Schneider was born to Susan and Richard Schneider in Marblehead, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. Schneider started training with his goalie coach, Brian Daccord, at age 15, who now owns Stop It Goaltending, a company of which currently Schneider owns a small percentage. He began playing hockey around the age of six, trying out for the same team as his older brother, Geoff. He did not become a regular goaltender until the age of 11, as the Marblehead Youth Hockey teams he played with at earlier ages rotated the position. Growing up, Schneider looked up to Mike Richter of the New York Rangers for being a successful American goaltender. Paying homage to Richter, he chose to wear the jersey number 35.