Best public high schools in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts 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. Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School

- Location: Devens, MA
- Enrollment: 400 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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2 / 25

#24. Westwood High School

- Location: Westwood Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 837 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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3 / 25

#23. Westford Academy

- Location: Westford Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,504 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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4 / 25

#22. Brooke Charter Schools

- Location: East Boston, Roslindale, Mattapan, MA
- Enrollment: 2,221 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#21. Wellesley Senior High School

- Location: Wellesley Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,262 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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6 / 25

#20. Wayland High School

- Location: Wayland Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 803 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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7 / 25

#19. Winchester High School

- Location: Winchester Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,404 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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8 / 25

#18. Concord Carlisle High School

- Location: Concord, MA
- Enrollment: 1,191 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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9 / 25

#17. Newton South High School

- Location: Newton Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,898 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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10 / 25

#16. Sturgis Charter Public School

- Location: Hyannis, MA
- Enrollment: 821 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#15. Cambridge Rindge & Latin School

- Location: Cambridge Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 2,072 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#14. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

- Location: Sudbury, MA
- Enrollment: 1,445 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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13 / 25

#13. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School

- Location: Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, MA
- Enrollment: 1,622 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#12. Needham High School

- Location: Needham Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,633 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#11. Westborough High School

- Location: Westborough Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,213 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#10. Sharon High School

- Location: Sharon Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,161 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#9. Newton North High School

- Location: Newton Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 2,096 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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18 / 25

#8. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School

- Location: Dover-Sherborn Regional School District, MA
- Enrollment: 610 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#7. Belmont High School

- Location: Belmont Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,454 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#6. Hopkinton High School

- Location: Hopkinton Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 1,267 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#5. Brookline High School

- Location: Public Schools of Brookline, MA
- Enrollment: 2,181 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#4. Lexington High School

- Location: Lexington Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 2,405 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#3. Boston Latin School

- Location: Boston Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 2,424 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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#2. Weston High School

- Location: Weston Public Schools, MA
- Enrollment: 658 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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25 / 25

#1. MA Academy for Math & Science School

- Location: Worcester, MA
- Enrollment: 98 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

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