The strongest public high schools in Brisbane are QASMT and Brisbane State High School, both selective entry. Among private schools, Brisbane Girls Grammar School had the highest median ATAR in Queensland in 2025 (96.45), and Brisbane Grammar School produced the most perfect 99.95 ATARs in the state (eight). The strongest non-selective state high schools include Mansfield, The Gap and Indooroopilly.
Queensland rankings are harder to read than NSW or Victorian ones, and this guide explains why before giving you the numbers.
Why Queensland school rankings are different
Unlike NSW and Victoria, Queensland doesn't publish school-by-school ATAR results. Any Brisbane ranking you see is built from one of three sources:
- School-reported ATAR results. Schools choose whether to publish them, and students choose whether to share their ATAR with their school. Not every school reports every year.
- IB Diploma results. QASMT and the other Queensland Academies teach the IB, not the QCE, so they don't have ATAR medians. IB scores convert to ATAR equivalents for university entry.
- NAPLAN results. Rankings such as Better Education use Year 9 NAPLAN, which covers every school but measures Year 9, not Year 12.
So no single Brisbane ranking is complete. Use several sources together.
The best public and selective schools
| School | Location | Type | Entry | Latest reported results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QASMT | Toowong | Selective, IB | EduTest, Year 7 or Year 10 | 92 graduates scored IB 40+ (an ATAR 97.9 equivalent or better), 45% of the cohort; nine perfect 45s (school-reported) |
| Brisbane State High School | South Brisbane | Partially selective, ATAR | HAST in Year 5 or 6, or catchment | Median ATAR 94 (2023 graduates); most 99.95 ATARs in Australia in 2023 |
| Mansfield State High School | Mansfield | Catchment, with excellence programs | Catchment | Two 99.95 ATARs in 2024 |
| The Gap State High School | The Gap | Catchment | Catchment | Median ATAR 86.80 (2025) |
| Indooroopilly State High School | Indooroopilly | Catchment, with academic programs | Catchment | Results not widely published |
| Kelvin Grove State College | Kelvin Grove | Prep to Year 12 college | Catchment | Results not widely published |
On NAPLAN-based rankings, QASMT ranks first in Brisbane and Brisbane State High sits in the top ten, ahead of most private schools.
QACI (Kelvin Grove) and QAHS (Gold Coast) are also selective IB schools, but they take students from Year 10 only. See our Queensland Academies entry guide.
Top private schools by 2025 median ATAR
| School | 2025 median ATAR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane Girls Grammar School | 96.45 | Highest median in Queensland; 20% of students 99+ |
| Brisbane Grammar School | 95.00 | Eight 99.95 ATARs, the most in the state |
| All Hallows' School | 93.40 | |
| Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) | 90.85 | |
| St Peters Lutheran College | 90.50 |
Figures are school-reported. In 2025, 37 Queensland students received a perfect ATAR of 99.95.
Brisbane State High vs QASMT
These are the two schools most selective-minded families compare:
- Curriculum: Brisbane State High follows the QCE and ATAR; QASMT follows the IB.
- Size: Brisbane State High has about 3,600 students; QASMT is much smaller.
- Entry test: Brisbane State High uses ACER's HAST (HAST-P if applying in Year 5); QASMT uses EduTest.
- Focus: Brisbane State High is broad and academic, with strong sport and music; QASMT is STEM-focused.
You can apply to both in the same year, because they run separate processes. Read our QASMT vs Brisbane State High comparison, our Brisbane State High entry guide and our QASMT entrance test format.
How to read Brisbane rankings
- Check what's being measured. ATAR, IB and NAPLAN rankings answer different questions.
- Look for missing schools. A school absent from an ATAR table may simply not have published results.
- Compare like with like. Selective schools enrol high achievers; a catchment school with a median ATAR of 87 may be adding more value.
- Use several years. One cohort can be unusually strong or weak.
Getting into Brisbane's selective schools
| School | Test | When to apply |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane State High (Year 7) | HAST-P (Year 5 applicants) or HAST (Year 6 applicants) | Year 5 or Year 6 |
| QASMT (Year 7) | EduTest, five sections including writing | Year 5 |
| QASMT, QACI, QAHS (Year 10) | EduTest | Year 8 or early Year 9 |
Our practice tests cover all three pathways, with human-marked writing:
- Brisbane State High practice tests: 12 mocks each for Year 5 and Year 6 applicants
- QASMT Year 5 practice tests: 8 full mocks
- EduTest Year 9 to 10 practice tests for Year 10 entry
Not sure where your child sits? Start with a free sample test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best state high school in Brisbane? For ATAR results, Brisbane State High School. For IB results, QASMT. Among non-selective catchment schools, Mansfield and The Gap are consistently strong.
What is the best private school in Brisbane? On 2025 ATAR results, Brisbane Girls Grammar School (median 96.45) and Brisbane Grammar School (median 95.00, eight 99.95 ATARs).
Does Queensland publish school ATAR rankings? No. Rankings are compiled from school-reported results and NAPLAN data.
Is QASMT better than Brisbane State High? They suit different students. QASMT is a smaller STEM and IB school; Brisbane State High is a large ATAR school with broad academic, sport and arts programs.
Sources: Brisbane State High School, Year 12 Academic Results 2023 and 2022 (school website); QASMT IB results page (school website); Queensland Government ministerial statement, 2025 ATAR results (18 December 2025); 2025 school-reported ATAR results as compiled by KIS Academics and Cloud Tuition; 2024 99.95 counts as compiled by KIS Academics.