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U.S. NEWS HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS
The U.S. News rankings include data on nearly 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to traditional high schools, the rankings encompass charter; magnet; and science, technology, engineering and math-focused schools. Discover how your school stacks up against thousands around the country. SEE ALL THE RANKINGS
National Rankings
The 2021 Best High Schools ranks 17,857 public high schools.
Best Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools that operate under charters, tend to have limited enrollment and usually accept students through an application process.
Best Magnet Schools
Magnet schools may attract the most talented students in a region via an application process, often involving test scores and grade-point averages.
Best STEM Schools
U.S. News looked at the top 1,000 public high schools to identify the best in science, technology, engineering and math education.
Rankings by State
Institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are included in the Best High Schools rankings. Schools are ranked nationally and within each state. See how schools compare with those in the same state, using measures like standardized test scores to assess math and reading proficiency.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- D.C.
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Rankings by Metro Area
To be featured, a metropolitan area had to have three or more high schools in the national rankings. We rank schools in more than 900 metro areas, whose boundaries are determined by U.S. census data.
- Atlanta, GA
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Kansas City, MO
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC
Free Online K-12 Classes
Taught by experts, the Variety Tutors online series offers students of all ages the opportunity to stay on track. Check back frequently for new sessions added daily to keep your K-12 learners engaged while schools are closed.View Classes Now
HIGH SCHOOLS ADVICE
Wondering whether your student should enroll in that AP class or want to find out more about GPA scales? Get answers to all your high school questions.
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School Administrators Display Your Badge
If your high school is nationally ranked, display a U.S. News Best High Schools badge on your school’s website. To obtain a badge, contact Wright’s Media at usnews@wrightsmedia.com or 877-652-5295.
Why U.S. News Best High Schools?
At U.S. News, we believe that better education drives the future. We rank high schools across the country to give an unbiased look at how well schools serve their students and help you make informed decisions about your child’s education. We also want to recognize high-performing schools and inspire educators and municipalities to do better.
The top-ranked schools have a high rate of students who scored above expectations in math and reading state assessments, passed an array of college-level exams, and graduated in four years.
The state, metro area and district rankings show how schools fare against others in a geographic location. Magnet schools, charter schools and STEM schools are ranked separately to ensure a fair comparison.
Use our high-quality data and expert reporting to do the necessary research for your child’s education. Read the Best High Schools frequently asked questions to learn what goes into the ranking methodology.
