Best Schools in Royal Oak, Michigan
14 schools · 9 Elementary · 2 Middle · 3 High
Choosing a school in Royal Oak?
Use this page to compare every school in Royal Oak by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Northwood Elementary School
Elementary · Royal Oak Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Royal Oak High School
High · Royal Oak Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Shrine Catholic High School
High. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Royal Oak for 2026 are Northwood Elementary School (8.8/10), Royal Oak High School (8.6/10), and Shrine Catholic High School (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 14 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
14
9 public · 5 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$306,000
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
14
9 public · 5 private
Avg Score
7.1
out of 10
Median Home
$306,000
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 8.6/10 despite 24% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Royal Oak schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Royal Oak
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (14 of 14). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwood Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Royal Oak High School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Shrine Catholic High School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Shrine Academy | 8.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Churchill Community Ed Center | 6.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Oak Ridge Elementary School | 6.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Addams Elementary and Ecc | 6.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Oakland Elementary School | 6.6 / 10 |
| 9 | St Paul Lutheran School | 6.6 / 10 |
| 10 | Keller Elementary | 6.4 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.1/10
- Median household income
- $96,891
- Median home value
- $306,000
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 63%
- Avg commute
- 25 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67%
29% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Royal Oak compares
Michigan rank
#70 of 372
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.9
above Michigan avg (6.2)
Median household income
$97k
132% of Michigan median
Schools in this city
14
About Schools in Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak, Michigan runs a compact public school system with 9 ranked schools, all operating under the Royal Oak School District. The city's schools average 6.9 out of 10 — a strong district-wide baseline that reflects consistent performance across grade levels rather than a few outliers pulling the number up. Five of the nine schools, or 56%, score 7.0 or higher, meaning more than half the options here clear a meaningful quality threshold. For a city this size, that concentration of above-average schools gives parents real choices rather than a single standout surrounded by weaker alternatives.
Royal Oak High School leads the district with an 8.1 out of 10, the top score among all ranked schools in the city. That's a strong ceiling for a suburban district and signals that students who move through Royal Oak's elementary and middle grades have a competitive secondary destination ahead. The elementary tier is equally compelling for its consistency. Alfred E Upton Elementary scores 7.3, Oak Ridge Elementary follows at 7.2, and both Northwood Elementary and Oakland Elementary score 7.1. That tight four-point range across the top elementary schools tells parents there's no dramatic quality gap depending on which attendance zone they land in — the options are genuinely comparable.
The practical picture for parents is straightforward. Royal Oak's district is small enough to evaluate school by school without information overload, and its performance spread is narrow enough that most families will find acceptable options close to home. The high school score of 8.1 is the single strongest data point: parents with younger children can reasonably expect a strong secondary outcome if district performance holds. Families comparing Royal Oak to neighboring communities should note that 56% of schools clearing the 7.0 mark is a higher concentration than many similarly sized Michigan districts. The district doesn't have a weak floor — the lowest-scoring schools still contribute to a 6.9 system average, leaving little distance between the bottom and the top.
Elementary Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 446 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 | ||
| 2 | 408 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.8 | ||
| 3 | 443 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.7 | ||
| 4 | 231 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.6 | ||
| 5 | 450 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.4 | ||
| 6 | 295 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.4 | ||
| Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Paul Lutheran School
Private
52 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.6 | ||
| 2 | St Mary Catholic School
Private
226 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.3 | ||
| 3 | Shrine Catholic Grade School
Private
364 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.4 | ||
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,097 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Shrine Academy
Private
220 students · 6th–8th | 8.6 | ||
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,338 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
| 2 | 93 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Shrine Catholic High School
Private
247 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
Schools in Royal Oak
Royal Oak, Michigan · 14 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$96,891
Median Home Value
$306,000
Median Rent
$1,340/mo
Population
57,923
College Educated
63%
Homeownership
67%
Avg Commute
25 min
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Community Profile
Royal Oak has a median household income of $96,891. It is a well-educated community where 63% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $306,000, with a median rent of $1,340/month. The local poverty rate of 6.0% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 25 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Michigan
- Elementary
- 9
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 3
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Michigan
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Royal Oak, Michigan
How many schools are in Royal Oak, Michigan?
Royal Oak has 14 schools, including 9 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Royal Oak is 7.1 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The top-ranked school in Royal Oak on MySchoolScout is Northwood Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The top-ranked elementary school in Royal Oak on MySchoolScout is Northwood Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The top-ranked middle school in Royal Oak on MySchoolScout is Shrine Academy with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best high school in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The top-ranked high school in Royal Oak on MySchoolScout is Royal Oak High School with a composite score of 8.6/10.
How many school districts serve Royal Oak, Michigan?
Royal Oak is served by 1 school district: Royal Oak Schools.
What is the education level in Royal Oak, Michigan?
According to Census data, 63% of adults in Royal Oak have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The median household income in Royal Oak is approximately $96,891 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Royal Oak, Michigan?
Yes, Royal Oak has 5 private schools alongside 9 public schools. The top-rated private school is Shrine Catholic High School with a score of 8.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Royal Oak, Michigan?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Royal Oak is 13.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Royal Oak, Michigan?
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 built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Michigan Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.