Best schools in Cairns (2025)
Cairns and Far North Queensland. The top five of 109 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Cairns has 109 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 73 government (67%), 26 Catholic and 10 independent, together enrolling about 48,996 students. By level there are 71 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and 19 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 944 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 1 schools, or 1%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 12.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Cairns
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
Mother of Good Counsel School
Cairns North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
354 students · ICSEA 1091
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
Freshwater State School
Freshwater · Government primary · Prep-6
594 students · ICSEA 1064
Holy Cross School
Trinity Park · Catholic primary · Prep-6
572 students · ICSEA 1058
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Best high schools in Cairns
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Newman Catholic College
Smithfield · Catholic high school · 7-10
625 students · ICSEA 1046
St Augustine's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
777 students · ICSEA 1060
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
St Monica's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
697 students · ICSEA 1058
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Best public schools in Cairns
Government schools across all year levels.
Freshwater State School
Freshwater · Government primary · Prep-6
594 students · ICSEA 1064
Malanda State High School
Malanda · Government high school · 7-12
538 students · ICSEA 994
Caravonica State School
Caravonica · Government primary · Prep-6
540 students · ICSEA 1020
Yungaburra State School
Yungaburra · Government primary · Prep-6
217 students · ICSEA 1025
Cairns School of Distance Education
Manunda · Government combined · Prep-12
3,692 students · ICSEA 1024
Best private schools in Cairns
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
Newman Catholic College
Smithfield · Catholic high school · 7-10
625 students · ICSEA 1046
Mother of Good Counsel School
Cairns North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
354 students · ICSEA 1091
St Augustine's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
777 students · ICSEA 1060
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
St Monica's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
697 students · ICSEA 1058
Best catholic schools in Cairns
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
Newman Catholic College
Smithfield · Catholic high school · 7-10
625 students · ICSEA 1046
Mother of Good Counsel School
Cairns North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
354 students · ICSEA 1091
St Augustine's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
777 students · ICSEA 1060
St Monica's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
697 students · ICSEA 1058
Holy Cross School
Trinity Park · Catholic primary · Prep-6
572 students · ICSEA 1058
Best independent schools in Cairns
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Peace Lutheran College
Kamerunga · Independent combined · Prep-12
544 students · ICSEA 1054
Freshwater Christian College
Brinsmead · Independent combined · Prep-12
562 students · ICSEA 1041
Jubilee Christian College
Atherton · Independent combined · Prep-12
850 students · ICSEA 1017
Best public primary schools in Cairns
Government schools offering primary years.
Freshwater State School
Freshwater · Government primary · Prep-6
594 students · ICSEA 1064
Caravonica State School
Caravonica · Government primary · Prep-6
540 students · ICSEA 1020
Yungaburra State School
Yungaburra · Government primary · Prep-6
217 students · ICSEA 1025
Cairns School of Distance Education
Manunda · Government combined · Prep-12
3,692 students · ICSEA 1024
Port Douglas State School
Port Douglas · Government primary · Prep-6
230 students · ICSEA 1012
Best public high schools in Cairns
Government schools offering secondary years.
Malanda State High School
Malanda · Government high school · 7-12
538 students · ICSEA 994
Cairns School of Distance Education
Manunda · Government combined · Prep-12
3,692 students · ICSEA 1024
Cairns State High School
Cairns North · Government high school · 7-12
1,636 students · ICSEA 1019
Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High School
Smithfield · Government high school · 7-12
1,135 students · ICSEA 983
Redlynch State College
Redlynch · Government combined · Prep-12
1,834 students · ICSEA 1007
Best private primary schools in Cairns
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
Mother of Good Counsel School
Cairns North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
354 students · ICSEA 1091
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
Holy Cross School
Trinity Park · Catholic primary · Prep-6
572 students · ICSEA 1058
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Peace Lutheran College
Kamerunga · Independent combined · Prep-12
544 students · ICSEA 1054
Best private high schools in Cairns
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Newman Catholic College
Smithfield · Catholic high school · 7-10
625 students · ICSEA 1046
St Augustine's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
777 students · ICSEA 1060
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
St Monica's College
Cairns · Catholic high school · 7-12
697 students · ICSEA 1058
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Best girls' schools in Cairns
Single-sex schools enrolling girls only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Best boys' schools in Cairns
Single-sex schools enrolling boys only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Best K-12 schools in Cairns
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
Cairns Hinterland Steiner School
Kuranda · Independent combined · Prep-8
157 students · ICSEA 1059
Cairns School of Distance Education
Manunda · Government combined · Prep-12
3,692 students · ICSEA 1024
Peace Lutheran College
Kamerunga · Independent combined · Prep-12
544 students · ICSEA 1054
Freshwater Christian College
Brinsmead · Independent combined · Prep-12
562 students · ICSEA 1041
Best fastest-growing schools in Cairns
Established schools (100+ students five years ago, 200+ today) whose enrolments have grown the most over the past five years, a strong signal of parent demand.
MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter
Mount Peter · Catholic combined · Prep-12
1,119 students · ICSEA 987
Trinity Anglican School
White Rock · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1103
Parramatta State School
Parramatta Park · Government primary · Prep-6
482 students · ICSEA 887
Mossman State School
Mossman · Government primary · Prep-6
321 students · ICSEA 879
Jubilee Christian College
Atherton · Independent combined · Prep-12
850 students · ICSEA 1017
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Cairns
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Djarragun College
Gordonvale · Independent combined · Prep-12
259 students · ICSEA 683
Yarrabah State School
Yarrabah · Government combined · Prep-10
405 students · ICSEA 688
Ravenshoe State School
Ravenshoe · Government combined · Prep-12
351 students · ICSEA 848
Tully State School
Tully · Government primary · Prep-6
268 students · ICSEA 885
Malanda State High School
Malanda · Government high school · 7-12
538 students · ICSEA 994
Best largest schools in Cairns
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Redlynch State College
Redlynch · Government combined · Prep-12
1,834 students · ICSEA 1007
Trinity Bay State High School
Manunda · Government high school · 7-12
1,784 students · ICSEA 908
The BUSY School
Cairns · Independent high school · 11-12
1,780 students · ICSEA 975
Bentley Park College
Bentley Park · Government combined · Prep-12
1,771 students · ICSEA 869
Cairns State High School
Cairns North · Government high school · 7-12
1,636 students · ICSEA 1019
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Cairns?
Newman Catholic College in Smithfield is the highest-ranked high school in Cairns on the 2025 Success Index (70.6/100). Mother of Good Counsel School in Cairns North is the highest-ranked primary school (70.2/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Cairns?
109 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Cairns, of which 73 are government schools.
How are schools in Cairns ranked?
Each school receives a Success Index from five ACARA measures (ICSEA, top socio-educational quarter, students per teacher, enrolment growth relative to its council area, and ICSEA trend), as percentiles within its school type nationally. Special schools and schools with fewer than 80 students are not ranked. See the methodology page for weights and limitations.
Which suburbs does the Cairns ranking cover?
Cairns is defined by Australian Bureau of Statistics SA4 regions, so it covers the greater metropolitan area rather than the city council alone. Every school page links to its suburb and council pages for finer comparisons.