Head-Royce
“Student-centered. Mission-driven.”
AKA: HRSOakland (East Bay)Independent
Head-Royce School
“Student-centered. Mission-driven.”
AKA: Head-Royce, HRSOakland (East Bay)Independent
- Students
- ~420
- Ratio
- 7:1
- Tuition
- $61k
Base tuition as published for 2025–26.
Admissions
- Applications open
- Late August
- Application due
- Beginning of January
- Decisions released
- Mid-to-late March
- Enrollment
- ~420
- Student:teacher
- 7:1
- Base tuition
- $60,500
- 2025–26 school year
- Real cost
- $62k–$68k
- Flexible tuition
- ~25%
What makes this school special
- A K-12 Oakland school whose ~417-student upper school is built on a four-year interdisciplinary Humanities Core, senior seminars, and a capstone
- 60-plus honors and advanced courses; unusually for this list, it does offer AP alongside its own curriculum
- The senior Capstone sends students off campus for a three-week real-world project, capped by a senior Shakespeare production
- A strong civic streak through its Center for Community Engagement and Global Studies travel
Academics
Curriculum
60+ honors and advanced courses; a 9-12 interdisciplinary Humanities Core and senior Capstone
World languages
French, Mandarin, Spanish, Latin
Signature programs
- Humanities Core (interdisciplinary, grades 9-12)
- Senior Capstone
- Center for Community Engagement
- Global Studies (study-travel)
- Four-year computer science & robotics
College matriculation
UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Chicago, USC, University of Washington, NYU, Northeastern, Washington University in St. Louis, Tulane, Tufts, Northwestern, Stanford, University of Michigan, Brown, Cornell, Yale
See the full listAthletics, arts & activities
Athletics · Bay Counties League (East)
BaseballSoftballBasketballSoccerVolleyballCross CountryTrack & FieldTennisGolfLacrosseSwimming
Arts
TheaterDanceJazz BandChorusVisual & Performing Arts
Clubs & activities
Black Student UnionDemocracy MattersAsia ClubIndia ClubFine Arts Dance Ensemble (FADE)Robohawks (robotics)DebateThe Hawk's Eye (newspaper)Colla Voce (choral)Caravan (jazz)
See all clubsLife there
Learning support
Learning Support — a Learning Specialist team, with Student Support Plans and accommodations
Notable alumni
- Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
- Libby Schaaf (former Mayor of Oakland)
- Daniel Wu (actor)
- Malika Andrews (ESPN journalist)
Often on the same list
Sources
- Head-Royce — At a Glance — upper-school enrollment, class size, 7:1 ratio, course counts, financial aid
- How to Apply — deadlines, ISEE requirement
- Tuition & Fees — 2025–26 upper-school tuition ($60,500, grades 9–12); flexible-tuition aid
- Upper School academics — Humanities Core, languages, requirements
- Athletics — teams, Bay Counties League
- 2025-26 College Admissions Profile — enrollment, curriculum, outcomes
- Head-Royce School | Wikipedia — founding, notable alumni
- Head-Royce School homepage — motto ("Student-centered. Mission-driven.," the homepage hero tagline)
Last reviewed July 2026