One of the most important decisions you'll ever make regarding your children’s quality of life and their future is where they’ll attend school. Investing in top-tier private education is choice many parents decide to make, and given that in Miami-Dade County, for the 2024/2025 school year, you’ll be spending an average of $19,818 in yearly tuition for elementary school and $22,130 for high school, it pays to research the top private schools in Miami to make the best choice.

Remember that the process for getting your kids into a Miami private school typically takes over a year and includes school tours, parent and student interviews, and testing, in addition to application fees that may range anywhere from $100 to $600. While some schools offer rolling admission, most have strict deadlines and procedures, so our guide to Miami’s top private schools can help you get a headstart.

Although private schools are required to register with the state, they are not directly overseen by the Department of Education, so they have more freedom regarding what they teach. While private schools are not required to adhere to common core standards, many still loosely follow them to ensure students perform well on standardized testing or college entrance exams. In fact, more private school students score above public school students on standardized tests and college entrance exams.

Out of 381 institutions, below is a collection we have compiled for you of the top private schools in Miami that received the highest rankings on sites such as Private School Review, GreatSchools, and niche.com, as well as Yelp reviews written directly by local parents. Our selected schools cover various grade options, including some schools that serve students from pre-K through Grade 12, and others that serve only certain grades, so you can customize your child’s education as you find best. And because we’re constantly doing our research to help you, we’ve added one additional school to this list based on our client feedback.

We’ve also broken these top Miami private schools down by neighborhood to help you know where they are, but keep in mind that children from all areas of Miami may go to a private school in North Miami or South Miami for example.

This article was updated on December 9, 2024.

— Top Private Schools in North Miami

Miami Country Day School

Address: 601 NE 107th Street, Miami
Phone: (305) 779-7200

• Grades: pre-K, 1-12
• Number of Students: 1,301
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 9:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $49,700

Miami Country Day School is a nonprofit interdenominational school with about 1,301 students ranging from pre-K through 12th grade and representing over 26 countries. Founded in 1938 as a residential boarding school for boys, Miami Country Day now provides top-tier education for boys and girls on an inspiring 20-acre campus. 

The programming at Miami Country Day focuses on culture and artistic expression, as well as athletics and top-level academics, with an outcomes-based and student-centered teaching approach. The school is also where many children of celebrities attend, including Shakira’s children and soccer star Lionel Messi’s children. It is consistently one the top three private schools in Miami, and it does have a rigorous application process.

The Cushman School

Address: 592 NE 60th Street, Miami
Phone: (305) 757-1966

• Grades: pre-K and K - 12
• Number of Students: 789
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 5:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $49,785
  

Established in 1924, The Cushman School is an exclusive and respected top private school in Miami’s residential Buena Vista neighborhood, just north of the Design District, with approximately 715 students and an impressive student-teacher ratio of 5:1 (an improvement from the previous year). Cushman has earned national recognition for its challenging academic environment with a focus on global studies, advanced STEM courses, visual and performing arts, as well as Cushman’s diverse student body and charming campus.

If this option interests you, find out more about Miami’s Upper East Side and all the available listings we have in this area.

— Top Private Schools in Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove Montessori School

Toddler Campus Address: 3280 Bird Avenue, Coconut Grove
Preschool & Elementary Campus Address: 2850 SW 27th Ave, Coconut Grove
Phone: (305) 444-4484

• Grades: Nursery (18 mos) pre-K 2-4 and K- 5
• Number of Students: 268 (main campus) + 42 (nursery-preschool)
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1 and 5:1 (nursery-preschool)
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $25,000

Coconut Grove Montessori School is among the least expensive private schools in Miami and also offers rolling admission so students may apply year-round. The school provides nursery education for children as young as 18 months through Grade 5 based on the Montessori Method of education as developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, which has been used globally for over 100 years providing holistic, child-centered education that is based on the natural developmental process of children from birth to adulthood. 

Ransom Everglades School

Middle School Address: 2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove 
Phone: (305) 250-6850
Upper School Address: 3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove 
Phone: (305) 460-8800

• Grades: 6 - 12
• Number of Students: 1,112
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 9:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $51,960 including lunch daily

Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades is one of the best private middle and high schools in Miami offering coeducational, college preparatory education for students in Grades 6 - 12 across two lushly landscaped campuses in Coconut Grove. It is also one of the most expensive private schools in Miami. 

At Ransom Everglades, academic excellence and the pursuit of intellectual growth are enhanced by interdisciplinary physical, cultural, and character development that strengthens a sense of identity, community, and integrity among students, with a focus on building a productive and satisfying life while contributing to society. With graduates here entering the best universities in the country, year after year, Ransom Everglades is often considered the best private school in Miami. 

As the most expensive private school in Miami, Ransom Everglades also offers several scholarships and financial aid opportunities.

Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

Address: 3747 Main Highway, Miami
Phone: (305) 446-5673

• Grades: pre-K 3-4 and K- 12
• Number of Students: 875
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 20:1
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $46,800

Founded in 1961, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart is Florida’s only Catholic all-girls college preparatory school providing Montessori education for students from the age of 3 through 12th grade. Carrollton is part of an international network of schools known for academic excellence as well as a focus on leadership and service. The beautiful Carrollton campus is surrounded by some of Miami’s most lush tropical foliage, in the heart of the beautiful Coconut Grove neighborhood. 

Besides these great school options, Coconut Grove is also one of the best neighborhoods to live with kids.

— Top Private Schools in Coral Gables

Riviera Schools

Riviera Day School (Grades pre-K - 5)
Address: 6800 Nervia Street, Coral Gables
Phone: (305) 666-1856

Riviera Preparatory School (Grades 6 - 12)
Address: 9775 SW 87th Avenue, Miami
Phone: (786) 300-0300

• Grades: pre-K and K- 12
• Number of Students: 1,095
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $37,300

Founded in 1950, Riviera is a co-educational day school for students from pre-kindergarten through high school and is one of the best private elementary schools in Miami. Riviera is renowned for its excellent academic offer and its creative and child-centered teaching approach, as well as its leading role in community advocacy. Small classes and highly qualified staff help each student to develop at their own pace with personalized attention every step of the way. 

Fun fact: Coral Gables is also home to the University of Miami, one of the best private research universities in the country. Learn more about the Coral Gables neighborhood and all its real estate options available for you.

— Top Private Schools in South Miami

Gulliver Academy

PK-8 Address: 12595 Red Road, Miami
Phone: (305) 665-3593

Upper School Address: 6575 North Kendall Drive, Miami
Phone: (305) 666-7937

• Grades: pre-K 3-4 and K- 12
• Number of Students: 2,226
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 9:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $47,600 (textbooks included)

Gulliver Preparatory School is a highly ranked, top Miami private school with three campuses, some 2,226 students enrolled in grades pre-K and K-12, and a student-teacher ratio of 9 to 1. Gulliver is nationally and internationally renowned for its state-of-the-art academic and athletic offerings and the Miami multidisciplinary arts education, and progressive approach to education that builds confidence and brings out the best in each student, attracting students from all over Miami, Key Biscayne, and the Miami Beaches.

The Roig Academy

Address: 8000 SW 112 Street, Miami
Phone: (305) 235-1313

• Grades: pre-K, K- 8
• Number of Students: 54
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 7:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $38,025

The Roig Academy is a small, selective school with only 54 students. The school provides a rolling admissions policy and an impressive 7:1 student-teacher ratio. The Roig Academy provides fully bilingual Spanish/English education for students from ages 2-4 in their pre-K program and for Kindergarten through eighth-grade students in their International Baccalaureate Programme, with a focus on a global approach to education. The Roig Academy also accommodates gifted students and students with special needs.

Palmer Trinity School

Address: 8001 SW 184th Street, Miami
Phone: (305) 969-4245

• Grades: 6-12
• Number of Students: 656
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $48,000

Founded in 1973, Palmer Trinity School has become one of the top private schools in Miami-Dade. The students of this Episcopal school have been guided by the school’s Virtus, Humanitas, et Spiritus motto on their way to enrolling in some of the best universities in the States (100% of the seniors get accepted to top universities). In addition, Palmer Trinity encourages students to not only focus on individual success but also take their part in helping the community. 

The school’s campus is nestled across 60 lush acres in Palmetto Bay, Southwest Miami, providing a wide variety of educational facilities and helping the students (6-12 graders) achieve their full potential. Palmer Trinity also prides itself on the fact that their students come from 37 countries and different religious traditions. In addition, over 50% of the student body is bilingual.

— Top Private Schools in Miami Beach

Scheck Hillel Community School

Address: 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach
Phone: (305) 931-2831

• Grades: pre-K - 12
• Number of Students: 1,182
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 10:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $33,900

Since its foundation in 1970, Scheck Hillel Community School has been educating and inspiring students from pre-K through Grade 12 to become exemplary global citizens, honoring their Jewish identity and values, through a challenging college preparatory curriculum with a focus on STEM and design, capstone projects, college dual enrollment, the arts, athletics, and service learning. 

The school’s 14-acre campus features an impressive 115,000 square-foot athletic complex with plans for additional expansion. Scheck Hillel is recognized as one of the world's leading Jewish community day schools and has been named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

The Hebrew Academy RASG

Address: 2400 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach
Phone: (305) 532-6421

• Grades: pre-K and K- 12
• Number of Students: 646
• Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1 
• Yearly Tuition at Highest Grade Level: $31,000

Another highly respected Jewish community school is RASG Hebrew Academy, which is one of the best private schools in Miami Beach. Founded in 1947, Hebrew Academy has 646 students enrolled in their pre-K and K-12 programs, with a student-teacher ratio of 8:1. It provides a comprehensive education that incorporates the highest academic standards, combining the study of Hebrew, Judaic teachings, and an advanced college preparatory curriculum that grooms students for success in today’s world.

 

As you can see, there are top private schools in Miami in almost every neighborhood, and as Miami grows, so do its educational opportunities. We also have a top Miami private preschools list for you for your toddlers. 

When searching for the condos with the best educational options for your children, you can completely rely on our agents to give you expert advice on available listings at CondoBlackBook.com. We’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, according to your family’s needs and lifestyle. Contact us by phone or email and we’ll be happy to help!