CA's Best Public High Schools Ranked In New Analysis

Several California schools are among the best public high schools in the country, according to a Monday report released by Niche.

The 2026 Best Public High Schools in America ranking evaluates more than 93,000 public high schools nationwide.

Niche said its rankings, now in the 11th year, differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

California’s top 50 public high schools are:

1. California Academy of Mathematics & Science - Long Beach
2. Girls Academic Leadership Academy: Dr. Michelle King School for STEM - Los Angeles
3. California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley - Duarte
4. Orange County School of the Arts - Santa Ana
5. Troy High School - Fullerton Joint Union High School District
6. Canyon Crest Academy - San Diego
7. Lowell High School - San Francisco
8. Academy of the Canyons - William S. Hart Union High School District
9. Henry M. Gunn High School - Palo Alto
10. Palo Alto High School - Palo Alto
11. Cambridge Virtual Academy - Anaheim Union High School District
12. The Science Academy STEM Magnet - Los Angeles
13. University High School - Fresno
14. Early College High School - Newport-Mesa Unified School District
15. Whitney High School - ABC Unified School District
16. Saratoga High School - Saratoga
17. Riverside STEM Academy - Riverside
18. Los Altos High School - Los Altos
19. La Cañada High School - La Cañada Flintridge
20. Torrey Pines High School - San Dieguito Union High School District
21. South Pasadena Senior High School - South Pasadena
22. Soar High (Students on Academic Rise) - Antelope Valley Union High School District,
23. University High School- Irvine Unified School District
24. Del Norte High School - Poway Unified School District
25. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School - Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
26. Mountain View High School - Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
27. Helix Charter High School - La Mesa
28. Campolindo High School - Acalanes Union High School District
29. Middle College High School - Lodi Unified School District
30. Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science - Long Beach Unified School District
31. Piedmont High School - Piedmont City Unified School District
32. Westview High School - Poway Unified School District
33. Cupertino High School - Fremont Union High School District
34. Sunny Hills High School - Fullerton Joint Union High School District
35. Granada Hills Charter - Granada Hills
36. Da Vinci Science - El Segundo
37. Carmel High School - Carmel Unified School District
38. Redwood High School - Tamalpais Union High School District
39. West Ranch High School - William S. Hart Union High School District
40. Lynbrook High School - Fremont Union High School District
41. Los Gatos High School - Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
42. Burlingame High School - San Mateo Union High School District
43. Oxford Academy - Anaheim Union High School District
44. Foothill High School - Pleasanton Unified School District
45. Miramonte High School - Acalanes Union High School District
46. Arnold O. Beckman High School - Tustin Unified School District
47. Aragon High School - San Mateo Union High School District
48. Amador Valley High School - Pleasanton Unified School District
49. Sage Creek High School - Carlsbad Unified School District
50. Pacific Collegiate Charter School - Santa Cruz

According to Niche, the top five public high schools in America are:

1. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
2. The Davidson Academy (Nevada)
3. Massachusetts Academy for Math & Science
4. South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics
5. Stuyvesant High School (New York)

“Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions a family can make," Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, said in a news release. “Our K-12 rankings bring together rigorous data and real experiences from students, parents and educators. This gives families the clarity to choose schools where their children can succeed academically, thrive socially, and build a strong foundation for their future.”