Public schools in Myrtle Beach, SC
29 open public schools with an address in Myrtle Beach, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
29
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
24,733
27 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.7:1
South Carolina median 13.6:1
Charter schools
4
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Myrtle Beach public schools
The federal directory lists 29 public schools in Myrtle Beach, SC: 16 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high. The 27 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 24,733 students, an average of 916 per school. The largest campus is Carolina Forest High (3,176 students), and the largest elementary school is River Oaks Elementary (1,426).
Horry 01 operates the most schools here (27), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 4 charter schools, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Myrtle Beach
Elementary schools in Myrtle Beach
16| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater Academy Charter Horry 01 · Charter | KG–08 | 125 | 6.9:1 | |
| Burgess Elementary Horry 01 | PK–04 | 697 | 15.8:1 | |
| Carolina Forest Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 1,336 | 15.4:1 | |
| Forestbrook Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 930 | 15.5:1 | |
| Lakewood Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 866 | 14.3:1 | |
| Myrtle Beach Early Childhood Horry 01 | PK–KG | 555 | 17.9:1 | |
| Myrtle Beach Elementary Horry 01 | 03–05 | 1,066 | 15.4:1 | |
| Myrtle Beach Primary Horry 01 | 01–02 | 710 | 16.1:1 | |
| Ocean Bay Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 1,181 | 17.1:1 | |
| Palmetto Academy of Learning and Success Charter Horry 01 · Charter | KG–08 | 320 | 14.5:1 | |
| Palmetto Bays Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 556 | 13.6:1 | |
| Pine Island Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | — | — | |
| River Oaks Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 1,426 | 15.5:1 | |
| Socastee Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | 850 | 14.2:1 | |
| St. James Elementary Horry 01 | PK–04 | 884 | 15.9:1 | |
| Ten Oaks Elementary Horry 01 | PK–05 | — | — |
Middle schools in Myrtle Beach
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forestbrook Middle Horry 01 | 06–08 | 816 | 15.5:1 | |
| Myrtle Beach Middle Horry 01 | 06–08 | 1,146 | 16.3:1 | |
| Ocean Bay Middle Horry 01 | 06–08 | 801 | 16.5:1 | |
| Socastee Middle Horry 01 | 06–08 | 527 | 14.2:1 | |
| St. James Intermediate Horry 01 | 05–06 | 883 | 16.7:1 | |
| St. James Middle Horry 01 | 07–08 | 913 | 15.7:1 | |
| Ten Oaks Middle Horry 01 | 06–08 | 1,264 | 15.8:1 |
High schools in Myrtle Beach
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy For Arts/Science/Technology Horry 01 · Magnet · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Carolina Forest High Horry 01 | 09–12 | 3,176 | 19.3:1 | |
| Carolina Shores Acceleration Academy SC Public Charter School District · Charter | 09–12 | 277 | 34.6:1 | |
| Coastal High School Limestone Charters Association · Charter | 09–12 | 198 | 9.7:1 | |
| Myrtle Beach High Horry 01 | 09–12 | 1,510 | 18.1:1 | |
| Socastee High Horry 01 | 09–12 | 1,720 | 18.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White54.6%
- Hispanic22.6%
- Black12.3%
- Asian2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
- Multiracial8.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 26 Myrtle Beach schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (24,733 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Myrtle Beach
How many public schools are in Myrtle Beach, SC?
The current NCES directory lists 29 open public schools with a location address in Myrtle Beach: 16 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high. Together they reported 24,733 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Myrtle Beach?
Schools with an address in Myrtle Beach belong to 3 education agencies, led by Horry 01 (27 schools), Limestone Charters Association (1 school), SC Public Charter School District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Myrtle Beach?
Carolina Forest High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Myrtle Beach, with 3,176 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Myrtle Beach?
Yes. 4 of the 29 public schools in Myrtle Beach are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Bridgewater Academy Charter, Carolina Shores Acceleration Academy, Coastal High School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Myrtle Beach schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Myrtle Beach public schools is 15.7:1, higher than the South Carolina school median of 13.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Myrtle Beach guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby South Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All South Carolina cities