At a Glance
An Episcopal elementary school on 114th Street where Morningside Heights and the wider city double as classroom space.
Best suited for
Families seeking a warm, academically rigorous elementary education with a clear ethical and spiritual framework, who value early language exposure and want their children to learn from — and within — New York City itself.
What stands out
- "NYC as Our Classroom" treats the city itself as an extension of the curriculum, taking advantage of the Morningside Heights location near museums, campuses, and cultural institutions.
- Three world languages — French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish — are offered at the elementary level, which is unusual for a PK–5 school of this size.
- Episcopal identity grounded in Judeo-Christian humanism gives the school a clear ethical and spiritual framework while remaining broadly inclusive of families from many backgrounds.
- Families and reviewers consistently describe the school as a "hidden gem" with a strong teaching faculty and a notably warm, small-school atmosphere.
- Continuous PK through grade 5 lets children grow up inside one community rather than facing a preschool-to-elementary transition.
Things to consider
- Tuition runs $49,080 to $69,860 for 2025-2026, a substantial investment that typically scales by grade level — families should confirm the specific figure for their child's grade.
- The school ends at 5th grade, so families will face another selective transition process for middle school.
- The Episcopal identity is explicit, not nominal — families seeking a strictly secular education should weigh whether that emphasis fits.
- The Morningside Heights location is convenient for Upper West Side and Upper Manhattan families but a longer commute for those in Brooklyn, Queens, or downtown.
- Rolling admissions provide flexibility, but popular schools of this caliber often fill early in the cycle, so applying sooner is generally wise.
Identity
An Episcopal day school rooted in a Judeo-Christian humanist tradition that explicitly nurtures body, mind, and spirit while celebrating unity in diversity. Coeducational and serving PK through grade 5, it offers a continuous early-childhood and elementary experience in Morningside Heights.
Community
Parents repeatedly describe the school as a "hidden gem" and consistently praise the faculty and inclusive community atmosphere, reflected in strong parent review scores. Specific student demographic figures are not publicly reported, though the Episcopal framing and neighborhood context suggest families from a mix of religious and secular backgrounds.
Neighborhood
Morningside Heights carries a distinctive academic character anchored by Columbia University, with a median household income around $97,000, a 22.9% poverty rate that reflects the neighborhood's mix of longtime residents and students, and a 70.8% rate of bachelor's-or-higher education. St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's sits in the heart of it, surrounded by the cultural resources of Columbia and Manhattanville.
Getting here is straightforward on the 1 train — 116 St-Columbia University is about a 2-minute walk, Cathedral Pkwy (110 St) is about 5 minutes, and 103 St is roughly 12 minutes on foot.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Parents praise rigorous academics, traditional curriculum, nurturing faculty, and inclusive community. Reviews describe it as a 'hidden gem' with incredible teachers and a warm atmosphere. The school has an A+ rating with 4.8/5 stars from 44 reviews.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Morningside Heights.
- What grades does ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL serve?
- ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL?
- ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL in?
- ST HILDA'S & ST HUGH'S SCHOOL is in Morningside Heights, Manhattan.