• There’s something about the Northeast. Massachusetts leads with 43% of its schools ranked in the top quarter of U.S. high schools, followed by Connecticut with 41% and New Jersey with 40%.
• Metro rankings highlight three metropolitan areas with the highest proportions of schools ranked in the top 25% nationally: San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA, with 59%, Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI, with 52%, and Los Angeles-Long Beach–Anaheim, CA, with 51%.
• Specialized Charter School Rankings: In addition to including charter schools in the overall national rankings, U.S. News has released a separate dedicated national ranking specifically for the Best Charter Schools.

“Students and families need data to help them make one of the most important decisions of their academic journey. Our Best High Schools rankings provide the insights to help them identify schools that will prepare students for college success,” says LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News. “Access to information isn’t just helpful— it’s essential for planning a student’s future.”

The 2025-2026 Best High Schools national rankings identify top public schools based on six key performance indicators, including student achievement on state-required assessments, strong graduation rates, and college readiness measures. Schools are evaluated on how effectively they serve all students, including underserved populations, with college readiness specifically measured through student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. The rankings consider curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes as well. U.S. News worked hard to implement the comprehensive ranking methodology, using the most current data from the 2022-2023 school year.

National Ranking – Top 10

1. BASIS Tucson North (AZ)
2. Signature School (IN)
3. Central Magnet School (TN)
4. Davidson Academy (NV)
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (VA)
6. Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science (NM)
7. Hass Hall Bentonville (AR)
8. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School (PA)
9. The School for the Talented and Gifted (TX)
10. Aiken Scholars Academy (SC)

Best Charter Schools – Top 5

1. BASIS Tucson North (AZ)
2. Signature School (IN)
3. Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science (NM)
4. Hass Hall Bentonville (AR)
5. BASIS Phoenix (AZ)

Best STEM High Schools – Top 5

1. High Technology High School (NJ)
2. BASIS Chandler (AZ)
3. BASIS Peoria (AZ)
4. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (VA)
5. BASIS Tucson North (AZ)