At a Glance
A small, faith-rooted West Village elementary where Episcopal warmth meets a notably intimate classroom experience.
Best suited for
Families seeking a small, nurturing, faith-rooted elementary experience with strong academics and arts, who live downtown or can manage a West Village commute, and who want their child to be genuinely known by their teachers from Pre-K through fifth grade.
What stands out
- A 6.8-to-1 student-teacher ratio is unusually low for an NYC private elementary, meaning genuinely small classes and close teacher-student relationships.
- An Episcopal tradition that explicitly welcomes students of all faiths, pairing a religious foundation with an emphasis on inclusion and social consciousness.
- A full arts curriculum spanning visual art, dance, drama, and music built into the elementary program, not offered as an add-on.
- A single flat tuition of $66,520 for 2026-2027 keeps the math simple for budgeting, though it sits at the higher end of NYC independent elementary tuition.
- A Pre-K through Grade 5 span means children can stay in one community for their entire elementary years, with parents praising the continuity.
Things to consider
- At roughly $66,520 in tuition, St. Luke's is a meaningful financial commitment; families should plan accordingly and ask about financial aid if relevant.
- Because the school runs only through Grade 5, parents will face another transition and admissions cycle for middle school, which is worth thinking about early.
- The December 1 application deadline is early, and the school's strong reputation and small size suggest selective admissions; families should plan ahead.
- The Episcopal/religious identity is central to the school's culture, even as it welcomes all faiths; families looking for a purely secular environment should ask how that faith piece shows up day to day.
- Located in the West Village, the commute is easy for downtown families but longer for those in the outer boroughs or Upper Manhattan.
Identity
An Episcopal-tradition elementary school that welcomes students of all faiths, founded on curiosity, confidence, and courage, with a stated commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, social consciousness, and resilience. It serves PK through Grade 5 and is coeducational. The school carries an Episcopal identity rooted in a Calvinist-affiliated tradition while remaining broadly inclusive.
Community
The student body is roughly 59% White, with a notable 19% multiracial population, and meaningful representation from Black (12%), Asian (7%), and Hispanic (4%) families, giving the school a meaningfully mixed community rather than a monolithic one. The diversity index of 0.73 reflects a school that is more diverse than the neighborhood around it but still majority White. Parent reviewers describe a warm and engaged community that values inclusion.
Neighborhood
The school is embedded in the West Village, one of Manhattan's wealthiest and most college-educated neighborhoods, where median household income is around $150,000 and roughly 84% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The area's low poverty rate and historic streets give the immediate surroundings a settled, residential feel despite being moments from downtown. Locally, the blocks around the school are quiet and walkable, with the typical West Village mix of brownstones, small shops, and family-facing restaurants.
Three subway options sit within a short walk: the 1 train at Christopher St-Stonewall (about 5 minutes) and Houston St (about 7 minutes), plus the B/D/F/M at W 4 St-Washington Square (about 7 minutes), giving West Village, SoHo, and Chelsea families straightforward commutes.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Overwhelmingly positive; parents praise strong academics, wonderful community, great campus, warm and diverse parent community, and attentive teachers. The rating is 5/5 from 58 parent reviews.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ST LUKE'S SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ST LUKE'S SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in West Village.
- What grades does ST LUKE'S SCHOOL serve?
- ST LUKE'S SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into ST LUKE'S SCHOOL?
- ST LUKE'S SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ST LUKE'S SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- ST LUKE'S SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ST LUKE'S SCHOOL in?
- ST LUKE'S SCHOOL is in West Village, Manhattan.