It is named for Cardinal Joseph Ritter, Archbishop of St. Louis in the mid-20th century.

From 1977–1978, a community representative task force was established by the Board of Catholic Education of the St. Louis Archdiocese to study the future existence of a Catholic school in the old Labouré location in North St. Louis.

Arrangements to establish Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School as a co-educational college preparatory high school began in August 1979.

[2] Ritter Prep is ranked in the top 50% among the large private high schools in Missouri.

Sports offered here are Football, Volleyball, Dance, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Baseball, Boys Track & Field, and Girls Track & Field.