Annie Wright Schools are located in beautiful Tacoma, Washington. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school.
Annie Wright Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool-Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9-12. Five- and seven-day boarding options attract students from around the world.
AWS is proud to be an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, delivering IB programs in every division.
Quick Stats (2024-25)
- Grades: (Boarding Students) 9-12
- Grades: (Day Students) Pre-K-12
- Enrollment: 822 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $73,900
- Average class size: 17 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 25 / rolling
- Source: Verified school update
Upcoming Events and News
- Virtual Event - Tue., December 03, 2024 9:00am (PST) - get more information!
- Open House - Fri., February 07, 2025 - get more information!
- Open House - Sat., February 08, 2025 - get more information!
- Open House - Sat., February 08, 2025 - get more information!
- 2024 grad sought father’s approval, but found his own path - 06/15/2024Adwaya Bage's father treasured his boarding school years in his native India and wanted his son to have a similar experience at Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma. The small boarding ...moreschool gave Bage, 18, the opportunity to be independent and learn who he was. hide
- Announcing the IB Global Alliance - 11/17/2023The nature of the IB program provides rich soil for cross-school collaboration, and we are eager to delve into these spaces as we build relationships with other IB partners across ...morethe globe hide
Top Rankings
Annie Wright Schools ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 280 schools) for:
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12
9-12
Grades Offered (Day)
Pre-K-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1884
1907
Campus Size
10 acres
125 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
822 students
314 students
% Students of Color
48%
27%
% International Students
12%
20%
% Students Boarding
16%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
Number of IB Courses Offered
56
-
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
41%
71%
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$32.5 million
$28 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$73,900
(7-day boarding)
(7-day boarding)
$66,200
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
n/a
$35,600
Yearly Tuition
(5 Day Boarding)
(5 Day Boarding)
$51,415
$49,400
Summer Program Cost
$165
(Costs listed are per week and vary depending on the program.)
(Costs listed are per week and vary depending on the program.)
% Students on Financial Aid
39%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$15,900
(Need based aid requires Clarity application)
(Need based aid requires Clarity application)
$25,000
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Jan. 25 / rolling
Jan. 15
Director of Admissions
Cassandra Kopriva
Abby Drivdahl
Abby Drivdahl
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
9
16
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
24
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
affinity clubs (including Latinx/Hispanic, Chinese, Japanese, & Vietnamese), Automotive Arts, Black Student Union, Business, Coding, Community, Creative Writing, Crochet, Dance Team, Debate, Dungeons & Dragons, Gender & Sexuality, Inkwell student magazine, Investment, Knitting, Mock Trial, Model UN, Nature, Philosophy, Physics, Sports Medicine, Stage Fashion, STEM, Student Government
affinity clubs (including Latinx/Hispanic, Chinese, Japanese, & Vietnamese), Automotive Arts, Black Student Union, Business, Coding, Community, Creative Writing, Crochet, Dance Team, Debate, Dungeons & Dragons, Gender & Sexuality, Inkwell student magazine, Investment, Knitting, Mock Trial, Model UN, Nature, Philosophy, Physics, Sports Medicine, Stage Fashion, STEM, Student Government
College Matriculation
Year:
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
School Notes
- At Annie Wright, we celebrate each student's unique strengths and learning style and we also recognize that boys and girls often learn differently. Our Upper School program offers a coordinate model that enables boys and girls in Grades 9-12 to study in a single-gender academic environment with opportunities for shared co-ed activities and social interactions outside of the classroom.
- Annie Wright Schools is rated #1 Best K-12 Private school in Washington, #1 Boarding School in Washington, and #3 most diverse Private school in Washington.
- As an International Baccalaureate (IB World School) with an emphasis on inquiry, communication, meaningful action, and global-mindedness Annie Wright Schools develop the whole student with measurable outcomes for students and teachers throughout IB programs. As one of less than 20 IB continuum schools in the United States, and the only one in the state of Washington, Annie Wright offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Preschool-Grade 5, Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Grades 6-8 and Diploma Programme (DP) for Grades 11-12.
- Annie Wright's Great Outdoor Adventure Team Program (GOAT) encourages students to immerse themselves in the extraordinatory outdoors of the Pacific Northwest with transformative programs throughout the academic year. Experience the thrill of white water rafting, summit Mt. St. helens, master rock climbing, and earn certificates along the way. Students explore Mount Rainter and Olympic National parks, dozens of state recreation areas, forests, and Puget Sound. Our programs cater to students interests, ensuring a personalized journey of discovery, all within the supportive environment of our boarding school community.
- Annie Wright Schools accreditations: NWAIS, IB, TABS, ICGS, ICBS, NAIS
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Betty Garrett-Parks, '36 - Actress, comedian, singer & dancer
- Mary McCarthy - Author
- Eloise Mumford - Actress
- Sally (Peterson) Atherton, '66 - ED, Assoc for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology
- Diane (Dapper) Freeman, '59 - NASA aerospace ops dev, integration & support
- Damani Leech, '90 (Middle School) - President, Denver Broncos
- Amy Paulose, '95 - President, AMES International, Inc
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Annie Wright Schools cost?
Annie Wright Schools's tuition is approximately $73,900 for boarding students.
Who are famous alumni from Annie Wright Schools?
Annie Wright Schools famous alumni include: Betty Garrett-Parks, '36, Mary McCarthy, Eloise Mumford, Sally (Peterson) Atherton, '66, Diane (Dapper) Freeman, '59, Damani Leech, '90 (Middle School) and Amy Paulose, '95.
What sports does Annie Wright Schools offer?
Annie Wright Schools offers 9 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Football, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Track and Field and Volleyball.
What is Annie Wright Schools's ranking?
Annie Wright Schools ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for High average SAT scores and High ACT scores.
When is the application deadline for Annie Wright Schools?
The application deadline for Annie Wright Schools is Jan. 25 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 25 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).
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The nearest boarding school to Annie Wright Schools is St. Michaels University School (91.0 miles away)
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