Best schools in Mackay (2025)
Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays. The top five of 93 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Mackay has 93 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 73 government (78%), 15 Catholic and 5 independent, together enrolling about 31,284 students. By level there are 68 primary schools, 15 secondary schools and 8 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 949 (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 13.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Mackay
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Mackay South · Catholic primary · Prep-6
384 students · ICSEA 1050
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School
Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
439 students · ICSEA 1018
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
North Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
349 students · ICSEA 1016
Mackay West State School
West Mackay · Government primary · Prep-6
770 students · ICSEA 980
Best high schools in Mackay
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
Catherine McAuley College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-10
606 students · ICSEA 1026
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
Holy Spirit College
Mount Pleasant · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,139 students · ICSEA 1023
St Catherine's Catholic College The Whitsundays
Proserpine · Catholic combined · Prep-12
725 students · ICSEA 1017
Best public schools in Mackay
Government schools across all year levels.
Mackay West State School
West Mackay · Government primary · Prep-6
770 students · ICSEA 980
Northview State School
Mount Pleasant · Government primary · Prep-6
331 students · ICSEA 991
Proserpine State High School
Proserpine · Government high school · 7-12
1,116 students · ICSEA 974
Proserpine State School
Proserpine · Government primary · Prep-6
577 students · ICSEA 968
Cannonvale State School
Cannonvale · Government primary · Prep-6
758 students · ICSEA 987
Best private schools in Mackay
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
Catherine McAuley College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-10
606 students · ICSEA 1026
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Mackay South · Catholic primary · Prep-6
384 students · ICSEA 1050
Holy Spirit College
Mount Pleasant · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,139 students · ICSEA 1023
Best catholic schools in Mackay
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
Catherine McAuley College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-10
606 students · ICSEA 1026
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Mackay South · Catholic primary · Prep-6
384 students · ICSEA 1050
Holy Spirit College
Mount Pleasant · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,139 students · ICSEA 1023
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School
Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
439 students · ICSEA 1018
Best independent schools in Mackay
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
Carlisle Adventist College
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
281 students · ICSEA 990
Whitsunday Christian College
Cannonvale · Independent combined · Prep-12
421 students · ICSEA 1015
Mackay Christian College
North Mackay · Independent combined · Prep-12
879 students · ICSEA 1000
Best public primary schools in Mackay
Government schools offering primary years.
Mackay West State School
West Mackay · Government primary · Prep-6
770 students · ICSEA 980
Northview State School
Mount Pleasant · Government primary · Prep-6
331 students · ICSEA 991
Proserpine State School
Proserpine · Government primary · Prep-6
577 students · ICSEA 968
Cannonvale State School
Cannonvale · Government primary · Prep-6
758 students · ICSEA 987
Glenella State School
Glenella · Government primary · Prep-6
234 students · ICSEA 977
Best public high schools in Mackay
Government schools offering secondary years.
Proserpine State High School
Proserpine · Government high school · 7-12
1,116 students · ICSEA 974
Mackay North State High School
North Mackay · Government high school · 7-12
1,253 students · ICSEA 958
Collinsville State High School
Collinsville · Government high school · 7-12
145 students · ICSEA 915
Calen District State College
Calen · Government combined · Prep-12
179 students · ICSEA 926
Middlemount Community School
Middlemount · Government combined · Prep-12
252 students · ICSEA 951
Best private primary schools in Mackay
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Mackay South · Catholic primary · Prep-6
384 students · ICSEA 1050
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School
Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
439 students · ICSEA 1018
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
North Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
349 students · ICSEA 1016
St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School
Mackay West · Catholic primary · Prep-6
569 students · ICSEA 1031
Best private high schools in Mackay
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
Catherine McAuley College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-10
606 students · ICSEA 1026
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
Holy Spirit College
Mount Pleasant · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,139 students · ICSEA 1023
St Catherine's Catholic College The Whitsundays
Proserpine · Catholic combined · Prep-12
725 students · ICSEA 1017
Best K-12 schools in Mackay
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
St Catherine's Catholic College The Whitsundays
Proserpine · Catholic combined · Prep-12
725 students · ICSEA 1017
Carlisle Adventist College
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
281 students · ICSEA 990
Whitsunday Christian College
Cannonvale · Independent combined · Prep-12
421 students · ICSEA 1015
Mackay Christian College
North Mackay · Independent combined · Prep-12
879 students · ICSEA 1000
Best fastest-growing schools in Mackay
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.
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School
Mackay · Catholic primary · Prep-6
439 students · ICSEA 1018
St John's Catholic Primary School
Walkerston · Catholic primary · Prep-6
349 students · ICSEA 1003
St Catherine's Catholic College The Whitsundays
Proserpine · Catholic combined · Prep-12
725 students · ICSEA 1017
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Mackay
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Pioneer State High School
Andergrove · Government high school · 7-12
536 students · ICSEA 875
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
Carlisle Adventist College
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
281 students · ICSEA 990
Sarina State High School
Sarina · Government high school · 7-12
775 students · ICSEA 935
Queens Beach State School
Bowen · Government primary · Prep-6
302 students · ICSEA 928
Best largest schools in Mackay
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
St Patrick's College
Mackay · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,394 students · ICSEA 1009
Mackay State High School
South Mackay · Government high school · 7-12
1,254 students · ICSEA 936
Mackay North State High School
North Mackay · Government high school · 7-12
1,253 students · ICSEA 958
Whitsunday Anglican School
Beaconsfield · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,151 students · ICSEA 1102
Holy Spirit College
Mount Pleasant · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,139 students · ICSEA 1023
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Mackay?
Whitsunday Anglican School in Beaconsfield is the highest-ranked high school in Mackay on the 2025 Success Index (66.8/100). Whitsunday Anglican School in Beaconsfield is the highest-ranked primary school (66.8/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Mackay?
93 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Mackay, of which 73 are government schools.
How are schools in Mackay 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 Mackay ranking cover?
Mackay 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.