McDonogh School

Name

McDonogh School

Legal name

McDonogh School Inc.

Website

https://mcdonogh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

Keywords

• Independent day school
• College preparatory education
• Private k-12 schooling
• Boarding school program
• Primary secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Owings Mills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition fees for prekindergarten through 12th grade day students. Tuition includes bus transportation and hot lunch.
2. Five-Day Boarding: Additional revenue from boarding fees for Upper School students living on campus during the school week. Options include full-year or single-term enrollment.
3. Philanthropy and Donations: The Office of Philanthropy manages the McDonogh Fund, endowment giving, planned giving, and the Legacy Campaign. Accepts online donations, checks, cryptocurrency via Bitpay, securities transfers, and IRA qualified charitable distributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McDonogh School is a PK-12, non-denominational, coeducational college preparatory day school with a five-day boarding option. The school delivers Lower School (PK-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12) academic programs anchored by the proprietary LifeReady framework. Signature Programs of Distinction include Greatest Good McDonogh (social impact), 800-Acre Labs (environmental sciences), and the Center for Civics and Ethics, supported by Roots Farm, arts, athletics, college counseling, and global programs.

Product overview

McDonogh School is a PK-12, non-denominational, coeducational college preparatory day school with approximately 1,460 students located on an 800-acre campus in Owings Mills, Maryland. The institution operates three academic divisions (Lower School PK-4, Middle School 5-8, and Upper School 9-12) and offers a signature five-day boarding program for approximately 75 Upper School students. McDonogh's educational framework centers on LifeReady learning, which develops six core competencies: critical and creative thinking, self-knowing, communicating, perspective-taking, collaborating, and connecting. The school distinguishes itself through three Programs of Distinction: Greatest Good McDonogh (social impact/service-learning), 800-Acre Labs (environmental sciences), and the Center for Civics and Ethics. Supporting programs include Roots Farm (10-acre working farm), comprehensive arts (music, dance, theatre, visual arts), multi-sport athletics including equestrian, global programs, and college counseling. The school maintains a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, average class size of 16 students, and 190 full-time faculty with over 67% holding advanced degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School Prekindergarten through fourth grade program with appropriately challenging curriculum, small class sizes averaging 16 students, and focus on developing foundational academic skills and character through the Character Compass virtues.
• Middle School Fifth through eighth grade program featuring advisory program, house system, character and service initiatives, and technology integration preparing students for Upper School academic rigor.
• Upper School College preparatory program for grades 9-12 offering rigorous academics, Dual Credit Program, AP and beyond courses, global learning opportunities, and comprehensive college counseling.
• Five-Day Boarding Program
• LifeReady Academic Framework McDonogh's proprietary academic philosophy preparing students to be self-reliant, critical thinkers through six competency areas: critical and creative thinking, self-knowing, communicating, perspective-taking, collaborating, and connecting.
• Greatest Good McDonogh
• 800-Acre Labs
• Roots Farm
• Arts Program
• Athletics Program
• Center for Civics and Ethics
• College Counseling
• Global Programs
• Bridges at McDonogh Transformational year-round, long-term program empowering Baltimore City students ages 9-23 from Title I public schools with academic support, enrichment opportunities, and pathway to college and career success. McDonogh Upper School students volunteer as summer counselors or after-school tutors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 167 graduates sent to 101 colleges and universities with 14,004+ service hours
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bridges at McDonoghcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Launched summer 2024, Bridges at McDonogh is a transformational year-round program empowering Baltimore City students ages 9-23 from Title I public schools with academic support, enrichment, and pathway to college and career success. McDonogh Upper School students volunteer as summer counselors or after-school tutors.
• Maryland Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoots Farm donates produce through Maryland Food Bank's Farm to Food Bank program. Students harvest crops that benefit food-insecure families across Maryland.
• Maryland Zoo in BaltimoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Maryland Zoo's Signature Species Conservation Program; third graders study endangered animals and create educational materials for zoo visitors.
• Coastal Conservation Association of MarylandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeventh graders partnered with CCA of Maryland to build oyster reef balls for Chesapeake Bay restoration, improving water quality and marine habitat.
• Local RestaurantsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoots Farm products sold at Santonis Marketplace, Chester River Wine and Cheese, Hidden Waters Farms, and Welcome Home Annapolis.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Garrison Forest School: Independent day and boarding school for girls in Owings Mills, MD — same town as McDonogh. Direct peer with both day and five-day boarding programs, competing for the same regional families.
• Gilman School: Independent day school for boys in Baltimore serving grades PK-12. Directly comparable to McDonogh as a competing Baltimore-area college preparatory day school at similar price points with strong athletic traditions.
• Friends School of Baltimore: Independent Quaker day school (PK-12) in Baltimore. Direct peer sharing the same regional market, college-preparatory mission, and similar price band as McDonogh.
• The Bryn Mawr School: Independent day school for girls in Baltimore serving grades K-12. Direct peer and historical coordinate institution with Gilman, competing head-to-head with McDonogh for Baltimore-area college preparatory enrollment.
• Roland Park Country School: Independent day school for girls in Baltimore serving grades PK-12. Baltimore-area coordinate peer competing with McDonogh for the same regional applicant pool at comparable tuition.
• Park School of Baltimore: Progressive independent day school (PK-12) located in Brooklandville, near Owings Mills. Directly comparable to McDonogh in geographic market, grade span, and progressive-pedagogy positioning.
• Boys' Latin School of Maryland: Independent day school for boys in Baltimore serving grades K-12. Direct peer competing for Baltimore-area boys' college-preparatory enrollment at similar price points.

Broad incumbents

• St. Paul's School: Elite independent boarding school in Brooklandville, MD with strong college-preparatory outcomes. Comparable to McDonogh in selectivity, college placement, and Maryland presence, though with a stronger boarding emphasis.
• The Bolles School: Independent day and boarding school in Jacksonville, FL serving PK-12. Comparable in scale and program breadth to McDonogh; prior workplace of McDonogh's current Head of School, providing useful leadership benchmark.

Regional players

• Georgetown Preparatory School: Independent Jesuit day and five-day boarding school for boys in North Bethesda, MD. Comparable in college-preparatory mission, five-day boarding model, and Maryland/DC regional market, though faith-based and single-sex.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcdonoghschool

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McDonogh School