What Holderness School does

Holderness School is an independent, nonprofit coeducational boarding and day school founded in 1879 and located on a 600-acre campus in Holderness, New Hampshire, within the White Mountains region. It serves approximately 300 students in grades 9 through 12 and post-graduate year, supported by 50 faculty (a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio) and 133 total staff/faculty constituents. Its core offering is a college-preparatory academic program built on 100+ course offerings, 21 AP classes, an average class size of 12, and a 35,000-square-foot Davis Center for STEM, supplemented by signature experiential programs (Out Back wilderness expeditions, Artward Bound, Project Outreach, and the Capstone senior thesis).

The school's business model is tuition-driven, with a 2026-2027 boarding tuition of $82,400 and day tuition of $55,900 per academic year, plus ancillary revenue from snow sports fees, international student fees ($5,000 first year, $2,500 thereafter), and academic support services delivered through partner Knower Academics. It distributes approximately $4.5 million in financial aid to roughly 40% of students. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and traditional: prospective families inquire through the school's website, participate in campus visits and open houses, apply via the Standard Application Online (SAO) on Early Decision or Regular Decision timelines, and pay enrollment deposits.

Infrastructure supporting delivery includes 17 residential dormitories, 34 varsity and 18 junior varsity athletic teams, sustainability assets (460 kW solar array generating 30% of energy needs, biomass plant, LEED Gold dormitories), and a parent/student engagement platform (myHOLDERNESS portal). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; funding comes primarily from tuition, supplementary fees, and philanthropic giving managed by the Advancement Office and the Holderness Fund, with no external ownership or parent company.

Name

Holderness School

Legal name

Holderness School

Website

https://holderness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1879

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Holderness School is a nonprofit independent coeducational boarding and day school founded in 1879 in Holderness, New Hampshire, serving approximately 300 students in grades 9-12 and post-graduate year through a college-preparatory academic program with signature outdoor experiential learning on a 600-acre White Mountains campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Boarding School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAJ), Ski & Snowboard Schools (Instruction & Coaching) (THAAAJAC)

Keywords

• Boarding school education
• College preparatory programs
• Experiential learning
• Independent secondary education
• Snow sports athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Holderness

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Boarding Tuition: Full residential program including room, board, and all academic instruction. Tuition covers all core educational services, residential life, dining, and most campus activities.
2. Day Student Tuition: Reduced tuition for local students who commute daily rather than residing on campus. Covers academic instruction and daytime campus activities.
3. Snow Sports Program Fees: Additional fees charged for students participating in ski and snowboard programs, including coaching, lift tickets, and equipment access
4. Academic Support Services: Fees for additional academic support through partner Knower Academics for students requiring extra help
5. International Student Fees: Additional fees for international students covering support services: $5,000 first year, $2,500 for consecutive years
6. Financial Aid Distribution: Approximately $4.5 million in financial aid awards distributed annually to approximately 40% of student body

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Holderness School is an independent, nonprofit coeducational college-preparatory boarding and day school serving grades 9-12 and post-graduate students on a 600-acre New Hampshire campus. Its core offering combines rigorous academics (21 AP courses, 6:1 student-faculty ratio, average class size of 12) with signature experiential programs (Out Back, Artward Bound, Project Outreach, Capstone), 34 varsity and 18 JV athletic teams, a premier snow sports program, college counseling, and residential life. Tuition ($82,400 boarding, $55,900 day for 2026-2027) is the primary subscription-based revenue stream, supplemented by ancillary fees and philanthropic giving.

Product overview

Holderness School is a coeducational college-preparatory boarding and day school offering grades 9-12 and post-graduate programs. The institution operates as a unified educational platform combining rigorous academics with experiential learning through its signature programs (Out Back, Artward Bound, Project Outreach, Capstone), supported by the Davis Center for STEM facility. The school provides comprehensive athletics with 34 varsity teams, premier snow sports programming, college counseling, and sustainability initiatives. Communication and engagement are facilitated through the myHolderness parent/student portal, the From Bulls to Beacons podcast, and the newly launched Basecamp magazine. The institution also operates a Parents Association for community engagement and maintains environmental commitments through solar arrays, biomass heating, and LEED-certified facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bulls: The official mascot of Holderness School athletic teams

Products and services

• College-Preparatory Academic Program Comprehensive college-preparatory education for grades 9-12 and post-graduate students, featuring small class sizes (average 12 students), a 6:1 student/faculty ratio, 21 AP classes, and interdisciplinary learning across eight academic departments (English, History, Science, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Modern Languages, Performing Arts, and Theology and Religious Studies).
• Experiential Learning Programs Signature hands-on programs including Out Back wilderness expeditions, Artward Bound arts immersion, Project Outreach community service, and Capstone senior thesis, providing real-world learning experiences integrated into the academic curriculum for grades 9-12 students.
• Davis Center for STEM A 35,000 square-foot state-of-the-art science and mathematics facility with classrooms, laboratories, and research spaces that support the school's STEM curriculum and provide modern infrastructure for science and math instruction.
• Snow Sports Program Premier snow sports programming including alpine skiing, snowboarding, and freeskiing with access to 19 mountains within 30 minutes of campus and on-campus facilities including a 100-foot year-round ski jump and 20km of cross-country/nordic trails; available as a paid add-on to boarding tuition.
• Athletics Program Multi-sport athletics program offering 34 varsity teams and 18 junior varsity teams, with on-campus facilities including the Bartsch-Gallop Athletics Center, ice rink, and Nordic ski house; available to all enrolled students as part of tuition.
• College Counseling Comprehensive college counseling program that guides students through the college selection and application process, including the Anonymous College Fair initiative and personalized advising for boarding and day students.
• Boarding and Day Student Tuition Programs Annual subscription tuition products: boarding tuition ($82,400 for 2026-2027) covering room, board, instruction, and residential life, and day student tuition ($55,900 for 2026-2027) for local commuters accessing the same academic program; both include access to need-based financial aid through the Clarity application, with payment plans offered via Tuition Management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 40% of students receive financial aid totaling more than $4.5 million annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 minor and core.

• NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)minorOthersMember of national association for independent schools providing advocacy, resources, and professional development. Listed as a resource link on school website.
• ISANNE (Independent Schools Association of New England)coreOthersRegional association membership connecting Holderness with other independent schools in New England for collaboration, conferences, and shared resources.
• TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools)coreOthersNational association specifically serving boarding schools, providing resources and connecting schools with prospective families.
• NAES (National Association of Episcopal Schools)minorOthersAssociation membership supporting the school's Episcopal heritage and values-based education mission.
• Clarity (Financial Aid Platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for processing and evaluating financial aid applications. Families submit Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) through Clarity's platform for need-based aid determination.
• Knower Academics (Academic Support)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal partner providing academic support programs and services for students who request extra help beyond standard classroom instruction.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Phillips Exeter Academy: Elite New Hampshire boarding school serving grades 9-12 with a Harkness teaching model and premier college-prep outcomes. Operates in the same regional and tuition tier as Holderness and competes for overlapping international and domestic family segments.
• The Hotchkiss School: Connecticut independent boarding school with strong college-prep outcomes, signature experiential programs, and a comparable tuition band. Competes directly with Holderness for academically focused residential families.
• Choate Rosemary Hall: Connecticut boarding school with deep college-prep offerings, signature programs (including outdoor and experiential components), and a tuition band and scale similar to Holderness. Direct competitor in the premium New England boarding market.
• Brooks School: North Andover, Massachusetts independent boarding and day school serving grades 9-12 with a similar college-preparatory model, comparable tuition tier, and small residential community. Highly relevant as the prior institution of Holderness's current Head of School John McVeigh.
• Tilton School: New Hampshire boarding and day school for grades 9-12/PG with a smaller enrollment footprint than Holderness. Strong direct competitor in the New Hampshire boarding market with comparable experiential and outdoor programming emphasis.
• Tabor Academy: Massachusetts boarding and day school with a marine-science and waterfront-based experiential identity analogous to Holderness's outdoor/mountain identity. Similar scale, tuition tier, and college-prep mission.
• Groton School: Massachusetts Episcopal boarding school with a small, tight-knit residential community, rigorous college-prep curriculum, and comparable tuition tier. Comparable in scale, residential intensity, and mission-aligned character.
• St. Paul's School: Concord, New Hampshire Episcopal boarding school serving grades 9-12 with a similar religious-heritage positioning, full residential model, and comparable experiential and outdoor programming. Direct geographic and mission-aligned competitor.
• Deerfield Academy: Elite Massachusetts boarding school with strong college-prep outcomes, robust outdoor and community-service programming, and a comparable tuition tier. Competes with Holderness for top-quartile college-prep families in New England.
• Lawrenceville School: New Jersey independent boarding school offering the House system, signature experiential programs, and a similar college-preparatory residential model. Comparable in scale, tuition band, and program philosophy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWJaE3wNFtSIHGNezboeJ2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/holdernessschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/holdernesstoday
• Xx.com/HoldernessToday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holderness-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Holderness School