What Catlin Gabel School does

Catlin Gabel School is an independent, nonprofit progressive day school serving 787 students from preschool through 12th grade in Southwest Portland, Oregon. The school operates on a 67-acre main campus with 22 buildings and an 8-acre East Campus located 5 miles west of downtown Portland, drawing students from 60 metro-area zip codes and 31 countries represented by its families. Founded in 1957 through the merger of Catlin-Hillside School and Gabel Country Day School, the institution traces its roots to Portland Academy (1859) and Miss Catlin's School (1911). It is governed by a Board of Trustees with no parent company or outside equity backing, and is led by Head of School Tim Bazemore (since 2014), with Dr. Aline García Rubio '93 set to assume the role on July 1, 2026.

The school's product portfolio comprises four core academic divisions (Beginning & Lower School PS-5, Middle School 6-8, Upper School 9-12) plus co-curricular programs in robotics and engineering (including FRC Team 1540 'The Flaming Chickens'), athletics (12 programs, 21 All-Sports Awards), outdoor education, global education (via Global Online Academy and a Taiwan sister-school exchange), and arts. Outcomes include a 99% four-year college matriculation rate, SAT scores 30% above the national average, and student demographics where 51% identify as people of color or multiracial across 42 home languages. Financial assistance of $6.2M was allocated to 27% of students in 2025-26, with awards averaging $29,600.

Revenue is generated primarily through tiered annual tuition ($38,750-$47,600 for 2026-27), with 4-6% annual price increases and payment plans offered (single installment with 0.5% discount, three installments, or ten installments with 2% finance charge). The school augments tuition with summer camps, a community arts program, and philanthropic contributions including the Malone Scholars Program endowment ($2M, 2005) and the active Eagles Soar capital campaign. The customer base comprises Portland-metro families seeking a progressive, experiential education, with admissions handled through campus tours, shadow days, and a Veracross-powered application portal.

Name

Catlin Gabel School

Legal name

Catlin Gabel School

Website

https://catlin.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Catlin Gabel School is an independent, nonprofit PS-12 progressive day school in Portland, Oregon, serving 787 students from 60 metro zip codes on a 67-acre campus with tiered tuition of $38,750-$47,600 and 27% of students receiving need-based aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-12 Private Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Waldorf/Steiner K–12 Schools (EDAJABAE)

Keywords

• Independent private education
• Progressive K-12 schools
• College preparatory programs
• Experiential learning programs
• Private day school

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Catlin Gabel generates primary revenue through tuition fees charged across four divisions: Beginning School (PS & K) at $38,750, Lower School (Grades 1-5) at $41,150, Middle School (Grades 6-8) at $44,980, and Upper School (Grades 9-12) at $47,600 for 2026-27 school year. Tuition increases 4-6% annually. Families can choose payment plans including one installment (with 0.5% discount), three installments, or ten installments with 2% finance charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Catlin Gabel School is an independent, nonprofit private day school providing progressive preschool-through-12th-grade education to 787 students on a 67-acre main campus and 8-acre East Campus in Portland, Oregon. Its core offering is a four-division academic program (Beginning School PS-K, Lower School Grades 1-5, Middle School Grades 6-8, Upper School Grades 9-12) anchored in inquiry-based, experiential, whole-child learning, complemented by co-curricular programs in robotics, athletics, outdoor education, and global education. Annual tuition ranges from $38,750 to $47,600 for 2026-27, with $6.2M in financial assistance supporting 27% of students.

Product overview

Catlin Gabel School is a progressive private day school offering a unified educational program from preschool through 12th grade. The school provides a comprehensive portfolio of programs including core academic divisions (Beginning & Lower School, Middle School, Upper School), co-curricular offerings (Robotics & Engineering, Athletics, Outdoor Education, Global Education, Arts), seasonal programs (Summer Camps), scholarship programs (Palma Scholars, Malone Scholars), and community programs (Community Arts Program, Financial Assistance). The school operates on a 67-acre main campus and 8-acre East Campus in Portland, Oregon, serving 787 students from diverse backgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Palma Scholars Program: Scholarship program for academically accomplished students with notable potential in athletics, leadership, and service, launched in fall 2011 and named for former Head of School Lark Palma.
• Malone Scholars Program

Products and services

• Beginning & Lower School (PS-5) Preschool through Grade 5 program featuring progressive, experiential learning, outdoor education, and a nurturing environment for young learners; annual tuition $41,150 for Grades 1-5 and $38,750 for Beginning School (PS & K) for 2026-27.
• Middle School (Grades 6-8) Grades 6-8 program offering experiential learning, student leadership opportunities, and co-curricular activities; annual tuition $44,980 for 2026-27.
• Upper School (Grades 9-12) Grades 9-12 college preparatory program with a diverse curriculum including computer science, arts, experiential learning, 45+ honors classes, and college counseling; annual tuition $47,600 for 2026-27.
• Summer Camps Day camps and specialty camps for ages 4-18 running July through August on the 67-acre campus, featuring arts, sports, academics, tech, and outdoor exploration.
• Community Arts Program Adult arts program on the East Campus offering small-group classes taught by master artists, recognized as one of the finest regional adult arts programs.
• Palma Scholars Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of graduates attend 4-year college
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Spencer StuartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal executive search and leadership advisory firm engaged by Catlin Gabel's Board of Trustees to conduct the Head of School search process. Spencer Stuart is renowned for expertise in identifying and placing top talent in leadership roles with offices in over 50 locations worldwide. They worked with the search committee to identify, recruit, and assess candidates for the Head of School position.
• NWAIS POCIS SeattleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeople of Colors in Independent Schools (POCIS) Northwest consortium network that Catlin Gabel's Equity and Inclusion team partners with to strengthen community partnerships with other Pacific Northwest DEI leaders and organizations.
• Meiho High School (Taiwan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school partnership with Meiho High School in Taiwan. Fourth year of exchange where Catlin Gabel families host visiting Taiwanese students, and Catlin Gabel Middle School students visit Taiwan on Global Education Trips.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oregon Episcopal School: Portland-based PK-12 progressive independent school of similar size and philosophy. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, similar tuition band, and overlapping progressive Episcopal/independent tradition.
• Lakeside School: Seattle-based independent school serving ~900 students in grades 5-12 with a progressive, college-prep tradition. Closest regional peer by size, philosophy, and Pacific Northwest positioning.
• The Nueva School: Bay Area independent school (PK-12) emphasizing progressive, experiential, and inquiry-based learning. Comparable by pedagogical philosophy, size, and tuition tier.
• University Prep: Seattle-based progressive independent school (grades 5-12) with a similarly diverse student body and emphasis on equity. Strong regional comparable in the Pacific Northwest.
• Riverdale Country School: New York City PK-12 progressive independent school with similar size (~1,000 students), experiential learning emphasis, and college-prep outcomes. Strong philosophical and operational comparable.
• The Park School of Baltimore: Maryland PK-12 progressive independent school with similar size, philosophy, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Comparable by progressive pedagogy and tuition tier.
• Germantown Friends School: Philadelphia-area PK-12 progressive Quaker school. Comparable by long-standing progressive education tradition, similar size, and similar college-prep outcomes.
• Beaver Country Day School: Greater Boston PK-12 progressive independent school with a similar size profile and an explicit progressive, experiential learning mission aligned with Catlin Gabel's approach.
• The Bay School of San Francisco: San Francisco PK-12 progressive independent school with comparable size, philosophy, and tuition band. Useful comparable for premium urban progressive schools on the West Coast.

Broad incumbents

• Sidwell Friends School: Washington, DC PK-12 Quaker progressive school with national brand recognition. Comparable by progressive philosophy and elite positioning, though larger and more nationally prominent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CatlinGabel
• Facebookfacebook.com/catlingabelschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/catlin-gabel-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/catlingabel
• Xx.com/catlinboyshoops

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Catlin Gabel School