Aquinas Academy
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is an independent, lay-founded Catholic day school (Preschool-Grade 12) on a single 14-acre campus in Gibsonia, PA, serving 500+ students with a classical college-preparatory curriculum and a 9:1 student-teacher ratio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersGibsonia, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Aquinas Academy does
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is an independent, lay-founded Catholic day school serving approximately 500+ students from Preschool through Grade 12 on a single 14-acre campus in Gibsonia, a residential suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school operates four academic divisions (Preschool, Lower School K-5, Middle School 6-8, High School 9-12) on a traditional classical curriculum anchored in classic literature, Western history, languages, mathematics, sciences, religion, and the arts, with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio, ~65% of faculty holding advanced degrees, and a tech-free high school environment. Annual tuition ranges from $5,050 (half-day Kindergarten) to $15,240 (High School), with preschool pricing starting as low as $1,725 and nearly $1 million in financial aid disbursed annually via Pennsylvania EITC/OSTC and the Bishop's Education Fund.
Revenue is concentrated entirely in tuition and ancillary fees (summer camps, After Day program, athletics, fundraising). Go-to-market is admissions-led: a Director of Admissions runs an inquiry-to-application funnel via the Veracross portal, supported by Open Houses, personal tours, shadow days ("Crusader for a Day"), and a Distinguished Speaker Series; bus transportation is offered across 14 surrounding school districts within ~10 miles. The institution holds no proprietary technology platform, relying instead on Veracross (admissions/enrollment), FACTS Grant & Aid (financial aid processing), and Smartcare (after-school management). Governance rests with a parent-and-community Board of Directors chaired by Hon. Philip Ignelzi; day-to-day operations are led by Head of School Tyler Deschamps ('08 alumnus, appointed from internal faculty ranks), supported by division Directors and a Business Manager. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association, is a member of PAIS, and is faithful to the Diocese of Pittsburgh (Bishop Mark A. Eckman) without being a diocesan subsidiary.
Aquinas Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aquinas Academy
- Legal name
- Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh
- Website
- https://aquinasacademy-pittsburgh.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is an independent, lay-founded Catholic day school (Preschool-Grade 12) on a single 14-acre campus in Gibsonia, PA, serving 500+ students with a classical college-preparatory curriculum and a 9:1 student-teacher ratio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aquinas Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Catholic K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA)
Keywords
Where Aquinas Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gibsonia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aquinas Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition payments at varying rates by grade level, from $5,050 for half-day Kindergarten to $15,240 for High School. Additional revenue from enrollment/activity fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | High School (Grades 9-12) |
| Subscription | Annual | Middle School (Grades 6-8) |
| Subscription | Annual | Lower School (Grades 1-5) |
| Subscription | Annual | Full Day Kindergarten |
| Subscription | Annual | Half Day Kindergarten |
| Subscription | Annual | 4 Year Old Preschool |
| Subscription | Annual | 3 Year Old Preschool |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Aquinas Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is an independent private Catholic school delivering a college-preparatory, classical curriculum for students from Preschool (age 3) through Grade 12. Its offerings span four academic divisions—Preschool, Lower School, Middle School, and High School—with supplementary college counseling, after-day supervision, summer camps, athletics, fine arts, and STEM/robotics clubs. The school sells tuition-based enrollment as its core commercial offering, priced annually by grade level.
Product overview
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is a private, independent Catholic school offering a traditional classical curriculum for students from Preschool through Grade 12. The school provides a unified college-preparatory program organized into four academic divisions: Preschool (ages 3-4), Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and High School (9-12). Supporting services include college counseling, an after-day program, and summer camps. The school also offers extensive extracurricular activities including 34 athletic teams, fine arts programs (theater, music, visual arts), robotics, and academic clubs. The institution emphasizes small class sizes with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio and a tech-free learning environment in the high school.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Preschool Program
- Lower School (Kindergarten–Grade 5)
- Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- High School (Grades 9–12)
- College Counseling Program
- Summer Programs/Camps
- After Day Program After-school supervision program for K-8 students running from school dismissal to 5:45 p.m. on regular school days, managed through the Smartcare platform. For families needing extended-day childcare beyond standard school hours.
- Athletics Program 34 interscholastic athletic teams including baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball, and more, competing in the WPIAL. For Aquinas students seeking character formation and physical development through competitive sports.
- Fine Arts Programs Theater, music, visual arts, and literary magazine programs fostering creativity in truth, beauty, and goodness. For Aquinas students interested in artistic and creative development.
- Robotics and STEM Clubs Robotics team and STEM-focused extracurricular activities for students to explore science and technology. For Aquinas students interested in STEM and engineering competition.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of students scored 3 or higher on AP Exams (vs 62.5% national average)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Aquinas Academy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aquinas Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Aquinas Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) ProgramcoreState program allowing businesses to redirect tax dollars to scholarships for income-qualifying students. Aquinas receives funding to provide financial aid to qualifying families.
- Opportunity Tax Scholarship Credit (OSTC) ProgramcoreState program providing scholarships to income-qualifying students through business tax credits.
- Bishop's Education FundcoreDiocesan need-based aid administered by Diocese of Pittsburgh for PreK-12 students.
- Diocese of PittsburghcoreGoverned under Most Reverend Mark A. Eckman; faithful to Bishop and teaching authority of Church; religion curriculum conforms to Bishop's standards.
- VeracrosscoreAdmissions portal used for inquiry forms, applications, and enrollment management.
- FACTS Grant & Aid AssessmentcoreThird-party platform used for processing financial aid applications for both Aquinas Academy aid and Bishop's Education Fund.
- NicheminorSchool ranking platform that has consistently ranked Aquinas as #1 Catholic High School in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aquinas Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Seton LaSalle Catholic High School: Catholic college-preparatory high school serving the southern Pittsburgh suburbs, with similar tuition tier and diocesan affiliation. Competes with Aquinas for the same pool of Catholic families along the 10-mile bus service radius and beyond.
- Central Catholic High School: Pittsburgh-based Catholic college-preparatory high school serving a similar Western PA Catholic-family segment. Directly competes with Aquinas for college-bound Catholic families in the metro and is the principal head-to-head competitor named in the regional rankings.
- Bishop Canevin High School: Pittsburgh Catholic high school in the same diocesan footprint as Aquinas, comparable in tuition and mission. Competes directly for the same pool of college-prep-oriented Catholic families in the metro.
- Eden Christian Academy: Pittsburgh suburban (Harmony, PA) private Christian K-12 academy offering college-prep curriculum in a faith-based environment. Directly comparable to Aquinas on faith-based K-12 college-prep model, tuition band, and suburban Pittsburgh geography.
- Serra Catholic High School: Catholic college-preparatory high school in the Pittsburgh region (McKeesport) with comparable pricing and college-prep focus. Relevant head-to-head competitor for Pittsburgh-metro Catholic families evaluating private Catholic education.
- Oakland Catholic High School: All-girls Catholic college-preparatory high school in Pittsburgh drawing from the same Western PA Catholic families. Comparable on tuition, college-prep mission, diocesan-adjacent identity, and admissions competition with Aquinas.
Emerging players
- Chesterton Academy: Network of classical Catholic high schools using a similar Great Books/classical curriculum model inspired by Hillsdale. Overlaps with Aquinas on traditional classical Catholic curriculum approach and is part of the same lay-Catholic-education movement.
Broad incumbents
- Shady Side Academy: One of the largest and most prestigious independent (non-Catholic) private K-12 schools in the Pittsburgh region with a broad college-prep program. Competitor for college-bound families willing to forgo Catholic identity for secular private education, particularly higher-income households.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aquinas Academy social profiles
Digital presenceAquinas Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Aquinas Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aquinas Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles20 records
Aquinas Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aquinas Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aquinas Academy
What does Aquinas Academy do?
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh is an independent private Catholic school delivering a college-preparatory, classical curriculum for students from Preschool (age 3) through Grade 12. Its offerings span four academic divisions—Preschool, Lower School, Middle School, and High School—with supplementary college counseling, after-day supervision, summer camps, athletics, fine arts, and STEM/robotics clubs. The school sells tuition-based enrollment as its core commercial offering, priced annually by grade level.
Is Aquinas Academy a public or private company?
Aquinas Academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aquinas Academy founded?
Aquinas Academy was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Aquinas Academy based?
Aquinas Academy is headquartered in Gibsonia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aquinas Academy make money?
One revenue line is on record: tuition.
Who are Aquinas Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Seton LaSalle Catholic High School, Central Catholic High School, Bishop Canevin High School, Eden Christian Academy, Serra Catholic High School and Oakland Catholic High School. Chesterton Academy is listed as an emerging player. Shady Side Academy is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Aquinas Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aquinas Academy.
What industry is Aquinas Academy in?
Aquinas Academy's product category is Private Catholic K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACADAH, Faith-Based Early Learning Academies, with a secondary code of EDACABAA, General Preschools (Play-Based). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.