Mackay State High is a co-ed government school known for a tight-knit community atmosphere and strong pastoral care.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages; the result is a B- overall.
Mackay State High is a co-ed government school known for a tight-knit community atmosphere and strong pastoral care. It offers vocational education and training alongside excellence programs, suiting students pursuing hands-on pathways or academic stretch. The school is particularly active in music and has a recognised cattle show team, reflecting its regional character and practical engagement.
Mackay State High School is also known as MSHS, Mackay State HS and MSHS South Mackay.
Mackay State High School draws students from the Mackay SHS (and 1 more zone).
Mackay State High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 40.8/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 39/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 936, below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Mackay State High School, Year 7 students averaged 486 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 531, below the national average of 569 for that year level. National averages are specific to each year level, because NAPLAN scores are scaled so older year levels score higher, a school-wide average can't be compared with a single national figure.
Mackay State High School is a large government secondary school with approximately 1,254 students. It offers education for years 7-12. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
Mackay State High School is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 41/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Mackay State High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.2:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 35% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 81%, which is below the national benchmark.
Mackay State High School is located in South Mackay, QLD, classified as a inner regional school. With an ICSEA of 936 (20th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.