Beta You're viewing our redesigned school list. Prefer the classic layout?

Best Public Schools in Carmel, IN

At a glance

Schools

17,020

Students

Districts

5-star schools

Top rankedCreekside Middle School1^st of 486 Indiana middle schools

▲

Biggest riser

Guilford Elementary up 16 spots statewide this year

◉

Smallest classes

Mohawk Trails Elementary School 13.1 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Indiana cities →See the top-ranked Indiana schools →

Summary:

Carmel, Indiana is home to 17 schools — 12 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools — serving about 17,020 students, with 15 of those schools belonging to Carmel Clay Schools, a district ranked 5 of 374 in Indiana at the 99th percentile with 5 stars. The two exceptions are Indiana Agriculture and Technology, a separate district ranked 338 of 374, and Guilford Elementary, part of the highly rated Plainfield Community School Corp.

The academic flagships are clear. West Clay Elementary School is ranked #1 of 1,015 elementary schools in 2025-26, with all-grade proficiency of 89.29% in ELA and 91.56% in math. Creekside Middle School has been the #1 middle school in Indiana for three straight years, and Carmel High School ranks #4 of 415 with a 99.1% graduation rate and SAT reading/writing of 83.1% versus the state's 51.9%. Other standouts include Clay Center Elementary School (#7), College Wood Elementary School (#19, with the lowest chronic absenteeism among comprehensive schools at 0.6%), and Clay Middle School (#5).

Overall, 16 of 17 schools rank at or above the 85th percentile, and 11 have 5 stars. Chronic absenteeism is generally low, averaging roughly 4.4% across Carmel Clay schools against a district rate of 6.4% and a state rate of 16.7%, though Carmel High School sits higher at 11.5%. Guilford Elementary is a notable success, reaching the 89th percentile despite the list's highest free/reduced lunch rate at 32.72%. Meanwhile, Indiana Agriculture and Technology is a sharp outlier at 11th percentile and 1 star with a 72.9% graduation rate, and its reported 220.5 student-teacher ratio and 0.0% absenteeism suggest a specialized program. Notably, spending and class size do not predict outcomes here: the highest-spending elementary, Mohawk Trails Elementary School at $12,839, has lower proficiency than West Clay, and Creekside has the district's highest student-teacher ratio at 18.7 yet is the top middle school.

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2026)	SAT Mathematics (2026)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2026)							ILEARN Math (2026)							ILEARN Science (2026)			ILEARN Social Studies (2026)	ILEARN Biology (2026)	Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 4th Grade	ILEARN Science 6th Grade	ILEARN Science All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Vaccination: Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Indiana Agriculture and Technology	Public, Charter	7-12	650 East Carmel Drive - Suite 200	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Indiana Agriculture and Technology	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 201-8734	441	2	220.5	—	396 (89.8%)	2 (0.5%)	19 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (4.5%)	11.3	370^th of 415 public high schools	10.8%		21.9	335^th of 429 public high schools	21.9%	35	17.4	4.4					15.0	25.0	21.4					5.0	14.3	10.9					23.4			$7,571	$349	$7,222
Smoky Row Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 W 136th St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 571-4084	692	47	14.7	7.7%	458 (66.2%)	38 (5.5%)	24 (3.5%)	147 (21.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (3.2%)	96.5	15^th of 1015 public elementary schools	98.5%		97.5	10^th of 1005 public elementary schools	99.0%	5			77.4	80.0	75.7				77.8	85.5	76.3	72.2				78.1	76.9		76.9	83.5		91.1%		$11,406	$172	$11,234
Carmel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	101 S Richland Ave	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-0168	700	49	14.2	23.0%	450 (64.3%)	42 (6.0%)	84 (12.0%)	86 (12.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.3%)	86.2	125^th of 1015 public elementary schools	87.7%		90.8	68^th of 1005 public elementary schools	93.2%	57			54.4	61.5	58.3				57.9	70.4	74.0	60.0				68.0	59.2		59.2	72.6		94.3%		$12,140	$517	$11,623
Carmel High School	Public	9-12	520 E Main St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-7721	5,239	313	16.7	13.3%	3,385 (64.6%)	259 (4.9%)	397 (7.6%)	944 (18.0%)	10 (0.2%)	7 (0.1%)	237 (4.5%)	96.3	4^th of 415 public high schools	99.0%		96.4	4^th of 429 public high schools	99.1%		83.1	63.8																			78.4			$11,447	$287	$11,160
Carmel Middle School	Public	6-8	300 S Guilford Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-7331	1,047	77	13.6	18.5%	715 (68.3%)	49 (4.7%)	96 (9.2%)	129 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (5.5%)	91.4	31^st of 486 public middle schools	93.6%		93.9	19^th of 480 public middle schools	96.0%	12						61.8	60.2	63.2	61.8				63.6	50.0	48.9	54.2		69.8	69.8					$12,629	$140	$12,489
Clay Middle School	Public	6-8	5150 E 126th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-7251	1,415	81	17.4	14.3%	1,012 (71.5%)	69 (4.9%)	129 (9.1%)	139 (9.8%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	62 (4.4%)	97.1	5^th of 486 public middle schools	99.0%		97.1	7^th of 480 public middle schools	98.5%	2						69.6	65.1	73.6	69.5				68.5	67.1	71.0	68.9		68.5	68.5					$11,085	$239	$10,846
College Wood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12415 Shelborne Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6430	616	38	16.2	5.5%	310 (50.3%)	22 (3.6%)	26 (4.2%)	239 (38.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.8%)	95.8	19^th of 1015 public elementary schools	98.1%		98.3	5^th of 1005 public elementary schools	99.5%	14			70.6	66.4	83.9				74.2	78.9	79.8	79.0				79.2	71.2		71.2	87.1		96.3%		$12,086	$483	$11,603
Mohawk Trails Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4242 E 126th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-1158	543	41	13.1	18.6%	398 (73.3%)	14 (2.6%)	81 (14.9%)	35 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.8%)	86.6	116^th of 1015 public elementary schools	88.6%		90.2	79^th of 1005 public elementary schools	92.1%	37			62.8	63.3	58.5				61.4	68.6	65.0	57.5				63.5	69.6		69.6	69.2		100%		$12,839	$719	$12,121
Woodbrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4311 E 116th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-4225	628	45	13.9	12.6%	481 (76.6%)	34 (5.4%)	40 (6.4%)	48 (7.6%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	22 (3.5%)	82.5	155^th of 1015 public elementary schools	84.7%		92	57^th of 1005 public elementary schools	94.3%	98			54.8	61.5	56.6				57.8	60.2	72.5	45.1				59.1	65.1		65.1	74.3		97.6%		$12,669	$389	$12,280
Prairie Trace Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	14200 N River Rd	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 571-7925	715	48	14.9	11.0%	434 (60.7%)	33 (4.6%)	45 (6.3%)	174 (24.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.6%)	96.7	14^th of 1015 public elementary schools	98.6%		97.7	9^th of 1005 public elementary schools	99.1%	5			75.8	69.6	77.0				74.0	85.2	83.3	80.2				82.9	70.3		70.3	88.9		99.1%		$10,992	$162	$10,830
Towne Meadow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10850 Towne Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-2645	527	37	14.1	9.3%	336 (63.8%)	20 (3.8%)	30 (5.7%)	106 (20.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (6.3%)	97	11^th of 1015 public elementary schools	98.9%		95.5	21^st of 1005 public elementary schools	97.9%	10			73.3	76.1	81.9				77.2	82.2	80.4	80.9				81.2	78.0		78.0	86.2		93.8%		$12,240	$191	$12,049
Creekside Middle School	Public	6-8	3525 W 126th St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6420	1,428	76	18.7	8.7%	795 (55.7%)	58 (4.1%)	75 (5.3%)	419 (29.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	79 (5.5%)	99.2	1^st of 486 public middle schools	99.8%		99.6	1^st of 480 public middle schools	99.8%							75.9	81.6	80.4	79.4				77.9	80.1	78.2	78.7		79.0	79.0					$10,836	$140	$10,696
Forest Dale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10721 Lakeshore Dr W	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-4948	638	48	13.3	18.0%	478 (74.9%)	38 (6.0%)	57 (8.9%)	38 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	25 (3.9%)	85.2	135^th of 1015 public elementary schools	86.7%		91.7	61^st of 1005 public elementary schools	93.9%	74			45.4	60.8	63.8				56.2	63.9	74.2	63.8				67.2	67.0		67.0	77.7		100%		$12,402	$496	$11,906
West Clay Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3495 W 126 St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6500	580	39	14.9	4.3%	309 (53.3%)	16 (2.8%)	14 (2.4%)	206 (35.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.9%)	99.2	1^st of 1015 public elementary schools	99.9%		98.9	2^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	99.8%	1			88.4	88.9	90.4				89.3	94.7	88.9	91.2				91.6	85.9		85.9	93.0		98.2%		$11,140	$155	$10,985
Cherry Tree Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13989 Hazel Dell Parkway	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-3086	711	45	15.6	12.9%	582 (81.9%)	19 (2.7%)	64 (9.0%)	31 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.8%)	93	37^th of 1015 public elementary schools	96.4%		94.7	29^th of 1005 public elementary schools	97.1%	8			67.9	68.4	64.6				66.9	78.6	75.2	67.7				73.5	70.1		70.1	76.2		92.4%		$11,794	$236	$11,557
Clay Center Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12025 Clay Center Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6450	666	48	13.7	12.2%	483 (72.5%)	21 (3.2%)	45 (6.8%)	83 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.1%)	97.7	7^th of 1015 public elementary schools	99.3%		96.9	14^th of 1005 public elementary schools	98.6%	7			79.4	88.1	77.1				81.6	80.4	89.0	81.4				83.7	83.9		83.9	83.9		96.4%		$12,242	$172	$12,070
Guilford Elementary	Public	K-5	6440 S County Road 600 E	Carmel	46168	Hendricks County	Plainfield Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 839-2698	434	26	16.7	32.7%	303 (69.8%)	60 (13.8%)	27 (6.2%)	16 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.5%)	86.8	113^th of 1015 public elementary schools	88.9%		85.6	129^th of 1005 public elementary schools	87.2%	16			60.8	65.4	69.8				65.6	73.0	74.1	58.1				68.1	59.3		59.3	55.8		91.8%		$10,595	$525	$10,070
The Pursuit Institute of Hamilton County	Public	11-12	37 East Main St.	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Westfield-Washington Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 210-3195	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Cities Near Carmel

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Westfield	0.74 mi	11	97^th
Noblesville	3.97 mi	17	102^nd
Zionsville	5.62 mi	7	16^th
Sheridan	7.82 mi	3	152^nd
Fishers	7.9 mi	21	13^th

See the top IN Indiana cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.