Best public high schools in Hawaii

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: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, 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 best public high schools in Hawaii using 2027 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. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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#25. Kailua High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 795 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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2 / 25

#24. Kapa'a High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,005 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B

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3 / 25

#23. Kapolei High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,836 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#22. Aiea High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 865 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#21. Waimea High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 711 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#20. Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 738 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#19. James Campbell High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 2,890 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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8 / 25

#18. Volcano School of Arts & Sciences

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 325 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#17. Maui High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,725 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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10 / 25

#16. Pearl City High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,481 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: B+

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#15. Waialua High & Intermediate School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 574 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#14. Kalaheo High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 874 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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13 / 25

#13. West Hawaii Explorations Academy Public Charter School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 286 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#12. Waipahu High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 2,538 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#11. Adm. Arthur W. Radford High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,227 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#10. Leilehua High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,521 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#9. President Theodore Roosevelt High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,336 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#8. Henry J. Kaiser High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,073 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A-

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#7. Kalani High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,455 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#6. Hawai'i Technology Academy Public Charter School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,924 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#5. University Laboratory School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 450 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#4. Moanalua High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,966 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#3. Waiakea High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 1,183 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#2. Myron B. Thompson Academy- Public Charter School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 465 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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#1. Mililani High School

- Location: Hawaii Department Of Education, HI
- Enrollment: 2,382 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

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