CALIFORNIA — Hundreds of public high schools in the Golden State are among the best in the country, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.
In the list, California ranks 7th among U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Among the 1,652 schools ranked in California, 121 landed in the top 5 percent nationally, and 579 were in the top 25 percent.
Here are the top 25 public high schools in California in 2024:
State-by-state performance is based solely on which states have the largest proportion of schools in the top 25 percent. Massachusetts once again leads in the ranking, followed by Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida, respectively.
The top high schools have students who score exceptionally high on math, reading and science assessments, as well strong performance among under-served students. High school graduation rates and college readiness among graduates are also measured.
U.S. News also ranked magnet, charter and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) schools.
Four California high schools made the top 25 in the national STEM rankings: Whitney High School in Cerritos (#8), Lynbrook High School in San Jose (#12), Monta Vista High School in Cupertino (#19), and Saratoga High School in Saratoga (#22). Pacific Collegiate Charter in Santa Cruz was named one of the nation’s top 25 charter schools, placing 17th.