Best secondary schools in Tauranga City (2026)
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 9 schools in Tauranga City, Bay of Plenty. Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Bay of Plenty.
- 186Aquinas CollegePyes Pa · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 402 · 833 students
- 284Bethlehem CollegeBethlehem · State integrated CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 409 · 2,108 students
- 366Ōtūmoetai CollegeTauranga Central · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 451 · 1,999 students
- 464Mount Maunganui CollegeMount Maunganui · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 452 · 1,705 students
- 561Papamoa CollegePapamoa · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 458 · 1,883 students
- 661Tauranga Boys' CollegeTauranga · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 456 · 2,258 students
- 759Tauranga Girls' CollegeGate Pa · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 466 · 1,439 students
- 841Te Wharekura o MauaoBethlehem · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 522 · 276 students
- 914TKKM o Te Kura KokiriWelcome Bay · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 551 · 220 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aquinas College Pyes Pa · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 85.7 Top 5% | 402 | 833 |
| 2 | Bethlehem College Bethlehem · Composite · Years 1–13 | State integrated | 84.3 Top 10% | 409 | 2,108 |
| 3 | Ōtūmoetai College Tauranga Central · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 65.5 Top 50% | 451 | 1,999 |
| 4 | Mount Maunganui College Mount Maunganui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 64.3 Top 50% | 452 | 1,705 |
| 5 | Papamoa College Papamoa · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 61.2 Top 50% | 458 | 1,883 |
| 6 | Tauranga Boys' College Tauranga · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 61.2 Top 50% | 456 | 2,258 |
| 7 | Tauranga Girls' College Gate Pa · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 58.7 Top 50% | 466 | 1,439 |
| 8 | Te Wharekura o Mauao Bethlehem · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 41.4 Lower 50% | 522 | 276 |
| 9 | TKKM o Te Kura Kokiri Welcome Bay · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 14.3 Lower 50% | 551 | 220 |
Aquinas College in Pyes Pa leads the 2026 list of secondary schools in Tauranga City with a Success Index (NZ) of 85.7. Of the 9 schools shown, 7 are state, 2 are state integrated.
For the full picture see the wider Bay of Plenty secondary schools rankings, every school on the Tauranga City page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best secondary school in Tauranga City?
Aquinas College in Pyes Pa, Bay of Plenty ranks first among secondary schools in Tauranga City with a Success Index (NZ) of 85.7 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 402).
How are secondary schools in Tauranga City ranked?
Each school's Success Index (NZ) combines 5 factors: equity index (fewer barriers is higher) (45%), roll size (10%), roll growth (5 years) (15%), school leavers with ncea level 2+ (20%), school leavers with university entrance (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across New Zealand. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2026 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official New Zealand data (Ministry of Education – Schools Directory; Ministry of Education – School leaver attainment (Find a school)). The Equity Index describes the student community, not teaching quality.