Miami is a global city that's a great place for business, living and pleasure. But there is more to Miami than hot beaches, palm trees, spicy night life and water activities. The city of Miami Thinks. That's right, the minds of Miami think and work well in over 1000 international businesses, including many major corporations. Miami's great educational system produces the next generation of thinkers who will maintain and improve the beautiful city and surrounding areas.

The city of Miami thinks well in its primary and secondary schools. Public schools in Miami are governed by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which is the largest school district in Florida and the fourth-largest in the United States. As of September 2008 it has a student enrollment of 385,655 and over 392 schools and centers. The district is also the largest minority public school system in the country, with 60% of its students being of Hispanic origin, 28% African American, 10% White (non-Hispanic) and 2% non-white of other minorities.[54] Miami is home to some of the nation's best high schools, such as Design and Architecture High School, ranked the nation's best magnet school, MAST Academy, Coral Reef High School, ranked 20th-best public high school in the U.S., Miami Palmetto High School, and the New World School of the Arts.[55] M-DCPS is also one of a few public school districts in the United States to offer optional bilingual education.

Miami is home to several prestigious Roman Catholic, Jewish and non-denominational private schools. The Archdiocese of Miami operates the city's Catholic private schools, which include: Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, St. Hugh Catholic School, St. Theresa School, La Salle High School, Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, Christopher Columbus High School, Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School, St. Brendan High School, amongst numerous other elementary and high schools. Some of the most well-known non-denominational private schools in Miami are Ransom Everglades, Gulliver Preparatory School, and Miami Country Day School, which are traditionally known as some of the country's best schools. Other schools in the outlying areas include Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School.

The brilliant minds of Miami continue to think by attending one of a dozen higher education institutions, many of which are private. These Miami thinkers will run tomorrow's businesses and government and keep Miami a prosperous and wealthy city that it is.

The University of Miami (also known as UM, Miami of Florida,or just The U is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 in the city of Coral Gables, Florida, United States, close to downtown Miami. The university of Miami currently enrolls moe than 15,500 students in approximately 115 undergraduate, 114 master's, 51 doctoral, and two professional areas of study. The University's students represent all 50 states and 148 foreign countries. There are currently more than 2,300 full-time faculty members whose ranks include Fulbright Scholars, Guggenheim Fellows, and National Science Foundation award recipients. Of this distinguished faculty, 97% hold doctorates or terminal degrees in their field. With more than 13,000 full and part-time faculty and staff, UM is the largest private employer in Miami-Dade County.

The University of Miami is well known for having the most dominant Division I collegiate football program of the past three decades, winning more national championships during this period than any other Division I team. The Hurricanes saw tremendous success in Miami's Orange Bowl stadium, currently closed and under reconstruction. The Hurricanes will now play at the Dolphins Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins professional football team.

Barry University is a private Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb northeast of Downtown Miami, Florida. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. Barry offers business, nursing, health sciences, teacher education, and liberal arts programs. It currently has more than 9,300 students, a faculty of 871, a campus of 54 buildings, and 39,922 alumni. The Student to faculty ratio is 14:1.

Carlos Albizu University (CAU) is a private non-profit university offering undergraduate and graduate studies in psychology, business, and education. The Miami Campus is one of two campuses, the other one being in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The university is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Florida International University, commonly referred to as FIU or Florida International, is a public research university located in Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus at University Park. Florida International University is a Comprehensive Doctoral Research University with high research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation. Florida International University is also the youngest university to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the country's oldest academic honor society. FIU is one of 78 universities nationwide to hold both designations. FIU has nearly 40,000 enrolled students and employs about 5,000 staff members, making it one of the largest universities in the Miami area. Florida International University has seventeen varsity sports teams, called the Golden Panthers. The Golden Panthers' athletic colors are blue and gold, and compete in the NCAA's Division I as part of the Sun Belt Conference in all sports except for men's soccer.

Florida Memorial University is a private coeducational four-year university in Miami Gardens, Florida. One of the 39 member institutions of the United Negro College Fund, and a historically Black, Baptist-related institution which is ranked second in the Florida and ninth in the United States for graduating African-American teachers.

Johnson & Wales University (JWU, J&W) is a private, nonprofit, co-educational, career-oriented university. The North Miami campus is one of four nationwide locations, with Providence, Rhode Island, USA being home to JWU's original main and largest campus. Founded as a business school in 1914, by Gertrude I. Johnson and Mary T. Wales, JWU currently has 16,095 students enrolled in business, culinary, equine management, hospitality, education, and technology programs across its campuses. The University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. (NEAS&C), through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Miami Dade College, or simply Miami Dade, is a public college with its main campus located in Miami, Florida and with seven other campuses throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida in the United States. Founded in 1959 as Dade County Junior College, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the United States with over 164,000 total students. It is operated by the Florida Community College's Board of Trustees, appointed by the governor of Florida, whose chair is Helen Aguirre Ferré, although it is not a community college. Miami-Dade is also run by its President, currently Eduardo J. Padrón, and by its various campus presidents throughout Miami-Dade County. The College has eight different campuses, each having various outreach centers. These campuses are: the North Campus, Kendall Campus, Medical Center, Wolfson Campus in Downtown Miami, Homestead Campus, InterAmerican Campus, Hialeah Campus, and the West Campus.

Nova Southeastern University, commonly referred to as NSU or Nova, is a selective, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, research university located in Davie, Florida, USA. Additional campuses are located in North Miami Beach and Dania Beach. Nova Southeastern University is a Comprehensive Doctoral Research University with high research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation. The university is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeastern region of the United States and is the fourth largest not-for-profit independent university nationwide. Through its undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, including the law and osteopathic medical schools, Nova Southeastern educated 33,153 students in the 2008-2009 academic year. Nova Southeastern is also the sixth largest university in the state of Florida and the largest private university in Florida. The university consists of 18 colleges and schools offering over 175 programs of study with more than 250 majors. To date, the institution has produced approximately 110,000 alumni, from all 50 states and over 150 different countries.