What Bellarmine College Preparatory does

Bellarmine College Preparatory is a private, all-boys Jesuit college preparatory school located on a 28-acre campus at 960 West Hedding Street in San Jose, California. Founded in 1851 as Santa Clara College and renamed in 1928, it is the first Jesuit high school in California and the second west of the Mississippi, currently operating under the sponsorship of Jesuits West Province of the Society of Jesus. The school serves approximately 1,600+ students drawn from across the San Francisco Bay Area, with transportation routes extending from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, and reports 17,000+ alumni. Course offerings span 163 courses, including 22 AP and 15 Honors classes, with an 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio and an average class size of 25 students. Reported outcomes include a 99.8% college attendance rate, an average SAT score of 1310, an average ACT score of 30, and a 93% AP exam pass rate.

The school's core product is its integrated Jesuit college preparatory program, combining rigorous academics with structured faith formation, retreat programs, Christian service requirements, and an immersion program. Co-curricular offerings include a five-time world champion Robotics team, a three-time nationally ranked #1 Speech & Debate program, a co-ed theatre program producing three annual productions, and 36 athletic teams across 15 sports. The Maker Lab provides hands-on engineering with 3D printers, CNC mills, and laser cutters. Six full-time college counselors, supported by 120+ annual college admissions visits, deliver one-on-one advising starting junior year. The school operates an Alumni Volunteer Program staffing recent graduates across administration and ministry roles.

Bellarmine's revenue is generated primarily through tuition and ancillary fees, supplemented by summer programs (BUILD, Bell Prep, auxiliary), Booster Program memberships (Premium Four-Year $600, Deluxe $350, Young Alumni $50), and significant fundraising activity including the annual BellsGive campaign, Golden Bell Auction, Mothers' Guild Fashion Show (benefiting a $3M+ Direct Tuition Assistance Endowment), and the Steve Pinkston Endowment. Admissions is a sales-led, multi-touch process including online application, shadow days, math proficiency testing, and tuition assistance application. The school maintains a hybrid marketing presence through bcp.org, social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram), the Bellarmine Weekly Connect email newsletter, and an annual BCP Magazine. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees and Board of Regents, with President Chris Meyercord '88 having announced the 2026-27 school year as his final year in the role.

Name

Bellarmine College Preparatory

Legal name

Bellarmine College Preparatory

Website

https://bcp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bellarmine College Preparatory is a private, all-boys Jesuit college preparatory school in San Jose, California, serving roughly 1,600 Bay Area students with a 163-course curriculum, 22 AP classes, six college counselors, and 36 athletic teams. Founded in 1851, it operates under the sponsorship of Jesuits West Province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education (Jesuit College Preparatory)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Jesuit secondary education
• Private high school
• All-boys education
• STEM and robotics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Private tuition fees for all-boys Jesuit college preparatory education covering academic programs, facilities, and services
2. Booster Program Memberships: Annual family memberships providing admission to regular-season home games and booster merchandise including jackets and hats. Three tiers: Premium Four-Year Family ($600), Deluxe Family ($350), Young Alumni Plan ($50)
3. Summer Programs: Revenue from summer programs including BUILD Program, Bell Prep, and auxiliary programs
4. Fundraising and Donations: Annual giving campaigns including BellsGive, Golden Bell Auction, Steve Pinkston Endowment, and community partner program
5. Mothers' Guild Fashion Show: Annual fashion show fundraising event that benefits Direct Tuition Assistance Fund and Tuition Assistance Endowment, with endowment over $3 million

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bellarmine College Preparatory is an all-boys Jesuit college preparatory high school that delivers grades 9-12 education combining a rigorous college preparatory curriculum (163 courses including 22 AP and 15 Honors), six full-time college counselors, and 100+ co-curricular activities. Core offerings include the academic program, college counseling, athletics (36 teams across 15 sports), Maker Lab engineering program, Robotics, Speech & Debate, Theatre Arts, summer programs, and Jesuit faith and service formation including retreats, immersion trips, and the Christian Service Program.

Product overview

Bellarmine College Preparatory is an all-boys Jesuit college preparatory high school offering a unified educational program combining rigorous academics, co-curricular activities, and spiritual development. The core offering is its college prep curriculum featuring AP and Honors courses, supported by college counseling, athletics, theatre arts, robotics, speech and debate, and summer programs. The Maker Lab provides hands-on engineering and technology education. The school also operates an Alumni Volunteer Program for recent graduates serving on campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory Curriculum Jesuit college preparatory curriculum ranked among the top 10% in California, featuring 163 courses including 22 AP and 15 Honors classes, with an average SAT score of 1310 and an average ACT score of 30, serving Bay Area students in grades 9-12.
• College Counseling Program Six full-time college counselors providing personalized guidance, one-on-one advising starting in junior year, workshops on applications and financial aid, with 120+ college admissions officers visiting Bellarmine annually to meet students.
• Maker Lab Program State-of-the-art facility with 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, and engineering equipment used for sustainable engineering projects and environmental literacy education for Bellarmine students.
• Athletics Program 36 teams across 15 sports supported by a sports medicine team with athletic trainers and performance specialists, ranking Bellarmine among the top 5% of California high schools for athletics and serving more than 1,300 student athletes.
• Summer Programs Summer program offerings including the BUILD Program for incoming students, Bell Prep academic courses, and auxiliary programs open to enrolled and prospective students.
• Theatre Arts Program Co-ed theatre program featuring three full-scale productions annually with professional-grade stages, including fall, winter, and spring productions.
• Alumni Volunteer Program Year-long service program for recent Bellarmine graduates providing placements across campus departments including Admissions, Campus Ministry, and Academic Resource Center, with housing and stipend provided.
• Booster Program Memberships Annual family memberships providing admission to regular-season home games and booster merchandise including jackets, sweaters, and hats. Three tiers: Premium Four-Year Family ($600), Deluxe Family ($350), and Young Alumni Plan ($50).

Quantifiable outcome

• Average SAT score of 1310, nearly 300 points higher than national average
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 100+ Local Schools and AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with over 100 schools and agencies including Bachrodt Elementary, HOPE Services, Sacred Heart Community Service, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Students engage through service, outreach, and immersion experiences.
• Jesuits West ProvincecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored by Jesuits West Province of the Society of Jesus. Sponsorship affirms Bellarmine as a work of the Society of Jesus and Catholic, Jesuit school. Provincial formally restates sponsorship every six years.
• Jesuit Schools NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) which defines Jesuit education standards through 'Our Way of Proceeding' framework covering five key areas: Jesuit and Catholic Mission & Identity, Governance and Leadership, Spiritual Formation, Educational Excellence, and Faith That Does Justice.
• U.S. Department of EducationminorOthersEarned distinction as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School, one of only 26 schools nationwide recognized for environmental excellence.
• California Department of EducationminorOthersDesignated as California Green Ribbon School for environmental achievements in reducing environmental impact, improving health and wellness, and providing effective environmental education.
• 120+ College UniversitiesminorOthersOver 120 college admissions officers visit Bellarmine annually to meet with students, facilitating direct college connections.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Presentation High School: Catholic all-girls college preparatory high school in San Jose, CA — directly competes for Bay Area Catholic families, often as the co-applicant counterpart to Bellarmine for siblings; same tuition band and similar academic rigor.
• De La Salle High School: Catholic college preparatory high school in Concord, CA — comparable Lasallian Catholic mission and college-prep academic positioning serving East Bay families that overlap with Bellarmine's broader geographic draw.
• Sacred Heart Preparatory: Catholic co-ed college preparatory school in Atherton, CA — same Bay Area Catholic family segment with comparable college counseling depth, athletics, and sustainability programming; competes head-to-head for Peninsula families.
• Menlo School: Independent co-ed college preparatory school in Atherton, CA — directly comparable along academic outcomes, tuition band, and Silicon Valley family targeting; primary non-Catholic competitor for the same elite college-prep market.
• Saint Francis High School: Catholic college preparatory high school in Mountain View, CA — same Bay Area Catholic college-prep market as Bellarmine, with overlapping applicant families from Silicon Valley, comparable tuition band, and parallel athletic/academic positioning.
• The Harker School: Elite private K-12 college preparatory school in San Jose, CA — same Silicon Valley feeder market, comparable academic outcomes (top college placement, AP depth), and direct competition for high-achieving families seeking non-Catholic alternatives.
• Archbishop Mitty High School: Catholic co-ed college preparatory high school in San Jose, CA — directly competes for the same Silicon Valley Catholic family segment with overlapping AP/Honors curriculum, athletics, and college counseling positioning.
• Loyola High School: Jesuit all-boys Catholic college preparatory school in Los Angeles — sister Jesuit institution with same mission framework, all-boys model, and similar Ignatian identity; comparable along mission, gender, and academic positioning (though different region).
• St. Ignatius College Preparatory: Jesuit, all-boys Catholic college preparatory high school in San Francisco serving the same Bay Area market with overlapping academic rigor, Jesuit mission identity, and competitive applicant pool. Most directly comparable peer along mission, gender model, and geography.

Others

• Bellarmine University: Independent Catholic university in Louisville, KY — shares the Bellarmine patron saint namesake and Catholic higher-education mission but is not a direct K-12 competitor; included as a brand/mission-adjacent reference point in the broader Bellarmine/Catholic education ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bellarminebells
• YouTubeyoutube.com/bellarminebells
• Facebookfacebook.com/bellarminebells
• Instagraminstagram.com/bellarminebells/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellarmine-college-preparatory

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Bellarmine College Preparatory