Best schools in Sunshine Coast (2025)
The Sunshine Coast region. The top five of 97 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Sunshine Coast has 97 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 64 government (66%), 12 Catholic and 21 independent, together enrolling about 64,534 students. By level there are 53 primary schools, 16 secondary schools and 24 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 1039 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 7 schools, or 7%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 13.2 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Sunshine Coast
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Buderim Mountain State School
Buderim · Government primary · Prep-6
1,183 students · ICSEA 1096
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montville State School
Montville · Government primary · Prep-6
91 students · ICSEA 1072
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
Best high schools in Sunshine Coast
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best public schools in Sunshine Coast
Government schools across all year levels.
Buderim Mountain State School
Buderim · Government primary · Prep-6
1,183 students · ICSEA 1096
Montville State School
Montville · Government primary · Prep-6
91 students · ICSEA 1072
Chevallum State School
Chevallum · Government primary · Prep-6
456 students · ICSEA 1054
Sunshine Beach State School
Sunshine Beach · Government primary · Prep-6
706 students · ICSEA 1083
Maleny State School
Maleny · Government primary · Prep-6
409 students · ICSEA 1050
Best private schools in Sunshine Coast
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best catholic schools in Sunshine Coast
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
Our Lady of the Rosary School
Caloundra · Catholic primary · Prep-6
321 students · ICSEA 1092
Siena Catholic College
Sippy Downs · Catholic high school · 7-12
889 students · ICSEA 1073
St Teresa's Catholic College
Noosaville · Catholic high school · 7-12
801 students · ICSEA 1066
Stella Maris School
Maroochydore · Catholic primary · Prep-6
737 students · ICSEA 1081
St Thomas More Primary School
Sunshine Beach · Catholic primary · Prep-6
578 students · ICSEA 1086
Best independent schools in Sunshine Coast
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best public primary schools in Sunshine Coast
Government schools offering primary years.
Buderim Mountain State School
Buderim · Government primary · Prep-6
1,183 students · ICSEA 1096
Montville State School
Montville · Government primary · Prep-6
91 students · ICSEA 1072
Chevallum State School
Chevallum · Government primary · Prep-6
456 students · ICSEA 1054
Sunshine Beach State School
Sunshine Beach · Government primary · Prep-6
706 students · ICSEA 1083
Maleny State School
Maleny · Government primary · Prep-6
409 students · ICSEA 1050
Best public high schools in Sunshine Coast
Government schools offering secondary years.
Coolum State High School
Coolum Beach · Government high school · 7-12
1,551 students · ICSEA 1040
Sunshine Beach State High School
Sunshine Beach · Government high school · 7-12
1,405 students · ICSEA 1043
Palmview State Secondary College
Palmview · Government high school · 7-10
379 students · ICSEA 1021
Mountain Creek State High School
Mountain Creek · Government high school · 7-12
2,091 students · ICSEA 1043
Maleny State High School
Maleny · Government high school · 7-12
647 students · ICSEA 1029
Best private primary schools in Sunshine Coast
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best private high schools in Sunshine Coast
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best K-12 schools in Sunshine Coast
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Buderim · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,426 students · ICSEA 1155
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,472 students · ICSEA 1133
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
St Andrew's Anglican College
Peregian Springs · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,459 students · ICSEA 1143
Pacific Lutheran College
Meridan Plains · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,204 students · ICSEA 1114
Best fastest-growing schools in Sunshine Coast
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.
Good Samaritan Catholic College
Bli Bli · Catholic combined · Prep-12
1,246 students · ICSEA 1050
Noosa Christian College
Cooroy · Independent combined · Prep-12
478 students · ICSEA 1060
Peregian Beach College
Peregian Beach · Independent combined · Prep-12
347 students · ICSEA 1069
Caloundra Christian College
Caloundra · Independent combined · Prep-12
438 students · ICSEA 1058
Suncoast Christian College
Woombye · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,136 students · ICSEA 1084
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Sunshine Coast
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Peregian Beach College
Peregian Beach · Independent combined · Prep-12
347 students · ICSEA 1069
Burnside State High School
Burnside · Government high school · 7-12
809 students · ICSEA 988
Palmview State Secondary College
Palmview · Government high school · 7-10
379 students · ICSEA 1021
Noosa District State High School
Cooroy · Government high school · 7-12
882 students · ICSEA 1012
Montessori International College
Forest Glen · Independent combined · Prep-12
276 students · ICSEA 1104
Best largest schools in Sunshine Coast
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Chancellor State College
Sippy Downs · Government combined · Prep-12
2,609 students · ICSEA 1042
Kawana Waters State College
Bokarina · Government combined · Prep-12
2,495 students · ICSEA 1034
Mountain Creek State High School
Mountain Creek · Government high school · 7-12
2,091 students · ICSEA 1043
Meridan State College
Meridan Plains · Government combined · Prep-12
1,795 students · ICSEA 1013
Coolum State High School
Coolum Beach · Government high school · 7-12
1,551 students · ICSEA 1040
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Sunshine Coast?
Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Buderim is the highest-ranked high school in Sunshine Coast on the 2025 Success Index (75.3/100). Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Buderim is the highest-ranked primary school (75.3/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Sunshine Coast?
97 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Sunshine Coast, of which 64 are government schools.
How are schools in Sunshine Coast 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 Sunshine Coast ranking cover?
Sunshine Coast 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.