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Guide Chapters
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Read this guide to see how Sydney’s Schools performed in relation to each other. The 2020 HSC High School Rankings are derived from the NESA data that is publicly available. Our rankings include a complete list of schools and results based on their HSC performance.
We have included the rankings from 2018 and 2019 to provide an overview of each school’s performance history.
In this 2020 High School rankings article, we provide you with an easy to understand analysis of the top 150 schools based on their performance. We have broken the data down into :
The pie chart provided below shows the distribution of the top 150 schools by their type – government non-selective, government selective, and independent.
In the 2020 High School rankings article, we will provide you with an easy to understand analysis of the top 150 schools based on their performance.
A list of the top 10 performing schools from each of the above categories are tabulated below.
No | Overall Ranking | Top 10 Government/Selective Schools | 2020 Success Rate |
1 | 1 | James Ruse Agricultural High School (Carlingford) | 68.47% |
2 | 2 | Baulkham Hills High School | 63.69%% |
3 | 3 | North Sydney Boys High School (Crows Nest) | 59.64% |
4 | 4 | North Sydney Girls High School (Crows Nest) | 58.68% |
5 | 6 | Hornsby Girls High School | 58.06% |
6 | 7 | Normanhurst Boys High School | 54.62% |
7 | 8 | Conservatorium High School (Sydney) | 52.05% |
8 | 9 | Sydney Girls High School (Surry Hills) | 50.97% |
9 | 10 | Sydney Boys High School (Moore Park) | 47.49% |
10 | 13 | Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus | 44.97% |
No | Overall Ranking | Top 10 Independent Schools | 2020 Success Rates |
1 | 43 | NBSC Mackellar Girls School | 28.03% |
2 | 46 | Parramatta Marist High School (Westmead) | 26.69% |
3 | 59 | Willoughby Girls High School | 24.60% |
4 | 76 | Epping Boys High School (Marsfield) | 19.56% |
5 | 82 | Burwood Girls High School | 18.58% |
6 | 84 | Cheltenham Girls High School (Cheltenham) | 18.40% |
7 | 87 | Killarney Heights High School | 18.14% |
8 | 90 | Cherrybrook Technology High School | 17.78% |
9 | 97 | Carlingford High School | 16.21% |
10 | 100 | Killara High School | 15.88% |
No | Overall Ranking | Top 10 Government/Non-Selective Schools | 2020 Success Rate |
1 | 5 | Sydney Grammar School (Darlinghurst) | 58.06% |
2 | 11 | Ascham School (Edgecliff) | 46.32% |
3 | 12 | Reddam House (Woollahra) | 45.72% |
4 | 14 | SCEGGS Darlinghurst | 43.69% |
5 | 15 | Wenona School (North Sydney) | 43.36% |
6 | 16 | Abbotsleigh (Wahroonga) | 42.67% |
7 | 17 | Meriden School (Strathfield) | 42.16% |
8 | 19 | Knox Grammar School (Wahroonga) | 40.92% |
9 | 20 | St Aloysius’ College (Kirribilli) | 40.66% |
10 | 21 | Kambala (Rose Bay) | 39.76% |
The graph below shows a selection of the most improved schools in the 2020 high school rankings
If you would like an explanation of how this data is organised and how to use it, please read the Overview to the Beginner’s Guide to High School Rankings.
Terminology
The top 150 schools by their success rate are shown in the table below:
School | 2020 Ranking | 2019 Ranking | 2018 Ranking | Success Rate | High Scores | 2020 Total HSC Exams Sat |
James Ruse Agricultural High School (Carlingford) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 68.47% | 708 | 1034 |
Baulkham Hills High School | 2 | 9 | 5 | 63.69% | 800 | 1256 |
North Sydney Boys High School (Crows Nest) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 59.64% | 526 | 882 |
North Sydney Girls High School (Crows Nest) | 4 | 7 | 6 | 58.68% | 541 | 922 |
Sydney Grammar School (Darlinghurst) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 58.06% | 670 | 1154 |
Hornsby Girls High School | 6 | 5 | 8 | 54.63% | 395 | 723 |
Normanhurst Boys High School | 7 | 11 | 16 | 54.62% | 402 | 736 |
Conservatorium High School (Sydney) | 8 | 2 | 52.05% | 89 | 171 | |
Sydney Girls High School (Surry Hills) | 9 | 6 | 4 | 50.97% | 499 | 979 |
Sydney Boys High School (Moore Park) | 10 | 10 | 7 | 47.49% | 596 | 1255 |
Ascham School (Edgecliff) | 11 | 24 | 18 | 46.32% | 296 | 639 |
Reddam House (Woollahra) | 12 | 8 | 9 | 45.72% | 294 | 643 |
Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus | 13 | 13 | 10 | 44.97% | 362 | 805 |
SCEGGS Darlinghurst | 14 | 16 | 25 | 43.69% | 301 | 689 |
Wenona School (North Sydney) | 15 | 25 | 13 | 43.36% | 356 | 821 |
Abbotsleigh (Wahroonga) | 16 | 12 | 11 | 42.67% | 399 | 935 |
Meriden School (Strathfield) | 17 | 14 | 12 | 42.16% | 379 | 899 |
Fort Street High School (Petersham) | 18 | 19 | 15 | 41.95% | 383 | 913 |
Knox Grammar School (Wahroonga) | 19 | 22 | 23 | 40.92% | 845 | 2065 |
St Aloysius’ College (Kirribilli) | 20 | 42 | 37 | 40.66% | 372 | 915 |
Kambala (Rose Bay) | 21 | 15 | 14 | 39.76% | 163 | 410 |
Presbyterian Ladies’ College Sydney (Croydon) | 22 | 20 | 17 | 39.46% | 266 | 674 |
Loreto Kirribilli | 23 | 18 | 39 | 39.13% | 313 | 800 |
St Luke’s Grammar School (Dee Why) | 24 | 28 | 34 | 38.26% | 202 | 528 |
Tangara School for Girls (Cherrybrook) | 25 | 103 | 92 | 36.97% | 61 | 65 |
Loreto Normanhurst | 26 | 27 | 46 | 36.32% | 340 | 936 |
Girraween High School | 27 | 21 | 20 | 35.65% | 292 | 819 |
Tara Anglican School for Girls (North Parramatta) | 28 | 43 | 48 | 34.65% | 158 | 456 |
St Catherine’s School (Waverley) | 29 | 17 | 28 | 33.80% | 219 | 648 |
Caringbah High School | 30 | 48 | 40 | 32.79% | 283 | 863 |
Pymble Ladies’ College | 31 | 29 | 21 | 32.60% | 457 | 1402 |
Al Noori Muslim School | 32 | 33 | 42 | 35.44% | 112 | 16 |
Hurlstone Agricultural High School (Glenfield) | 33 | 26 | 31 | 30.98% | 259 | 836 |
The King’s School (North Parramatta) | 34 | 62 | 41 | 30.70% | 393 | 1280 |
Roseville College | 35 | 44 | 36 | 30.22% | 168 | 556 |
Cranbrook School (Bellevue Hill) | 36 | 30 | 33 | 29.75% | 249 | 837 |
Penrith High School | 37 | 45 | 27 | 29.69% | 274 | 923 |
Emanuel School (Randwick) | 38 | 41 | 45 | 29.52% | 98 | 332 |
St George Girls High School (Kogarah) | 39 | 32 | 19 | 29.34% | 272 | 927 |
SHORE – Sydney Church of England Grammar School (North Sydney) | 40 | 37 | 22 | 28.80% | 335 | 163 |
Moriah College (Queens Park) | 41 | 38 | 32 | 28.69% | 210 | 732 |
Sydney Technical High School (Bexley) | 42 | 40 | 24 | 28.34% | 242 | 854 |
NBSC Mackellar Girls School | 43 | 91 | 99 | 28.03% | 220 | 785 |
St Ignatius’ College (Lane Cove) | 44 | 58 | 61 | 27.74% | 403 | 1453 |
Newcastle Grammar School | 45 | 55 | 35 | 27.62% | 129 | 467 |
Parramatta Marist High School (Westmead) | 46 | 83 | 64 | 26.69% | 190 | 712 |
Barker College (Hornsby) | 47 | 56 | 51 | 26.66% | 513 | 1924 |
Santa Sabina College (Strathfield) | 48 | 47 | 30 | 26.53% | 160 | 630 |
Brigidine College Randwick | 49 | 64 | 107 | 26.25% | 173 | 659 |
Merewether High School (Broadmeadow) | 50 | 49 | 59 | 26.20% | 273 | 1042 |
MLC School (Burwood) | 51 | 63 | 43 | 26.10% | 125 | 479 |
St Vincent’s College (Potts Point) | 52 | 59 | 130 | 26.06% | 160 | 614 |
Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College (North Sydney) | 53 | 53 | 47 | 25.94% | 180 | 694 |
Al-Faisal College | 54 | 23 | 26 | 25.77% | 176 | 683 |
Alpha Omega Senior College (Auburn) | 55 | 68 | 38 | 25.64% | 120 | 468 |
Kincoppal – Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart | 56 | 36 | 44 | 25.50% | 127 | 498 |
IPEKA Integrated Christian School | 57 | 122 | 74 | 25.20% | 95 | 377 |
Ravenswood School for Girls (Gordon) | 58 | 54 | 54 | 25.10% | 124 | 494 |
Willoughby Girls High School | 59 | 67 | 50 | 24.60% | 171 | 695 |
Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus | 60 | 70 | 62 | 24.54% | 106 | 432 |
Northholm Grammar School | 61 | 113 | 23.50% | 47 | 200 | |
Brigidine College St Ives | 62 | 50 | 57 | 22.71% | 164 | 722 |
The Scots College (Bellevue Hill) | 63 | 61 | 53 | 22.55% | 228 | 1011 |
Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School | 64 | 22.53% | 41 | 182 | ||
Queenwood School for Girls (Mosman) | 65 | 31 | 29 | 22.45% | 66 | 294 |
St Augustine’s College Sydney | 66 | 78 | 65 | 22.31% | 170 | 762 |
Frensham School (Mittagong) | 67 | 46 | 55 | 22.22% | 78 | 351 |
Smiths Hill High School (Wollongong) | 68 | 39 | 49 | 21.46% | 147 | 685 |
Chatswood High School | 69 | 65 | 76 | 21.45% | 163 | 760 |
Sefton High School | 70 | 75 | 73 | 21.38% | 183 | 856 |
St Joseph’s College (Hunters Hill) | 71 | 108 | 79 | 21.07% | 240 | 1139 |
Gosford High School | 72 | 52 | 58 | 20.78% | 213 | 025 |
Oxford Falls Grammar School | 73 | 92 | 103 | 20.55% | 89 | 433 |
St Spyridon College (Kingsford) | 74 | 97 | 71 | 19.81% | 61 | 308 |
Danebank – An Anglican School For Girls (Hurstville) | 75 | 34 | 60 | 19.63% | 84 | 428 |
Epping Boys High School (Marsfield) | 76 | 117 | 89 | 19.56% | 195 | 997 |
St Ursula’s College (Kingsgrove) | 77 | 66 | 84 | 19.50% | 172 | 882 |
Macarthur Anglican School (Cobbitty) | 78 | 57 | 72 | 19.45% | 92 | 473 |
Arden Anglican School | 79 | 106 | 142 | 19.35% | 84 | 434 |
Bethany College | 80 | 72 | 95 | 19.32% | 165 | 54 |
Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta | 81 | 155 | 80 | 18.84% | 150 | 796 |
Burwood Girls High School | 82 | 111 | 126 | 18.58% | 199 | 1071 |
Central Coast Grammar School | 83 | 100 | 56 | 18.43% | 101 | 548 |
Cheltenham Girls High School (Cheltenham) | 84 | 80 | 63 | 18.40% | 203 | 1103 |
St Philip’s Christian College – Waratah | 85 | 172 | 109 | 18.21% | 100 | 549 |
St Clare’s College (Waverly) | 86 | 95 | 77 | 18.18% | 78 | 429 |
Killarney Heights High School | 87 | 79 | 87 | 18.14% | 115 | 634 |
St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox College | 88 | 69 | 78 | 18.08% | 62 | 343 |
Australian International School Singapore | 89 | 218 | 31 | 173 | ||
Cherrybrook Technology High School | 90 | 88 | 81 | 17.78% | 307 | 1727 |
Newtown Performance Art School | 91 | 107 | 66 | 17.77% | 148 | 833 |
St Andrew’s Cathedral School | 92 | 76 | 138 | 17.42% | 96 | 551 |
Mercy Catholic College (Chatswood) | 93 | 99 | 140 | 17.35% | 89 | 513 |
William Clarke College | 94 | 98 | 128 | 17.14% | 128 | 747 |
Rose Bay Secondary College | 95 | 177 | 16.57% | 144 | 869 | |
International Grammar School (Ultimo) | 96 | 60 | 101 | 16.35% | 94 | 575 |
Carlingford High School | 97 | 124 | 69 | 16.21% | 160 | 987 |
Hunter Valley Grammar School (Ashtonfield) | 98 | 118 | 70 | 16.08% | 91 | 566 |
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College | 99 | 136 | 82 | 16.01% | 106 | 665 |
Stella Maris College | 100 | 77 | 15.88% | 71 | 447 | |
Killara High School | 100 | 90 | 68 | 15.88% | 213 | 1341 |
Aquinas Catholic College | 102 | 158 | 119 | 15.55% | 107 | 688 |
St Mary’s Cathedral College (Sydney) | 103 | 82 | 90 | 15.53% | 98 | 631 |
St Euphemia College | 104 | 94 | 15.48% | 37 | 239 | |
Marist College Eastwood | 105 | 121 | 108 | 15.16% | 67 | 442 |
The Hills Grammar School | 106 | 84 | 91 | 15.00% | 51 | 340 |
St George Christian School (Hurstville) | 107 | 116 | 118 | 14.78% | 55 | 372 |
Strathfield Girls High School | 108 | 96 | 86 | 14.76% | 121 | 820 |
St Scholastica’s College Glebe Point | 109 | 135 | 115 | 14.66% | 123 | 839 |
Freeman Catholic College | 110 | 102 | 96 | 14.60% | 159 | 1089 |
St Ives High School | 111 | 86 | 113 | 14.55% | 102 | 701 |
Trinity Grammar School | 112 | 126 | 111 | 14.49% | 99 | 683 |
Masada College (St Ives) | 113 | 35 | 52 | 14.36% | 28 | 195 |
St Pius X College | 114 | 101 | 94 | 14.34% | 121 | 844 |
Blue Mountains Grammar School | 115 | 227 | 14.33% | 44 | 307 | |
Marcellin College | 116 | 147 | 129 | 14.16% | 93 | 657 |
Marist College Kogarah | 117 | 87 | 127 | 14.15% | 87 | 615 |
Inaburra School | 118 | 155 | 105 | 13.97% | 76 | 544 |
Amity College, Prestons | 119 | 105 | 125 | 13.94% | 108 | 775 |
Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus | 120 | 115 | 123 | 13.79% | 209 | 1516 |
Davidson High School | 121 | 217 | 13.77% | 61 | 443 | |
Castle Hill High School | 122 | 89 | 83 | 13.73% | 201 | 1464 |
Ryde Secondary College | 123 | 154 | 139 | 13.68% | 113 | 826 |
Macquarie Field High School | 124 | 160 | 13.60% | 122 | 897 | |
St Patrick’s College (Strathfield) | 125 | 71 | 93 | 13.47% | 115 | 854 |
Mount St Benedict College (Pennant Hills) | 126 | 74 | 67 | 13.46% | 114 | 847 |
Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich | 128 | 130 | 106 | 13.16% | 114 | 866 |
Marist Catholic College Penshurst | 129 | 125 | 108 | 13.10% | 63 | 481 |
Pittwater House Schools | 130 | 85 | 13.08% | 59 | 428 | |
Marist College North Shore | 131 | 122 | 12.79% | 84 | 657 | |
Mount Carmel Catholic College | 132 | 162 | 12.73% | 90 | 707 | |
Australian International School Hong Kong | 133 | 12.58% | 19 | 151 | ||
Covenant Christian School | 134 | 127 | 12.55% | 61 | 486 | |
Waverley College | 135 | 129 | 134 | 12.55% | 96 | 765 |
Oakhill College Castle Hill | 136 | 179 | 135 | 12.31% | 232 | 1884 |
St Philip’s Christian College – Port Stephens | 137 | 404 | 12.21% | 26 | 213 | |
Pacific Hills Christian School | 138 | 93 | 12.19% | 78 | 640 | |
St Columba Anglican School | 139 | 114 | 137 | 12.18% | 61 | 501 |
Redfield College | 140 | 12.14% | 25 | 206 | ||
St Charbel’s College | 141 | 138 | 143 | 12.13% | 54 | 445 |
Northern Beaches Christian School | 142 | 150 | 12.10% | 57 | 471 | |
William Carey Christian School | 143 | 166 | 11.90% | 59 | 496 | |
Gilroy Catholic College | 144 | 148 | 11.86% | 97 | 818 | |
Australian International School Malaysia | 145 | 142 | 102 | 11.81% | 28 | 237 |
Xavier Catholic College Ballina | 146 | 149 | 11.73% | 76 | 648 | |
De La Salle Catholic College | 147 | 188 | 11.70% | 130 | 1111 | |
Arndell Anglican College | 148 | 11.67% | 51 | 437 | ||
Emmanuel Anglican College | 149 | 11.67% | 28 | 240 | ||
Oxley College (Burradoo) | 150 | 51 | 85 | 11.60% | 45 | 388 |
Please note, these tables and charts are made using publicly available data.
Also available is the 2019 High School Rankings.
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