Here's the honest truth: there are no all-girls military boarding schools in the United States. Military education was historically male-only, and while most schools have gone coed, none have flipped to all-female.
But that doesn't mean girls lack options—quite the opposite. Today's military schools actively welcome female cadets, and several have built strong traditions of developing women leaders.
When Did Military Schools Start Admitting Girls?
Military schools began admitting women at the federal level in 1976, and most private military schools followed in the 1990s and 2000s. The shift began with the service academies:
- 1976 — West Point, Annapolis, and the Air Force Academy admit women for the first time
- 1995 — The Citadel admits its first female cadet (after legal challenges)
- 1997 — VMI admits women following a Supreme Court ruling
Today, the vast majority of military schools—public and private—are fully coeducational.
Is There an All-Girls Military School?
Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership (VWIL) at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, VA is the nation's only all-female corps of cadets — a college program, not a K-12 boarding school. Founded in 1995 as an alternative when VMI was still all-male, VWIL has continued as a unique program for women seeking military-style leadership training.
- College level (not K-12)
- Army ROTC commissioning available
- About 100 cadets
- Strong focus on women's leadership development
Best Coed Military Schools for Girls
Schools with Dedicated Girls Programs
Culver Academies (Culver, IN) — Culver operates two schools on one campus: Culver Military Academy for boys and Culver Girls Academy for girls. CGA has its own leadership structure, traditions, and residential experience while sharing academics with the boys' school. The Equestriennes (girls' equestrian unit) have ridden in 18 presidential inaugural parades. ~$67,000/year.
Coed Military Boarding Schools
These schools have established track records of developing female leaders:
Randolph-Macon Academy (Front Royal, VA) — Coed since 1974, one of the earliest private military schools to welcome women. Air Force JROTC (unusual—most schools are Army). Grades 8-12. ~$48,400/year.
Massanutten Military Academy (Woodstock, VA) — Coed Army JROTC school in the Shenandoah Valley. Grades 5-12. ~$32,500/year.
New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, NM) — State-supported school with very affordable tuition. Coed since 1977. Grades 9-12 plus junior college. ~$17,500/year in-state, ~$24,700 out-of-state (all-in).
TMI Episcopal (San Antonio, TX) — Coed Episcopal school with Army JROTC. Grades 6-12. ~$33,000/year day, ~$65,500 boarding.
San Marcos Academy (San Marcos, TX) — Coed Baptist school, PK-12 with boarding from 6th grade. Army JROTC. ~$15,000/year day, ~$55,000 boarding.
Oak Ridge Military Academy (Oak Ridge, NC) — One of the oldest military schools in the nation (1852), coed since 1972. Grades 7-12. Contact school for current tuition.
Florida Preparatory Academy (Melbourne, FL) — Coed school on Florida's Space Coast with aviation program. Grades 6-12. ~$47,800/year boarding.
Admiral Farragut Academy (St. Petersburg, FL) — Coed Naval JROTC school with aviation and marine science programs. Grades PreK-12 with boarding in upper grades. ~$62,000/year boarding.
Public Military Schools (Free)
All public military schools are coed:
- Sarasota Military Academy (FL) — IB World School, grades 6-12
- Chicago Military Academy (IL) — Public school, grades 7-12
- Oakland Military Institute (CA) — Charter school, grades 6-12
- Delaware Military Academy (DE) — Charter school, grades 9-12
- First State Military Academy (DE) — Charter school, grades 9-12
Service Academies
All five federal service academies have been coed since 1976:
- U.S. Military Academy (West Point) — About 20% women
- U.S. Naval Academy — About 25% women
- U.S. Air Force Academy — About 28% women
- U.S. Coast Guard Academy — About 38% women
- U.S. Merchant Marine Academy — About 18% women
Youth Challenge Programs
All 40+ National Guard Youth Challenge programs across the country are coed and free. These are intervention programs for at-risk youth ages 16-18.
Find a Military School for Girls Near You
The states families search most, and the girl-welcoming options in each:
- California — Oakland Military Institute, California Military Institute, and other tuition-free coed academies; Army & Navy Academy is boys-only, so public options lead here
- Texas — TMI Episcopal and San Marcos Academy (coed boarding), plus the free coed Texas Challenge Academy
- Illinois — all six of Chicago's tuition-free public military academies are coed
- Virginia — Randolph-Macon Academy and Massanutten Military Academy (coed boarding), plus VWIL at the college level
- Michigan — the free, coed Michigan Youth Challenge Academy
- Indiana — Culver Girls Academy, the nation's only dedicated girls program at the high school level
Can Girls Attend Military School?
Yes — the vast majority of U.S. military schools are coed, and today's schools actively recruit and develop female leaders. While only VWIL remains as an all-female military program, girls regularly serve as:
- Battalion commanders and top cadet officers
- Corps leaders at senior military colleges
- Distinguished graduates at service academies
The question is no longer "Can girls attend military school?" but "Which military school is the best fit?"
How to Choose a Military School for Your Daughter
For families with daughters considering military school:
- Visit Campus — See how female cadets are integrated and represented in leadership
- Ask About Female Alumni — Schools with strong female alumni networks show commitment to developing women
- Check Leadership Stats — What percentage of top cadet positions are held by women?
- Consider VWIL — If an all-female environment is important and she's college-age
- Look at Culver — The only school with a dedicated girls program at the high school level
Browse all coed schools in our directory to find the right fit.
Next Steps
Explore the benefits of military school for young women. Learn how to evaluate military schools during your campus visit. Compare free military schools — every public option is coed — or see what military school costs across day and boarding programs.