The Magic City is home to some seriously impressive educational institutions that’ll have your kids speaking three languages before they hit puberty. Whether you’re new to town or just tired of your current school’s drama, I’ve rounded up the cream of the crop.
1. Ransom Everglades School
This Coconut Grove gem is basically the Harvard of Miami private schools. With a campus that looks more like a tropical resort than a school, Ransom combines rigorous academics with enough water sports to make Olympic coaches jealous. The school’s waterfront location means sailing is literally part of the curriculum. How Miami is that?
Tip: Their college counseling department is legendary—they’ve got kids into every Ivy League school you can name and some you probly can’t.
2. Miami Country Day School
This sprawling campus in Miami Shores is where the cool kids and the smart kids somehow manage to be the same kids. With state-of-the-art everything and a performing arts center that would make Broadway jealous, MCDS balances academics with enough extracurriculars to fill three college applications.
Tip: Their STEM program is ridiculous—students are building robots and coding apps while the rest of us are still trying to figure out our iPhone settings.
3. Gulliver Preparatory School
Gulliver’s got campuses scattered across Miami like a fancy educational archipelago. Their International Baccalaureate program is no joke—kids graduate basically ready for graduate school. The athletic facilities would make some colleges blush, and their alumni network is so powerful it could probably run a small country.
Tip: The school’s language program starts in pre-K, so your five-year-old will be correcting your Spanish in no time.
4. Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
This all-girls Catholic school in Coconut Grove is housed in El Jardin, a gorgeous historic estate that’ll make you wish you could go back to school. These girls ain’t just learning prayers—they’re crushing advanced science courses and dominating debate tournaments while maintaining that perfect Sacred Heart poise.
Tip: Their global exchange program sends students around the world, so your daughter might casually mention her semester in Paris over dinner.
5. Palmer Trinity School
Nestled in Palmetto Bay, Palmer Trinity combines Episcopal values with academic excellence on a campus that looks like a college brochure. The school’s emphasis on community service means your kid will be volunteering at hospitals while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Tip: Their environmental stewardship program takes full advantage of Miami’s unique ecosystem—students might be tagging sharks one day and restoring coral reefs the next.
6. Riviera Preparatory School
This Kendall standout is newer than some of the other schools on this list, but don’t let that fool you. Riviera has quickly established itself as an academic powerhouse with a personalized approach that’ll have your kid actually excited about learning. The campus is modern, the technology is cutting-edge, and the teachers actually seem to like teenagers (a miracle).
Tip: Their college acceptance rate is insane—like, “how is that even possible” insane.
7. Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
This all-boys Catholic school has been churning out successful Miami men since before South Beach was cool. The Jesuit education is rigorous, the brotherhood is real, and the alumni network is so tight you’d think they shared DNA. The school’s Cuban heritage gives it a unique Miami flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
Tip: Their debate team is legendary—these boys could argue their way out of anything, which might be a blessing or a curse depending on your parenting style.
8. Cushman School
This Miami gem has been around since 1924 and has the confidence that comes with nearly a century of educational excellence. Small class sizes mean your kid won’t just be another face in the crowd. Their philosophy of “a balanced student is a better student” means academics are just one piece of the puzzle.
Tip: Their mindfulness program is ahead of its time—your kid might come home teaching you meditation techniques.
9. Pinecrest Academy
This K-12 Catholic school in South Miami combines faith-based education with serious academic credentials. The campus is gorgeous, the community is tight-knit, and the graduates go on to do impressive things. Their “formation of the whole person” approach means your kid will be smart AND decent.
Tip: Their arts program is surprisingly robust for a school with such strong academics—your kid might discover hidden talents.
10. Scheck Hillel Community School
This Jewish day school in North Miami Beach offers a unique blend of secular and Jewish education that’ll have your kid fluent in Hebrew and crushing standardized tests. The campus is beautiful, the technology is cutting-edge, and the sense of community is unmatched.
Tip: Their dual-curriculum means students are essentially completing two educational programs simultaneously—talk about overachievers.
11. The Cushman School
With a student-teacher ratio that’ll make public school parents weep, Cushman provides the kind of individualized attention that helps kids actually reach their potential. Their progressive approach balances traditional academics with creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
Tip: Their early childhood program is so good you’ll wish you could go back to kindergarten.
12. Alexander Montessori School
For the little ones, Alexander Montessori is basically the gold standard in Miami. With multiple campuses across the city, they’ve perfected the art of making learning feel like play. The Montessori method might sound fancy, but it basically means your kid will be self-motivated and independent before they lose their baby teeth.
Tip: Their gardens and outdoor classrooms take full advantage of Miami’s perfect weather—no stuffy classrooms here.
Finding the right private school in Miami ain’t just about who has the fanciest campus or the most famous alumni (though that don’t hurt). It’s about finding a place where your kid can thrive academically while still enjoying those precious school years. These twelve schools represent the best of what Miami education has to offer—places where your child can get a world-class education without having to leave our little slice of paradise.
