Best high schools in Missouri
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 48.1 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2020; and there are almost 24,000 public high schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
For many anxious parents, getting their kid into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Find out how the best high schools in the state stack up against each other, 8 of the 10 schools in the list are private schools. Stacker compiled a list of the best high schools in Missouri using rankings from Niche.
#10. Notre Dame de Sion School For Girls (private)
- Location: Kansas City
- Enrollment: 304 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
#9. St. Louis University High School (private)
- Location: St. Louis
- Enrollment: 978 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
#8. Clayton High School (public)
- District: School District of Clayton, MO
- Enrollment: 906 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
#7. Saint Louis Priory School (private)
- Location: Saint Louis
- Enrollment: 307 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
#6. The Barstow School (private)
- Location: Kansas City
- Enrollment: 745 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
#5. Ladue Horton Watkins High School (public)
- District: Ladue School District, MO
- Enrollment: 1,315 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
#4. The Pembroke Hill School (private)
- Location: Kansas City
- Enrollment: 1,177 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
#3. MICDS - Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School (private)
- Location: Saint Louis
- Enrollment: 1,249 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
#2. Thomas Jefferson School (private)
- Location: Saint Louis
- Enrollment: 81 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
#1. John Burroughs School (private)
- Location: St. Louis
- Enrollment: 650 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
