High school graduation rates are reaching new heights—84% in 2016—and an estimated 19.9 million students are expected to enroll in college this year. As high school students' academic achievements surpass expectations, high schools are getting more competitive than ever. As a result, some schools in the public education system are pulling ahead of the pack.
To see which educational institutions are doing A+ work, Stacker found the 50 best public high schools in America's most populous cities using data from Niche's 2019 Best Public High Schools in America ranking. Schools are rated based on a combination of factors, including SAT and ACT scores, graduation rates, teacher quality, state test scores, student and parent reviews, and student readiness for college. Traditional high schools as well as charter, magnet, and specialized secondary schools are included in the ranking.
Each school that made the list will have an "Overall Niche Grade," based on dozens of metrics and millions of reviews. Stacker sorted the top-scoring schools by their respective cities, from least to most populous. Two large states—California and Texas—each have more than five schools in the top 50.
Whether you're looking to see if you're child's school made the cut, or you're thinking about moving districts, check to see which American public high schools are at the top of their class.
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Number of students: 771 — student-teacher ratio: 15:1
Math proficiency: 42%
Reading proficiency: 47%
Average graduation rate: 92%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 901 — student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Math proficiency: 95%
Reading proficiency: 95%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 2,475 — student-teacher ratio: 18:1
Math proficiency: 62%
Reading proficiency: 81%
Average graduation rate: 97%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 1,325 — student-teacher ratio: 20:1
Math proficiency: 91%
Reading proficiency: 95%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 1,757 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 45%
Reading proficiency: 67%
Average graduation rate: 89%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: B+
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Number of students: 403 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 72%
Reading proficiency: 92%
Average graduation rate: 92%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: C-
Number of students: 2,169 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 91%
Reading proficiency: 94%
Average graduation rate: 89%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 224 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: N/A
Reading proficiency: N/A
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 1,255 — student-teacher ratio: 15:1
Math proficiency: 57%
Reading proficiency: 62%
Average graduation rate: 94%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 561 — student-teacher ratio: 13:1
Math proficiency: 95%
Reading proficiency: 95%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
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Number of students: 2,529 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 79%
Reading proficiency: 88%
Average graduation rate: 93%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 681 — student-teacher ratio: 30:1
Math proficiency: 92%
Reading proficiency: 95%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B-
Number of students: 1,364 — student-teacher ratio: 15:1
Math proficiency: 43%
Reading proficiency: 58%
Average graduation rate: 86%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 1,605 — student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Math proficiency: 87%
Reading proficiency: 91%
Average graduation rate: 94%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 292 — student-teacher ratio: 13:1
Math proficiency: 90%
Reading proficiency: 82%
Average graduation rate: 90%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C
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Number of students: 1,681 — student-teacher ratio: 26:1
Math proficiency: 54%
Reading proficiency: 64%
Average graduation rate: 92%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C+
Number of students: 482 — student-teacher ratio: 25:1
Math proficiency: 92%
Reading proficiency: 95%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 1,056 — student-teacher ratio: 23:1
Math proficiency: 95%
Reading proficiency: 93%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B
Number of students: 356 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 77%
Reading proficiency: 83%
Average graduation rate: 90%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C-
Number of students: 1,464 — student-teacher ratio: 22:1
Math proficiency: 28%
Reading proficiency: 50%
Average graduation rate: 87%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: B+
Clubs and activities grade: A
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Number of students: 1,522 — student-teacher ratio: 20:1
Math proficiency: 99%
Reading proficiency: 97%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A-
Clubs and activities grade: A-
Number of students: 1,895 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 86%
Reading proficiency: 93%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 1,097 — student-teacher ratio: 20:1
Math proficiency: 87%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 150 — student-teacher ratio: 6:1
Math proficiency: N/A
Reading proficiency: N/A
Average graduation rate: 100%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 159 — student-teacher ratio: 21:1
Math proficiency: 85%
Reading proficiency: 90%
Average graduation rate: 85%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C-
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Number of students: 2,201 — student-teacher ratio: 18:1
Math proficiency: 57%
Reading proficiency: 77%
Average graduation rate: 86%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 903 — student-teacher ratio: 20:1
Math proficiency: 90%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A-
Number of students: 2,370 — student-teacher ratio: 24:1
Math proficiency: 34%
Reading proficiency: 67%
Average graduation rate: 98%
Overall Niche grade: B+
Academics grade: B
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 635 — student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Math proficiency: 95%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A-
Number of students: 2,439 — student-teacher ratio: 22:1
Math proficiency: 98%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 98%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
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Number of students: 589 — student-teacher ratio: 12:1
Math proficiency: 52%
Reading proficiency: 82%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 523 — student-teacher ratio: 14:1
Math proficiency: 67%
Reading proficiency: 67%
Average graduation rate: 87%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: B-
Number of students: 1,712 — student-teacher ratio: 23:1
Math proficiency: 86%
Reading proficiency: 98%
Average graduation rate: 85%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C+
Number of students: 2,876 — student-teacher ratio: 21:1
Math proficiency: 84%
Reading proficiency: 84%
Average graduation rate: 98%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 763 — student-teacher ratio: 15:1
Math proficiency: 52%
Reading proficiency: 87%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: C+
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Number of students: 1,168 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 85%
Reading proficiency: 89%
Average graduation rate: 97%
Overall Niche grade: A
Academics grade: A
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 1,910 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 70%
Reading proficiency: 80%
Average graduation rate: 97%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 2,685 — student-teacher ratio: 21:1
Math proficiency: 89%
Reading proficiency: 93%
Average graduation rate: 97%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 1,508 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 82%
Reading proficiency: 96%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 1,016 — student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Math proficiency: 99%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
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Number of students: 1,305 — student-teacher ratio: 18:1
Math proficiency: 90%
Reading proficiency: 87%
Average graduation rate: 96%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C
Number of students: 418 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 100%
Reading proficiency: 100%
Average graduation rate: 100%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B+
Number of students: 2,255 — student-teacher ratio: 26:1
Math proficiency: 80%
Reading proficiency: 92%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 841 — student-teacher ratio: 17:1
Math proficiency: 90%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B-
Number of students: 1,184 — student-teacher ratio: 21:1
Math proficiency: 97%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C
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Number of students: 758 — student-teacher ratio: 18:1
Math proficiency: 80%
Reading proficiency: 88%
Average graduation rate: N/A
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: C-
Number of students: 621 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 90%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: B
Number of students: 887 — student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Math proficiency: 95%
Reading proficiency: 92%
Average graduation rate: 95%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
Number of students: 4,650 — student-teacher ratio: 19:1
Math proficiency: 58%
Reading proficiency: 80%
Average graduation rate: 98%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A
Number of students: 3,328 — student-teacher ratio: 22:1
Math proficiency: 99%
Reading proficiency: 99%
Average graduation rate: 99%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Academics grade: A+
Clubs and activities grade: A+
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