Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove ranks No. 3 among private high schools in Florida and No. 1 in Miami-Dade County in Niche's 2027 school rankings.

The Grades 6-12 school earned an A+ overall grade from Niche. The rankings, released Monday, Sept. 28, cover more than 30,000 private schools nationwide, according to a Niche press release.

Niche bases its private high school rankings on an analysis of statistics and reviews, including factors such as colleges students consider, student-teacher ratios and private school ratings. SAT and ACT scores were removed from the rankings this year as college admissions have placed less emphasis on standardized testing.

Ransom Everglades also ranks No. 42 among private high schools nationwide.

Ransom Everglades reports 1,246 students, $57,300 tuition

Niche lists Ransom Everglades with 1,239 students and an 8-to-1 student-teacher ratio. The school's own website reports enrollment of 1,246 students, an 8-to-1 student-teacher ratio and an average class size of 14.

The school says 64% of its students identify as multicultural.

Tuition for 2026-27 is $57,300, including daily lunch, according to the school's admissions page.

Ransom Everglades provides more than $8.5 million in financial aid and tuition remission annually. The assistance supports 17% of the student body, with an average grant of $39,942.

Financial aid applications for the 2027-28 school year opened Sept. 1. The deadline is Nov. 15 for current families and Jan. 10, 2027, for prospective families.

Demand for seats at prominent South Florida private schools has intensified alongside the region's influx of wealthy residents. Christopher Rim, founder and CEO of Command Education, told the Biscayne Times in June that spots are scarce.

"More wealthy people, more billionaires, would move to Miami if there were additional spots in these schools," Rim said. "We are at a bottleneck right now."

School adds national honors and expands Coconut Grove campus

The Niche ranking follows other national and international recognition for Ransom Everglades.

The school was named one of the top 10 private schools in North America in the Spear's School Index for the third consecutive year in March 2026, according to the school's website. It also appeared on the Carfax Education list of 20 leading private schools in North America for 2025-26.

Forty-five Ransom Everglades students received recognition in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Competition, including 21 National Merit Semifinalists, according to the school.

The school is also expanding its Coconut Grove campus. A three-story, 30,000-square-foot Sundheim Humanities Center on the upper school campus is scheduled for completion in fall 2027. The building will include 19 classrooms, collaborative and study spaces, faculty areas and a rooftop terrace.

Alumnus takes over as board chair

Ricky Stokes, a 1994 Ransom Everglades graduate, became chair of the school's board of trustees July 1 for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

Stokes has served on the board since 2017 and previously served as vice chair, chair of its advancement committee and president of the Ransom Everglades Alumni Association.

"Our focus will remain on continuous improvement of the student experience and support for our incredible faculty," Stokes said in a school announcement.

Stokes succeeded Miguel Dueñas, a 1995 graduate who completed a two-year term as board chair.