At a Glance
An affordable all-boys Catholic college-prep rooted in the South Bronx.
Best suited for
A Catholic family — or any family seeking a faith-based, disciplined college prep — with a son who would benefit from a structured all-boys environment and an attainable price tag, especially if a commute from the Bronx or upper Manhattan is workable.
What stands out
- The BridgeUp Program layers academic support, mentorship, and networking on top of the standard curriculum — a meaningful add for first-generation college-bound boys.
- Five academic tracks let students specialize, with AP and honors options for the college-bound.
- An all-boys Catholic setting gives teenage boys a focused peer environment during formative high-school years.
- Tuition of $6,500 is markedly more attainable than most NYC private schools, which can run several times that.
- Faith and formation are integrated into the school day rather than offered as an elective.
Things to consider
- All-boys only — won't suit families looking for a coed experience or who have daughters.
- Parent reviews are mixed on school culture and student behavior, even as academic preparation and discipline get high marks.
- The 17:1 ratio is fine but not unusually small; classes are still sizable.
- The student body is demographically concentrated — boys won't encounter the same racial and economic spread as at higher-tuition independents.
- Rolling admissions means there's no hard deadline, which can work in either direction for families.
Identity
Cardinal Hayes is a Roman Catholic all-boys secondary school run by the Archdiocese of New York with a clear college-prep mission. The five academic tracks let families and boys choose a path that matches post-secondary plans, and faith formation runs alongside academics rather than as an add-on. Accreditation through both Middle States and the National Catholic Educational Association matters for college credit transfer.
Community
With about 750 boys across four years, the school draws almost entirely from the Bronx — Hispanic and Black students together make up roughly 96% of enrollment. The diversity index of 0.48 reflects this concentration rather than a wide racial spread. Most families are working- and middle-class, which tracks with the surrounding neighborhood.
Neighborhood
The school sits on Grand Concourse in Concourse-Concourse Village, where the median household income is around $40,000 and roughly a third of households live below the poverty line. About 16% of neighborhood adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well below the city average. The area has deep Catholic roots and a long history as a hub for South Bronx families.
The 149 St-Grand Concourse station (2, 5, and 4 lines) is about a 4-minute walk from the school, and 161 St-Yankee Stadium (B, D) is roughly 11 minutes on foot.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews; parents praise academic preparation, college readiness, and discipline. Concerns noted about school culture and some student behavior. 93% of students feel safe.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 9 to 12 in Concourse-Concourse Village.
- What grades does CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL serve?
- CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL?
- CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL in?
- CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL is in Concourse-Concourse Village, Bronx.