Best Schools in Birmingham, Alabama
98 schools · 56 Elementary · 11 Middle · 21 High · 10 Other
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.5/10
- Median household income
- $57,473
- Median home value
- $220,520
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 33%
- Avg commute
- 23 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 54%
46% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Birmingham compares
Alabama rank
#71 of 179
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above Alabama avg (6.5)
Median household income
$57k
96% of Alabama median
Schools in this city
89
About Schools in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham's public school landscape spans 58 ranked schools, giving parents a wide field to navigate. The city averages 6.4 out of 10 across those schools — a middle-range baseline that masks real variation at both ends of the scale. Forty-three percent of ranked schools, 25 in total, score 7 or higher, meaning strong options exist but require deliberate searching rather than defaulting to geography alone.
Elementary performance is where Birmingham's highest scores concentrate. Inverness Elementary leads all ranked public schools with a 9.0 out of 10, the top mark in the city. Oliver K5 School follows at 8.9, and Center Point Elementary, Oak Mountain Elementary, and South Hampton K8 each score in the 8.3–8.4 range. Together, these five schools signal that Birmingham has genuine high performers at the elementary level — not outliers, but a recognizable tier of schools clearing well above the city average.
The spread between the city average and those top scores matters for practical decision-making. A 6.4 citywide average with a top score of 9.0 means parents in some attendance zones will face a significant performance gap depending on where they land. Families with flexibility — through open enrollment, magnet options, or relocation — have the most to gain from researching specific schools rather than assuming district-wide consistency. Parents locked into a specific address should treat local school scores as a starting point and look deeper at grade-level performance data.
Birmingham rewards research. The fact that 25 schools clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold shows the city is not a uniform landscape — high-performing schools are real and accessible for parents who prioritize school quality in their housing decisions. Start with the top elementary tier, map those schools against your target neighborhoods, and use MySchoolScout's comparison tools to check individual school scores against Birmingham's 6.4 average as your reference point. That average is your benchmark: any school above it is outperforming the city norm, and schools at 8.0 or higher represent a meaningful step up.
Elementary Schools
56 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 563 students · Pre-K–3rd | 9.0 |
| 2 | 349 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.9 |
| 3 | 580 students · Pre-K–2nd | 8.4 |
| 4 | 689 students · Pre-K–3rd | 8.4 |
| 5 | 492 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.3 |
| 6 | 481 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.1 |
| 7 | 312 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.9 |
| 8 | 396 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 9 | 646 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 10 | 327 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 11 | 200 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 12 | 638 students · 4th–5th | 7.6 |
| 13 | 587 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.5 |
| 14 | 321 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 15 | 339 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.4 |
| 16 | 423 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.4 |
| 17 | 672 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.4 |
| 18 | 390 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 19 | 293 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 20 | 438 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.2 |
| 21 | 454 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.1 |
| 22 | 590 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.1 |
| 23 | 383 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.1 |
| 24 | 670 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.0 |
| 25 | 420 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.9 |
Show 31 more elementary schools
| 26 | 308 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 | ||
| 27 | 631 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.8 | ||
| 28 | 764 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 | ||
| 29 | 227 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.7 | ||
| 30 | 530 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.7 | ||
| 31 | 374 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.6 | ||
| 32 | 554 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.5 | ||
| 33 | 492 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.4 | ||
| 34 | 415 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.2 | ||
| 35 | 403 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.8 | ||
| 36 | 786 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.5 | ||
| 37 | 487 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.2 | ||
| 38 | 845 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.1 | ||
| Private Schools 18 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 117 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | HIGHLANDS SCHOOL
Private
290 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | ST FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
Private
168 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | ALABAMA WALDORF SCHOOL
Private
97 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | ADVENT EPISCOPAL DAY SCHOOL
Private
187 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | HILLTOP MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
113 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 7 | RISING HOPE ACADEMY
Private
34 students · Kindergarten–6th | Not Rated | ||
| 8 | NE MILES JEWISH DAY SCHOOL
Private
53 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 9 | CREATIVE MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Private
126 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 10 | 35 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 11 | HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC ACADEMY
Private
36 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 12 | OUR LADY OF SORROWS
Private
336 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 13 | ST ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL
Private
179 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 14 | OUR LADY OF THE VALLEY SCHOOL
Private
185 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 15 | MCELWAIN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Private
15 students · Kindergarten–4th | Not Rated | ||
| 16 | TRINITY OUTREACH MINISTRIES
Private
5 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 17 | 7 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | Not Rated | ||
| 18 | INTEGRITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Private
16 students · Pre-K–5th | Not Rated | ||
Middle Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 447 students · 6th–8th | 5.8 | ||
| 2 | 1,194 students · 6th–8th | 5.6 | ||
| 3 | 326 students · 6th–8th | 5.2 | ||
| 4 | 402 students · 6th–8th | 5.2 | ||
| 5 | 312 students · 6th–8th | 5.1 | ||
| 6 | 298 students · 6th–8th | 4.8 | ||
| 7 | 323 students · 6th–8th | 4.0 | ||
| 8 | 440 students · 6th–8th | 3.9 | ||
| 9 | 425 students · 6th–8th | 3.1 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 19 students · 2nd–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 13 students · 1st–8th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
21 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 343 students · 6th–12th | 8.0 | ||
| 2 | 711 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 | ||
| 3 | 1,652 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 4 | 683 students · 7th–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 5 | 669 students · 9th–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 6 | 758 students · 8th–12th | 4.6 | ||
| 7 | 544 students · 9th–12th | 4.6 | ||
| 8 | 1,123 students · 8th–12th | 4.2 | ||
| 9 | 764 students · 9th–12th | 3.6 | ||
| 10 | 854 students · 9th–12th | 3.3 | ||
| Private Schools 11 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 488 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL
Private
362 students · 5th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | CORNERSTONE HIGH SCHOOL
Private
151 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | HIGDON HILL SCHOOL
Private
57 students · 7th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | 197 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | BUILD UP
Private
46 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 7 | 87 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 8 | BUILD UP COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Private
57 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 9 | BANKS ACADEMY
Private
71 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 10 | BANKS ACADEMY
Private
75 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 11 | MARANATHAN ACADEMY
Private
22 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 227 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.0 | ||
| 2 | 215 students · 3rd–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 8 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | ISLAMIC ACADEMY OF ALABAMA
Private
183 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | SPRING VALLEY SCHOOL
Private
130 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | GLEN IRIS BAPTIST SCHOOL
Private
96 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | ALLAN COTT SCHOOL
Private
48 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | CORNERSTONE SCHOOLS OF ALABAMA
Private
648 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | EPHESUS ACADEMY
Private
71 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 7 | ESSENTIAL CHURCH SCHOOL
Private
1,173 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 8 | 14 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama · 98 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 25 ZIP codes
Median Income
$57,473
Median Home Value
$220,520
Median Rent
$1,062/mo
Population
418,077
College Educated
33%
Homeownership
54%
Avg Commute
23 min
Poverty Rate
22.1%
Community Profile
Birmingham has a median household income of $57,473. It is an area where 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $220,520, with a median rent of $1,062/month. The area has a poverty rate of 22.1%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Quick Facts
- State
- Alabama
- Total Schools
- 98
- Elementary
- 56
- Middle
- 11
- High
- 21
- Districts
- 6
- Avg Rating
- 6.5/10
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Alabama
Top metros statewide by school count.
How We Rate Schools
Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Birmingham, Alabama
How many schools are in Birmingham, Alabama?
Birmingham has 98 schools, including 59 public and 39 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Birmingham, Alabama?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Birmingham is 6.5 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.
What is the top-ranked school in Birmingham, Alabama?
The top-ranked school in Birmingham on MySchoolScout is Inverness Elementary School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best elementary school in Birmingham, Alabama?
The top-ranked elementary school in Birmingham on MySchoolScout is Inverness Elementary School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best middle school in Birmingham, Alabama?
The top-ranked middle school in Birmingham on MySchoolScout is Jones Valley Middle School with a composite score of 5.8/10.
What is the best high school in Birmingham, Alabama?
The top-ranked high school in Birmingham on MySchoolScout is Magic City Acceptance Academy with a composite score of 8.0/10.
How many school districts serve Birmingham, Alabama?
Birmingham is served by 6 school districts: Legacy Prep, I3 Academy, Magic City Acceptance Academy, Birmingham City, Jefferson County, Shelby County.
What is the education level in Birmingham, Alabama?
According to Census data, 33% of adults in Birmingham have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Birmingham, Alabama?
The median household income in Birmingham is approximately $57,473 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Birmingham, Alabama?
Yes, Birmingham has 39 private schools alongside 59 public schools. The top-rated private school is Joseph S Bruno Montessori Academy with a score of 8.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Birmingham, Alabama?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Birmingham is 14.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Birmingham, Alabama?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.
Related reading
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Alabama Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.