Dana Hall School

What Dana Hall School does

Dana Hall School is an independent, nonprofit, all-girls boarding and day school serving grades 5-12 on a 55-acre campus at 45 Dana Road in Wellesley, Massachusetts, twelve miles west of Boston. Founded in 1881 and currently led by the 11th Head of School, Katherine L. Bradley (in role since 2016-17), the institution enrolls approximately 453 students split between a Middle School (grades 5-8, 133 students) and Upper School (grades 9-12, 320 students), including 100 residential boarding students (~22% of enrollment) and a 12% international cohort. The academic program is built around a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio (61 classroom teachers, average class sizes of 12 in Upper School and 16 in Middle School), offering 17 AP courses, 7 honors courses, and 47 performing and visual arts courses across nine academic departments. Signature facilities include the 93,000-square-foot Shipley Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness; the Karen Stives '68 Equestrian Center with capacity for 45 horses; the Helen Temple Cooke Library; and a dedicated School of Music building.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, with day tuition of $65,765 and boarding tuition of $79,925 for the 2026-27 academic year, alongside activity deposits, private instruction (music, riding, tutoring), summer programs (Girls Summer Entrepreneurship Program, equestrian training academy), community music programs, and facility rentals. A $6.1 million annual financial aid budget (averaging $57,669 per grant) supports a socioeconomically diverse student body, while the "Fearless Futures" capital campaign sustains endowment and capital-project funding. Go-to-market is a traditional independent-school admissions funnel: inquiry form, Ravenna application platform, on-campus or virtual interview, teacher recommendations, transcripts, and standardized testing (SSAT/ISEE/TOEFL), with a January 15 application deadline and March 10 decision notification.

The school's competitive position rests on its nearly century-and-a-half brand, sole-girls-boarding-school status in the Boston metro, dense community ecosystem (14+ student affinity groups, dedicated Director of Community Equity and Inclusion, active Parents' Association and Alumnae Council), and a partnership network including Babson College's Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship, Harvard Innovation Labs (for GSEP), and channel partners Ravenna, Clarity, Local Motion, and Debonair Transportation. Core operating technology is Canvas LMS, supplemented by a 1:1 iPad program for grades 6-12 and the DanaConnect student portal, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Dana Hall School

Legal name

Dana Hall School

Website

https://danahall.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dana Hall School is an independent nonprofit all-girls boarding and day school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, serving roughly 453 students in grades 5-12 with 6:1 faculty ratios, 17 AP courses, and signature facilities including an equestrian center and 93,000 sq ft athletic complex.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellesley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue source from tuition fees for both day and boarding students. Day tuition for 2026-27 is $65,765; Boarding tuition is $79,925. Additional revenue from activity deposits ($1,000 day/$1,200 boarding), private music instruction, riding lessons, and academic tutoring services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dana Hall School is an independent boarding and day school for girls in grades 5-12, delivering college-preparatory academics (17 AP courses, 7 honors courses), 47 performing and visual arts courses, 37 interscholastic athletic teams, and residential boarding life for 100 students. The school combines a Middle School program (grades 5-8) and Upper School program (grades 9-12) on a 55-acre campus in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with signature programs in Model United Nations and entrepreneurship in partnership with Babson College and Harvard Innovation Labs. Tuition for 2026-27 is $65,765 for day students and $79,925 for boarding students, with $6.1 million in annual financial aid distributed at an average grant of $57,669.

Product overview

Dana Hall School is an independent boarding and day school for girls in grades 5-12 located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school offers a unified educational experience combining rigorous academics (Upper School with 17 AP courses and Middle School with grades 5-8), comprehensive arts programs (47 performing and visual arts courses in dance, music, theater, and visual arts), and athletics (37 interscholastic teams). Key facilities include the Karen Stives '68 Equestrian Center, Shipley Center for Athletics with pool and climbing wall, and the Helen Temple Cooke Library. The school serves approximately 453 students with a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and offers residential life for 100 boarding students. Signature programs include Model United Nations, Girls Summer Entrepreneurship Program, and extensive international student support. The institution operates community programs including a School of Music and summer equestrian programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Karen Stives '68 Equestrian Center: Equestrian facility featuring a barn sized for 45 horses, two indoor arenas, a new outdoor arena with horse show jumps, and 12 stand turnout paddocks.
• School of Music
• Shipley Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness
• Helen Temple Cooke Library

Products and services

• Upper School Academic Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates attend excellent colleges and universities in the US and abroad with strong college counseling support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RavennacoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb-based application platform used for managing inquiries, applications, interview scheduling, event registration, and decision notifications. All prospective families must create a Ravenna account to apply and track admission status.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial aid application platform used to determine family financial need. Clarity processes financial aid applications including assets, income, expenses, and debts. Integrates with IRS for direct tax transfer and offers mobile-friendly application process.
• Gateway to Prep SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlternative application platform accepted for admission applications. Families may apply through Gateway but must still maintain Ravenna account for interview scheduling and communications.
• EMA Student Application Online (SAO)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlternative application platform accepted for admission applications. Families may apply through SAO but must still maintain Ravenna account for interview scheduling and communications.
• Local MotionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoston-area school bus transportation company providing Boston/Newton bus service. Buses equipped with seat belts and driven by trained, licensed school bus drivers. Service for additional fee.
• Debonair TransportationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransportation company providing Cambridge bus service to Dana Hall. Round-trip service delivering students to campus by 7:50 a.m. and departing at 6:15 p.m.
• Parents' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive parent organization supporting school community through volunteer activities including residential life enrichment, athletics Boosters, service projects, event planning, and fundraising promotion.
• Babson College Arthur M. Blank Center for EntrepreneurshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Girls Summer Entrepreneurship Program (GSEP). Students visit Babson campus for prototyping sessions and receive mentorship from Babson alumni and admissions team.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N): Independent day school in Cambridge, MA spanning K-9 with a similar Boston-area affluent family base. Direct competitor for many of Dana Hall's day-school families, particularly in the Middle School grades.
• Madeira School: All-girls boarding and day school in McLean, VA, grades 9-12. Strong functional peer in the all-girls college-prep boarding niche with comparable signature programs and Co-Curriculum experiential model.
• The Winsor School: Boston-based independent day school for girls in grades 5-12. The most direct geographic peer — same market, same demographic, same all-girls mission, though Winsor is day-only and Dana Hall uniquely combines day + boarding.
• Milton Academy: Highly selective co-ed day and boarding school in Milton, MA, grades 9-12. Comparable on geography, premium tuition tier, and college-prep rigor — the leading co-ed peer competing for the same Boston-area boarding families.
• Miss Porter's School: Premier all-girls boarding school in Farmington, CT serving grades 9-12. Comparable in mission (single-sex college prep), tuition tier, and boarding model, making it the closest national mission peer to Dana Hall.
• Middlesex School: Co-ed boarding and day school in Concord, MA, grades 9-12. Comparable premium New England boarding model, similar faculty-to-student ratios, and overlapping applicant pool in the Boston metro feeder region.
• Noble and Greenough School: Co-ed day and limited 5-day boarding school in Dedham, MA, grades 7-12. Comparable Boston-area college-prep model competing for similar Day School families and drawing from overlapping feeder communities.
• The Governor's Academy: Co-ed boarding and day school in Byfield, MA, grades 9-12. Comparable Massachusetts boarding peer competing for the same New England boarding families, particularly those seeking a smaller, traditional college-prep environment.

Broad incumbents

• Phillips Academy Andover: One of the most prestigious co-ed boarding schools in the U.S., located in Andover, MA. A broader incumbent peer at the elite boarding tier — competes for the highest-end boarding families nationally and globally, though co-ed rather than all-girls.
• Deerfield Academy: Elite co-ed boarding school in Deerfield, MA, grades 9-12. Direct competitor for the same New England boarding applicant pool and at a similar tuition tier, with overlapping signature programs in athletics and college counseling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZK8_XLUTFyD4694QbVlCug
• Facebookfacebook.com/danahallschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dana-hall-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/danahallschool
• Xx.com/danahallschool

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 Dana Hall School