Best public high schools in New York
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: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids 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.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in New York using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
#30. Edgemont Junior/Senior High School
- Enrollment: 956 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#29. Rye High School
- Enrollment: 933 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#28. Baccalaureate School for Global Education
- Enrollment: 530 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#27. John F. Kennedy High School
- Enrollment: 1,024 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#26. Wheatley School
- Enrollment: 696 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#25. Herricks High School
- Enrollment: 1,360 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#24. Great Neck North High School
- Enrollment: 1,195 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#23. Williamsville East High School
- Enrollment: 962 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#22. Brooklyn Latin School
- Enrollment: 844 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#21. New Explorations into Science, Technology & Math School
- Enrollment: 1,639 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#20. Eleanor Roosevelt High School
- Enrollment: 537 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#19. Bronxville High School
- Enrollment: 528 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#18. Horace Greeley High School
- Enrollment: 1,135 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#17. George W. Hewlett High School
- Enrollment: 991 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#16. Half Hollow Hills High School East
- Enrollment: 1,547 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#15. Roslyn High School
- Enrollment: 1,056 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#14. Brooklyn Technical High School
- Enrollment: 5,966 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#13. Bard High School Early College
- Enrollment: 614 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#12. Syosset Senior High School
- Enrollment: 2,237 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#11. Jericho Senior High School
- Enrollment: 1,205 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#10. Great Neck South High School
- Enrollment: 1,222 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#9. High School Math Science & Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY)
- Enrollment: 524 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#8. Bard High School Early College Queens
- Enrollment: 675 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#7. Half Hollow Hills High School West
- Enrollment: 1,035 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#6. High School of American Studies at Lehman College
- Enrollment: 408 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#5. Scarsdale Senior High School
- Enrollment: 1,471 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#4. Stuyvesant High School
- Enrollment: 3,304 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#3. Townsend Harris High School
- Enrollment: 1,347 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. Bronx High School of Science
- Enrollment: 2,985 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#1. Staten Island Technical High School
- Enrollment: 1,355 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.