning model where students have to score at least 80% to move forward, which ensures they really understand the content. Every student gets a Personalized Education Coach who works with them one-on-one on course planning, time management, goal setting, and graduation requirements. They offer a broad course selection including AP, Honors, and Dual Enrollment courses through Arizona State University, with rolling enrollment so you can start anytime during the year.
For high school, CMASAS offers three tuition plans. Their most popular option is the Premier Care Plan at $11,750 per year, which includes up to 6 full-year courses, a Personalized Education Coach with weekly support, weekly homeroom, unlimited club access, and full access to over 200 elective courses. They also have an Essential Care Plan at a lower price point, and a Personalized Care Plan with a flexible base tuition plus per-course fees for families who want more control over their budget. The school offers sibling, military, and Hawaiian resident discounts, and is approved for ESA funding in Arizona and Tennessee.
CMASAS is WASC accredited and NCAA approved, and has an A rating on Niche with outstanding reviews from families who value personalized education. This is a solid choice if your student is planning to play college sports. This is a well-established program with excellent reviews from families who appreciate the personalized attention and flexibility. I’ve also done an in-depth review of CMASAS on my YouTube channel if you want to learn more.
Sora Schools
Next we have Sora Schools, which is a really innovative online private school for grades 6 through 12. Sora is all about project-based learning where students work on interdisciplinary projects organized around themes instead of taking traditional classes.
Students attend live, interactive classes four days a week where they collaborate with peers, debate topics, and learn from guest experts. The curriculum is rigorous and engaging, and students work closely with their teachers and an advisor who helps them tailor their learning to their goals.
Full annual tuition at Sora is $17,900, but here’s where it gets really interesting – they have a Flexible Tuition program that offers over $3 million in need-based grants each year. With flexible tuition, families can pay anywhere from $7,500 to $16,000 depending on household income. About half of Sora’s students receive financial aid, so don’t let the sticker price scare you away.
They also have a special Military Tiered Tuition Model for military families. And if you need help managing the cost, Sora offers flexible payment options to make tuition more manageable throughout the year. Plus, Sora is also eligible to receive ESA funding from Arizona, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Utah, which could help cover tuition costs if you live in one of those states.
Sora is accredited by Cognia and WASC, and they’re NCAA approved, which is important for student athletes planning to play college sports. Sora has an A- rating and 4.66 out of 5 stars on Niche based on over 100 reviews from students and parents. 95% of their seniors who apply to university get accepted by a top 3 school choice!
The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of about 8 to 1, which means students get tons of individualized attention. When you compare that to some highly rated schools that charge $40,000 or more per year, Sora is actually a really affordable option for the quality of education you’re getting, especially if you qualify for their flexible tuition. For more on Sora Schools, check out my complete review video on my YouTube channel.
Laurel Springs School
Next up is Laurel Springs School, which has been around for over 30 years and is one of the more established online schools. Laurel Springs offers a self-paced, mastery-based curriculum with over 240 college-prep courses, including 60+ Honors and AP courses.
This is an online high school option that’s really popular with international students, military families, athletes, and performing artists because it’s available 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Students work independently through the online curriculum, but they have access to teacher support during daily office hours and through the school’s virtual help room called LSS Live.
Full-time students are assigned an academic advisor and a counselor for personalized support. The school also has an active community with over 30 virtual clubs, student government, Model United Nations, and they offer on-site prom and graduation ceremonies in cities like San Diego and Orlando.
For high school, full-time tuition ranges from about $11,000 to $16,600 per year depending on which program you choose. Now, I know that’s on the higher end compared to some of the other schools on this list, but Laurel Springs is regionally accredited, NCAA approved with over 160 NCAA-approved courses, and has an A+ overall grade on Niche ranking among the top 10 Best Online High Schools in America.
Graduates have been accepted at top universities all over the world. They offer payment plans, sibling discounts, and a referral program. So while it’s more expensive than schools like Penn Foster or Excel High School, you’re getting a really comprehensive program with a lot of support.
Forest Trail Academy
Next is Forest Trail Academy, which is an affordable and well-established online school that’s been serving students since 2007. Forest Trail Academy offers a fully accredited, self-paced K-12 program that’s trusted by over 10,000 students globally.
For high school, tuition is $4,269 per year, or you can pay $580 down and then $336 per month for 11 months. They also offer semester enrollment at $2,135 per semester, and individual courses are $750 per class. The school is regionally, nationally, and internationally accredited by organizations including the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA), and their diploma is accepted by thousands of colleges and universities worldwide. Forest Trail Academy uses an asynchronous, self-paced learning model with no live classes, which gives students complete flexibility to work on their own schedule from anywhere.
The curriculum is comprehensive and standards-based, covering all core subjects plus a wide variety of electives including Advanced Placement courses. The school offers NCAA-approved courses for student athletes planning to play college sports. While there’s no live classroom interaction, teachers are available to support students via email and through an online meeting room, with assignments typically graded quickly. Students have the opportunity to redo assignments to improve their understanding and grades. The school also accepts ESA vouchers in several states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, and New Hampshire.
Forest Trail Academy has a 4-star rating on Trustpilot with nearly 200 reviews, and graduates have been accepted to top universities around the world with students consistently achieving higher than average SAT and ACT scores. This is an excellent option for self-motivated students who want an affordable, flexible, and fully accredited online education.
Prisma
Next on our list is Prisma, which is a really innovative online school that uses project-based learning. At Prisma, students don’t take traditional classes. Instead, they work on interdisciplinary projects organized around themes, and they attend live workshops four days a week where they collaborate with peers.
Every student is matched with a mentor coach who gives personalized feedback and helps tailor projects to each student’s interests. Prisma offers two main programs: The Mentor Coach program where a Prisma coach mentors your child costs $11,190 per year for grades 4 through 8, and $12,490 per year for high school. They also offer a Parent Coach program for grades 4 through 8 where you serve as your child’s coach for $5,350 per year. And if you use code “eschooled” when you sign up, you’ll save $100 off your deposit.
Now here’s what makes Prisma more accessible – they offer generous scholarships through their Prisma Scholarship Fund. They give out over $280,000 in scholarships each year, and scholarships can cover 10 to 40% of tuition. About 40% of Prisma families receive some financial aid. So while the sticker price is higher, many families end up paying much less.
Prisma is accredited by Cognia and is NCAA approved for student athletes. They have an incredible track record – 100% of their seniors who apply to university get accepted by a top 3 choice. This is a great option for gifted students, creative learners, or any student who thrives with hands-on, project-based learning.
If you want to learn more, I have a full review video on my YouTube channel that you can check out.
George Washington University Online High School
Last on our list is George Washington University Online High School. This is an online private school for academically talented students in grades 8 through 12 that’s affiliated with the prestigious George Washington University. George Washington University Online High School is ranked number 12 in Best Private Online High Schools in America on Niche with an A grade and a 4.21 out of 5 star rating.
This school offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with small class sizes and intensive college counseling. What really sets GWUOHS apart is their Journeys Symposium program, a four-year required course that helps students with college and life planning. All students receive individualized college counseling starting early in their high school careers. Since 2014, GWUOHS students have been accepted at hundreds of top colleges including Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, NYU, University of Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, USC, and many more.
The school offers over 200 courses to choose from, including AP courses and opportunities for dual enrollment at Northern Virginia Community College and discounted courses at George Washington University. Students attend live, interactive classes and work closely with teachers and advisors throughout their high school experience. GWUOHS is NCAA approved, and the school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, so their diploma is recognized by colleges and universities worldwide.
Full-time tuition at GWUOHS is $12,000 per year for high school students. The school offers scholarships and tuition assistance, including one full-tuition scholarship awarded each year. They also have payment plans available to make tuition more manageable. This is a great option if you’re looking for a selective, academically rigorous online high school with strong college counseling support. The acceptance rate is 60%, so if your student is motivated and has a strong academic track record, this could be the perfect fit.
10 Online Schools for High School – Final Thoughts
So there you have it – 10 affordable and highly rated online schools for high school! I tried to give you a good range of options at different price points, from super affordable schools under $2,000 a year to mid-range options around $11,000 to $16,000 that offer more comprehensive support.
Here’s my advice when choosing an online school: Think about your budget first, but also think about what your student actually needs. The most affordable option isn’t always the best option if your student needs structure and live interaction. On the other hand, paying for an expensive program with tons of bells and whistles isn’t necessary if your student is self-motivated and can work independently.
Also, don’t forget to check if your state offers school choice scholarships or ESA funding. Several of the schools I mentioned today are approved for these programs, which means you might be able to attend for free or at a significantly reduced cost. States like Arizona, Florida, Tennessee, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and several others have programs that can help cover tuition.
And remember, in most states the law considers online private schools to still be homeschooling, so you have options. If you’re comfortable issuing your student’s diploma and transcripts yourself, you might not need an expensive online private school at all. You could get an affordable curriculum and just handle the record-keeping on your own.
But if you want the convenience of having the school handle transcripts, provide teacher support, and issue an accredited diploma, these schools are all great choices that won’t cost you a fortune.
