Leo High School

What Leo High School does

Leo High School is a private, nonprofit Catholic high school for young men located on Chicago's South Side in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood (7901 South Sangamon Street). Founded in 1926 and currently celebrating its centennial, the school serves students from Chicago's South Side and surrounding communities, including a significant number who travel from the West Side. Its core educational product is a College Prep and Honors Curriculum designed to prepare graduates for college, military, or workforce pathways, supported by a six-sport interscholastic athletics program (with 61+ championships since 1926) and a world-renowned Choir that placed fourth nationally on America's Got Talent.

The school operates on a tuition-based revenue model supplemented by fundraising and external grants. Specific tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed, but financial aid is robust: the Class of 2026 received $10,637,977 in tuition assistance offers across 212 successful college applications, and the school maintains a 100% graduation rate that has held for 16 consecutive years under its recent leadership. Beyond tuition, Leo's primary revenue lever is its annual Scholarship Benefit gala, which raises over $500,000 per year, and ongoing support through the Big Shoulders Fund Plus initiative, which serves 30 Chicago schools. Other major funding partners include the CME Group Foundation (via alumnus Terry Duffy '76), the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Bears Care.

Technically, Leo does not operate any proprietary technology platform. Its back-office stack consists of three standard third-party tools: PowerSchool for student information and grade management, Google Workspace for faculty communications, and FACTS for tuition billing and financial aid processing. The school's competitive moat is built on a century-old brand, an active alumni ecosystem, and deep community ties rather than on technology. It reaches prospective families through traditional admissions outreach (shadow days, Catholic elementary school feeder partnerships), digital channels (website, social media, monthly email newsletter), and high-visibility earned media (Chicago Sun-Times, WGN-TV, ABC 7, Fox 32). Admissions testing for the Class of 2030 has already closed, and the school reports demand that supports its 30-year enrollment high.

Name

Leo High School

Legal name

Leo High School

Website

https://leohighschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leo High School is a private Catholic college-prep school for young men on Chicago's South Side, founded in 1926 and currently celebrating its centennial. It serves students from Chicago's underserved communities through a rigorous curriculum, championship athletics, and a nationally recognized choir.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical Education K–12 Schools (EDAJABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Catholic secondary education
• College preparatory curriculum
• High school athletics
• Tuition assistance programs
• Student brotherhood development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Leo High School is a private Catholic college-preparatory high school for young men, founded in 1926 in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood. It delivers a College Prep and Honors Curriculum, a six-sport interscholastic athletic program, and the nationally recognized Leo Choir, supported by tuition payments, financial aid, and donations from alumni and the broader community.

Product overview

Leo High School is a Catholic high school offering a College Prep and Honors Curriculum as its core educational product. The school provides a comprehensive extracurricular portfolio including the World-Renowned Leo Choir, Leo Lions Athletics (six-sport program with championship history), Chess Club, Digital Film Club, Spanish Club, Entrepreneur's Club, The Oriole online newspaper, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Administrative services include PowerSchool for student information management and FACTS for tuition processing. The school participates in Big Shoulders Fund Plus for enhanced sustainability support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Prep and Honors Curriculum

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% graduation rate maintained for 16 consecutive years under President Dan McGrath
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Archdiocese of Chicago (Cardinal Blase Cupich)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2025Cardinal Blase Cupich announced the Archdiocese of Chicago was matching a $100,000 donation to establish a college fund for Leo Choir members during the Welcome Home celebration. This support recognizes the Choir's representation of the City of Chicago, Leo High School, and Catholic education. The Archdiocese contributes to Leo's sustainability and mission advancement.
• St. Margaret of Scotland ChurchmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021St. Margaret of Scotland Church serves as the venue for Leo's annual graduation ceremonies on Mother's Day. The church's spacious acoustics accommodate graduation crowds and choir performances. Leo alumni including Gene Earner have deep ties to the parish, with over $500,000 raised through parish fundraisers for community support.
• Chicago Bears / Bears CaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBears Care, the charitable arm of the Chicago Bears, partners with Leo for annual Christmas galas serving needy Auburn Gresham families. Bears Chairman George McCaskey, Pro Bowl cornerback Kyle Fuller, and offensive linemen participate in events. Bears Care provides Santa Claus, face painters, dinner, and gifts for over 50 families annually. The partnership gives the Bears strong presence on Chicago's South Side.
• Bourbon Street (Merrionette Park)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBourbon Street venue in Merrionette Park volunteered to host watch parties during the Leo Choir's America's Got Talent run. The venue subsequently hosted the Welcome Home celebration for the Choir featuring 300+ well-wishers. The venue choice enabled community viewing of the Choir's performances.
• Four Seasons Hotel ChicagominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Four Seasons Hotel Chicago hosts Leo's annual Scholarship Benefit, the school's primary fundraising event. The venue accommodates 300+ guests for the gala that raises over $500,000 annually for tuition assistance. The high-profile venue lends prestige to the event honoring distinguished alumni.
• America's Got TalentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Leo Choir competed on America's Got Talent, finishing fourth place nationally. The exposure generated $100,000+ in college funds for Choir members, national media coverage, and Cardinal Cupich's matching donation. The campaign created lasting visibility for the school and its mission.
• The Kroc CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kroc Center Field at 117th and Aberdeen Street serves as the home venue for Leo baseball games. The partnership provides quality athletic facilities for Leo student-athletes while the school brings students to the facility.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brother Rice High School: All-boys Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's South Side serving a similar demographic. Operates as a comparable private Catholic secondary school competing for the same pool of South Side families and Catholic elementary feeders.
• Fenwick High School: Catholic Dominican college-prep high school in Oak Park, IL, serving Chicago-area families. Comparable Catholic college-prep model with a similar college-readiness and athletics focus.
• St. Ignatius College Prep: Catholic Jesuit college-prep high school in Chicago with a similar college-readiness, athletics, and brotherhood/alumni-engagement model. Comparable in scale, mission, and Jesuit/Catholic tradition.
• Providence Catholic High School: Catholic college-prep high school in New Lenox, IL, with comparable college-readiness outcomes, athletics tradition, and tuition-assistance model serving Chicago-area families.
• Mount Carmel High School: All-boys Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's South Side with a comparable athletic tradition in the Chicago Catholic League. Directly competes with Leo for students, athletics prestige, and alumni engagement in the same geography.
• Our Lady of Tepeyac High School: Catholic college-prep high school in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, where Jennifer Fleck recently joined as principal. Comparable urban Catholic mission and Chicago Catholic League participation.
• Loyola Academy: Catholic Jesuit college-prep high school in Wilmette, IL, with comparable college-prep rigor and Chicago Catholic League athletics. A strong suburban counterpart competing for the same feeder school graduates.
• Marmion Academy: Catholic Benedictine military-style college-prep high school in Aurora, IL. Comparable Catholic college-prep model with strong athletics and a regional Chicago-area draw.
• St. Rita of Cascia High School: All-boys Augustinian Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's South Side. Closely comparable in mission, single-gender model, athletic tradition, and South Side Catholic League positioning.
• De La Salle Institute: Christian Brothers Catholic college-prep high school on Chicago's South Side serving a similar urban, working-class demographic. Comparable in mission, student profile, and tuition-assistance reliance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/leohighchicago
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@leohighschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Leo-Catholic-High-School/177598272253218
• Instagraminstagram.com/leohschicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Leo High School