Top 36 high schools in Cairns (2025)
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools). Ranked by the Success Index from official ACARA data; 36 schools shown out of all eligible high schools in Cairns.
- Primary Schools
- Public Schools
- Private Schools
- Catholic Schools
- Independent Schools
- Public Primary Schools
- Public High Schools
- Private Primary Schools
- Private High Schools
- Girls' Schools
- Boys' Schools
- K-12 Schools
- VCE Schools by Median Study Score
- Schools with Top ATAR Students (WA)
- VCE Schools by Study Scores of 40+
- Fastest-Growing Schools
- Schools With the Best Student–Teacher Ratio
- Largest Schools
- 171Newman Catholic CollegeSmithfield · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 1046 · 625 students
- 267St Augustine's CollegeCairns · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 1060 · 777 students
- 366Trinity Anglican SchoolWhite Rock · Independent CombinedICSEA 1103 · 1,204 students
- 465St Monica's CollegeCairns · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 1058 · 697 students
- 561Cairns Hinterland Steiner SchoolKuranda · Independent CombinedICSEA 1059 · 157 students
- 661St Stephen's Catholic CollegeMareeba · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 1041 · 652 students
- 760Malanda State High SchoolMalanda · Government SecondaryICSEA 994 · 538 students
- 855Cairns School of Distance EducationManunda · Government CombinedICSEA 1024 · 3,692 students
- 954Peace Lutheran CollegeKamerunga · Independent CombinedICSEA 1054 · 544 students
- 1053Freshwater Christian CollegeBrinsmead · Independent CombinedICSEA 1041 · 562 students
- 1153St Mary's Catholic CollegeWoree · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 1023 · 949 students
- 1251Cairns State High SchoolCairns North · Government SecondaryICSEA 1019 · 1,636 students
- 1351St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch ValleyRedlynch · Catholic CombinedICSEA 1067 · 1,373 students
- 1449Jubilee Christian CollegeAtherton · Independent CombinedICSEA 1017 · 850 students
- 1544Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High SchoolSmithfield · Government SecondaryICSEA 983 · 1,135 students
- 1644Good Counsel CollegeInnisfail · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 982 · 414 students
- 1741MacKillop Catholic College, Mount PeterMount Peter · Catholic CombinedICSEA 987 · 1,119 students
- 1841The BUSY SchoolCairns · Independent SecondaryICSEA 975 · 1,780 students
- 1940Redlynch State CollegeRedlynch · Government CombinedICSEA 1007 · 1,834 students
- 2035Atherton State High SchoolAtherton · Government SecondaryICSEA 963 · 781 students
- 2134Herberton State SchoolMoomin · Government CombinedICSEA 930 · 154 students
- 2230Babinda State SchoolBabinda · Government CombinedICSEA 931 · 280 students
- 2330Ravenshoe State SchoolRavenshoe · Government CombinedICSEA 848 · 351 students
- 2428Innisfail State CollegeInnisfail Estate · Government CombinedICSEA 889 · 951 students
- 2527Mossman State High SchoolMossman · Government SecondaryICSEA 938 · 553 students
- 2627Tully State High SchoolTully · Government SecondaryICSEA 925 · 721 students
- 2726Trinity Bay State High SchoolManunda · Government SecondaryICSEA 908 · 1,784 students
- 2825Djarragun CollegeGordonvale · Independent CombinedICSEA 683 · 259 students
- 2925Bentley Park CollegeBentley Park · Government CombinedICSEA 869 · 1,771 students
- 3024Kuranda District State CollegeKuranda · Government CombinedICSEA 862 · 285 students
- 3124Yarrabah State SchoolYarrabah · Government CombinedICSEA 688 · 405 students
- 3223Mount St Bernard CollegeHerberton · Catholic SecondaryICSEA 807 · 145 students
- 3322Radiant Life CollegeEast Innisfail · Independent CombinedICSEA 749 · 137 students
- 3415Mareeba State High SchoolMareeba · Government SecondaryICSEA 886 · 721 students
- 3514Woree State High SchoolWoree · Government SecondaryICSEA 854 · 750 students
- 3612Gordonvale State High SchoolGordonvale · Government SecondaryICSEA 883 · 623 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index | ICSEA | Students | Students : teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newman Catholic College Smithfield · Secondary · 7-10 | Catholic | 70.6 Top 25% | 1046 | 625 | 10.9 |
| 2 | St Augustine's College Cairns · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 66.8 Top 25% | 1060 | 777 | 11.8 |
| 3 | Trinity Anglican School White Rock · Combined · Prep-12 | Independent | 66.4 Top 25% | 1103 | 1,204 | 12.9 |
| 4 | St Monica's College Cairns · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 64.7 Top 50% | 1058 | 697 | 12.3 |
| 5 | Cairns Hinterland Steiner School Kuranda · Combined · Prep-8 | Independent | 61.4 Top 50% | 1059 | 157 | 10.0 |
| 6 | St Stephen's Catholic College Mareeba · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 60.6 Top 50% | 1041 | 652 | 12.8 |
| 7 | Malanda State High School Malanda · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 60.1 Top 50% | 994 | 538 | 10.4 |
| 8 | Cairns School of Distance Education Manunda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 54.5 Top 50% | 1024 | 3,692 | 10.6 |
| 9 | Peace Lutheran College Kamerunga · Combined · Prep-12 | Independent | 53.8 Top 50% | 1054 | 544 | 11.6 |
| 10 | Freshwater Christian College Brinsmead · Combined · Prep-12 | Independent | 53.0 Top 50% | 1041 | 562 | 12.2 |
| 11 | St Mary's Catholic College Woree · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 52.6 Top 50% | 1023 | 949 | 12.1 |
| 12 | Cairns State High School Cairns North · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 51.1 Top 50% | 1019 | 1,636 | 13.2 |
| 13 | St Andrew's Catholic College Redlynch Valley Redlynch · Combined · Prep-12 | Catholic | 50.7 Top 50% | 1067 | 1,373 | 13.6 |
| 14 | Jubilee Christian College Atherton · Combined · Prep-12 | Independent | 48.6 Top 50% | 1017 | 850 | 14.7 |
| 15 | Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield State High School Smithfield · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 44.3 Lower 50% | 983 | 1,135 | 11.4 |
| 16 | Good Counsel College Innisfail · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 43.6 Lower 50% | 982 | 414 | 11.9 |
| 17 | MacKillop Catholic College, Mount Peter Mount Peter · Combined · Prep-12 | Catholic | 41.4 Lower 50% | 987 | 1,119 | 12.9 |
| 18 | The BUSY School Cairns · Secondary · 11-12 | Independent | 41.2 Lower 50% | 975 | 1,780 | 20.9 |
| 19 | Redlynch State College Redlynch · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 40.1 Lower 50% | 1007 | 1,834 | 13.5 |
| 20 | Atherton State High School Atherton · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 34.8 Lower 50% | 963 | 781 | 12.0 |
| 21 | Herberton State School Moomin · Combined · Prep-10 | Government | 33.9 Lower 50% | 930 | 154 | 9.7 |
| 22 | Babinda State School Babinda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 30.4 Lower 50% | 931 | 280 | 11.7 |
| 23 | Ravenshoe State School Ravenshoe · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 30.1 Lower 50% | 848 | 351 | 9.9 |
| 24 | Innisfail State College Innisfail Estate · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 27.9 Lower 50% | 889 | 951 | 10.6 |
| 25 | Mossman State High School Mossman · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 26.6 Lower 50% | 938 | 553 | 11.2 |
| 26 | Tully State High School Tully · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 26.6 Lower 50% | 925 | 721 | 11.6 |
| 27 | Trinity Bay State High School Manunda · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 25.7 Lower 50% | 908 | 1,784 | 12.4 |
| 28 | Djarragun College Gordonvale · Combined · Prep-12 | Independent | 24.8 Lower 50% | 683 | 259 | 8.4 |
| 29 | Bentley Park College Bentley Park · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 24.6 Lower 50% | 869 | 1,771 | 13.1 |
| 30 | Kuranda District State College Kuranda · Combined · Prep-12 | Government | 23.6 Lower 50% | 862 | 285 | 10.4 |
| 31 | Yarrabah State School Yarrabah · Combined · Prep-10 | Government | 23.5 Lower 50% | 688 | 405 | 9.2 |
| 32 | Mount St Bernard College Herberton · Secondary · 7-12 | Catholic | 23.3 Lower 50% | 807 | 145 | 7.1 |
| 33 | Radiant Life College East Innisfail · Combined · Prep-10 | Independent | 21.8 Lower 50% | 749 | 137 | 13.7 |
| 34 | Mareeba State High School Mareeba · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 15.0 Lower 50% | 886 | 721 | 12.1 |
| 35 | Woree State High School Woree · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 14.0 Lower 50% | 854 | 750 | 11.0 |
| 36 | Gordonvale State High School Gordonvale · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 12.3 Lower 50% | 883 | 623 | 12.2 |
There are 36 high schools in Cairns eligible for this list; the top 36 are shown. Newman Catholic College in Smithfield is ranked first with a Success Index of 70.6 and an ICSEA of 1046. 19 of the top 36 are government schools and 17 are Catholic or independent; the median ICSEA across the list is 979.
The top 10 high schools in Cairns for 2025 are: 1. Newman Catholic College (Smithfield); 2. St Augustine's College (Cairns); 3. Trinity Anglican School (White Rock); 4. St Monica's College (Cairns); 5. Cairns Hinterland Steiner School (Kuranda); 6. St Stephen's Catholic College (Mareeba); 7. Malanda State High School (Malanda); 8. Cairns School of Distance Education (Manunda); 9. Peace Lutheran College (Kamerunga); 10. Freshwater Christian College (Brinsmead).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best secondary school in Cairns?
Newman Catholic College in Smithfield ranks first among high schools in Cairns with a Success Index of 70.6 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1046.
How are high schools in Cairns ranked?
Each school's Success Index combines five factors from ACARA's 2025 school profile data: ICSEA (50%), share of students in the top socio-educational quarter (15%), students per teacher (15%), five-year enrolment growth (10%) and five-year ICSEA trend (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type nationally. Schools with fewer than 80 students are excluded.
How many public schools are in the top 100 high schools in Cairns?
19 of the top 36 high schools in Cairns are government schools; 17 are Catholic or independent.
Do these rankings include NAPLAN or ATAR results?
Not yet. ACARA does not publish school-level NAPLAN results in bulk, and ATAR results are released by state authorities in different formats. The Success Index uses the measures ACARA publishes for every school so that all schools are compared on identical data. Where a school publishes its own results we link to its website.