Best Private Schools in Bacolod

TL;DR: Bacolod's strongest private schools by external accreditation are the University of St. La Salle (PAASCU Level III basic education, CHED autonomous until September 2027), Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod (PAASCU Level III basic education) and UNO-Recoletos (Level III grade school, Level II junior high). St. Scholastica's Academy has been PAASCU-accredited since 1969. None of the 10 schools here posts a current fee schedule online that we could find, but subsidies are fixed: ₱11,000 a year ESC for Grades 7-10 and up to ₱20,000 a year SHS voucher in Bacolod.

Introduction

Bacolod has one of the deepest benches of old private schools outside Metro Manila. Most of the big names are run by Catholic religious orders, including Augustinian sisters, De La Salle Brothers, Augustinian Recollects, Benedictine sisters and the Augustinians, and several date back to between 1919 and 1962. It also has two long-running Chinese-Filipino schools and a Baptist-founded university now run by STI.

Private schools serve a minority of Bacolod learners. On the first day of SY 2026-2027, DepEd Bacolod counted 14,714 private school learners against 91,959 in public schools. DepEd-Bacolod spokesperson RJ Paglomutan told the Daily Guardian the opening-day count could still grow: "We don't know how many will be added."

This guide covers all 10 private schools in SchoolFinderPH's Bacolod directory, grouped by what they offer rather than ranked. Accreditation was checked against PAASCU's member directory and CHED's 2024 autonomous-status list. Tuition is not quoted: none of these schools has a current fee schedule on its official website that we could find, and we do not repeat unverified third-party estimates.

How do Bacolod private schools compare at a glance?

"Not listed" means we did not find the school in PAASCU's online member directory; it does not mean the school is unaccredited by other bodies. Confirm current accreditation and fees directly with each school.

Which Bacolod schools cover preschool through college?

Four schools let a child stay on one campus from preschool to a degree: USLS, UNO-R, Colegio San Agustin and La Consolacion College. STI West Negros University also runs basic education through doctorate programs.

University of St. La Salle

USLS began in 1952 as La Salle College-Bacolod, opening with 175 boys from Prep to Grade 5 on a ten-hectare lot, went coed in 1966 and became a university in 1988. PAASCU lists its basic education at Level III (valid through November 2028, first accredited March 1978), and CHED's September 2024 list shows its autonomous status maintained, valid until September 2027. CHED has also designated several USLS programs, including Business and Accountancy and Chemical Engineering, as Centers of Development. The campus includes the La Salle Eco-Park, an agribusiness farm and the Museo De La Salle. It holds 4.6 stars from 161 Google reviews. For 2026-27 freshmen, its enrollment page listed enrollment starting June 1, 2026, with classes from July 20, 2026.

Quotable stat: The University of St. La Salle's basic education program has been PAASCU-accredited since March 1978 and currently holds Level III, valid through November 2028.

UNO-Recoletos

UNO-Recoletos was founded in 1941 in Talisay as the Occidental Negros Institute, reopened in Bacolod in 1946, and has been run by the Augustinian Recollects since 1962. Its Integrated School runs Nursery to Grade 12, alongside undergraduate colleges, a graduate school and a School of Law. PAASCU lists grade school at Level III and junior high at Level II (valid through February 2028), senior high at Level I, and programs such as Accountancy and Business Administration at Level II. Among the schools here with Google ratings, it is second only to USLS, at 4.5 stars from 189 reviews; one reviewer notes a discount for paying the full school year upfront, which is worth asking about.

Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod

CSA-Bacolod was founded in 1962 when the Augustinians took over Casanova School, opening its college department in 1964. According to its Wikipedia history, it was the first school in Bacolod to offer Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry and Medical Technology. PAASCU lists its basic education at Level III (valid through November 2027) and BS Psychology at Level III. Its website is currently a placeholder, so fees and current program lists must be requested directly.

La Consolacion College Bacolod

La Consolacion College Bacolod was established on March 12, 1919, by three Augustinian sisters and is administered by the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation. Wikipedia describes it as the oldest institution of higher education in Negros Occidental. PAASCU lists Business Administration, Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Liberal Arts at Level III, valid through May 2031. Its basic education entry shows Level III with a validity date of February 2025, so ask the school for its current basic education status. The school also holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.

STI West Negros University

STI West Negros University was founded in 1948 as West Negros College by three Baptist women educators, became a university in 2008, and came under STI Education Systems in 2013. CHED granted it autonomous status for the first time in September 2024, valid until September 2027. It runs preschool and basic education through doctorate programs.

Which Bacolod schools are best for basic education only?

If you don't need a college attached, three PAASCU-accredited schools focus on Kindergarten to Grade 12.

St. Scholastica's Academy-Bacolod

St. Scholastica's Academy, on La Salle Avenue, is run by the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing under the motto "Ora et Labora." PAASCU lists its junior high at Level II with initial accreditation in December 1969, its grade school at Level III since 1980, and its senior high at Level I since May 2026. The school says it was the first high school in Western Visayas accredited by PAASCU. It began accepting boys in its lower grades in 1988, and facilities include science laboratories, two covered courts and a gymnasium. Its scholarship fund supports qualified students from low-income families.

Quotable stat: St. Scholastica's Academy-Bacolod's junior high was first accredited by PAASCU in December 1969, the earliest PAASCU initial accreditation date among the Bacolod schools in this guide.

St. Joseph School-La Salle

St. Joseph School-La Salle in Villamonte traces back to 1954, when the La Salle Brothers founded a free school for laborers' children in Barrio Obrero. PAASCU lists its junior high at Level III (valid through November 2028). It runs merit scholarships for top graduates and admission-test scorers and participates in the ESC and voucher programs, which makes it one of the more accessible Lasallian options.

Saint Benilde School

Saint Benilde School in Lasalleville, Mansilingan, was founded in 1987 by Br. Rolando Dizon, FSC, and became an independent certified Lasallian school in 2012. It offers Kindergarten to Senior High under DepEd K-12. Fees and accreditation are not published, so call the school.

Which Bacolod schools offer Chinese language education?

Bacolod has two long-running Chinese-Filipino schools in our directory.

• Bacolod Tay Tung High School was established in 1934 by Chinese community organizations to give Chinese-Filipino children an English-based curriculum plus Chinese language and culture. It now offers junior and senior high (STEM, ABM, HUMSS). PAASCU lists it at Level III, valid through November 2028, after initial accreditation in November 2018, and it is a GASTPE participating school, so qualified Grade 7 students can receive ESC.
• St. John's Institute (Hua Ming) was founded in 1959 by the Bacolod Chinese Catholic Association. It follows DepEd K-12 enriched with Chinese language, runs Nursery to Senior High (ABM, STEM), and has a second campus at Ayala North Point in Talisay City with a 10-lane, 50-meter competition pool.

How much do subsidies cut private school costs in Bacolod?

Because published fee schedules are scarce, the subsidy amounts are the firmest numbers available. Bacolod is a highly urbanized city, so DepEd Order 011, s. 2026 sets:

Quotable stat: A Bacolod public school Grade 10 completer can receive up to ₱20,000 a year toward Grade 11 and 12 at a participating private school, under DepEd Order 011, s. 2026.

The school is paid its actual fees or the cap, whichever is lower. St. Joseph School-La Salle and Bacolod Tay Tung both state that they participate in these programs; ask the others directly. See our ESC grant guide and SHS voucher guide.

Other Bacolod schools worth knowing about

Wikipedia's list of private schools in Bacolod includes several schools not yet in our directory, among them Riverside College, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation-Bacolod, National University Bacolod, Bacolod Trinity Christian School and Jack and Jill School. We have not verified their fees or accreditation, so contact them directly.

How do you choose the right school in Bacolod?

• Decide whether you want one campus through college. USLS, UNO-R, CSA-B, La Consolacion and STI WNU cover preschool to degree; SSA-B, St. Joseph, Saint Benilde, SJI and Tay Tung stop at Grade 12.
• Check PAASCU validity dates, not just levels. Accreditation is time-bound. La Consolacion's basic education entry, for example, shows a February 2025 validity date, so ask for the current status.
• Get a written fee assessment. With no current schedules online, compare schools on a written quote that separates tuition, miscellaneous and other fees.
• Ask about full-year payment discounts and installment surcharges. At least one UNO-R reviewer mentions a full-year discount.
• Consider Chinese language needs early. Tay Tung starts at Grade 7, while St. John's Institute starts at nursery.

For other Visayas cities, see our guides to the best private schools in Iloilo and Cebu, plus our enrollment requirements guide.

Ready to find the right school? Browse all schools in Bacolod or use our search tool to compare levels, accreditation and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools.

Sources

• PAASCU - University of St. La Salle (member directory)
• PAASCU - University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (member directory)
• PAASCU - Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod (member directory)
• PAASCU - La Consolacion College Bacolod (member directory)
• PAASCU - St. Scholastica's Academy (member directory)
• PAASCU - St. Joseph School La Salle (member directory)
• PAASCU - Bacolod Tay Tung High School (member directory)
• CHED - 92 PHEIs granted autonomous and deregulated status (September 2024)
• Manila Times - STI West Negros University granted autonomous status by CHED
• University of St. La Salle - 2026 freshmen enrollment
• Wikipedia - La Consolacion College Bacolod
• Wikipedia - Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod
• Wikipedia - List of private schools in Bacolod
• Daily Guardian - Bacolod enrollment hits 106,607 as classes open (June 2026)
• DepEd - DO 011, s. 2026, E-GASTPE guidelines (ESC and SHS voucher amounts)