These OC High Schools For Athletes Rank High In CA's Top 50 New Report

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — Sports are a key part of high school for many students and families in California and Orange County is no exception.

The school and neighborhood review website Niche, which ranks schools annually on academics, recently released its list of California's high schools ranked by athletics.

The 2026 rankings cover 1,728 California high schools; the top 50 are listed below.

The Niche rankings are based on several factors, including the number of sports offered, the number of students participating in sports, and the school's enrollment in grades 9-12. Reviews on Niche posted by parents and students carry significant weight in the data — they account for 50 percent of the score. State championships won by the schools factor in as well, with 10 percent of the score coming from that category. You can read more about the methodology here.

Of the top 50 California High Schools, most are in Southern California, and many are in Orange County, accordingf to the report.

The top 50 California High Schools are listed below, along with their overall Niche score, sports score, and number of sports offered as of this report.

The rating is the number of stars out of 5 a school received in parent-student ratings. Click the school name to read more of the Niche information. The remaining schools can be found on the Niche site.

1. Cathedral Catholic High School, San Diego. Private School. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 40.
2. St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower. Private School. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 17.
3. Archbishop Mitty High School, San Jose. Private School. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
4. Torrey Pines High School, San Diego. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 27.
5. Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 28.
6. De La Salle High School, Concord. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 14.
7. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 21.
8. Jesuit High School, Sacramento. A Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
9. Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Rancho Santa Margarita. A Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 45.
10. Cardinal Newman High School, Santa Rosa. A Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 28.
11. Oaks Christian School, Westlake Village. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 46.
12. Carondelet High School, Concord. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 19.
13. Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports:--.
14. Helix Charter High School, La Mesa. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 58.
15. Campolindo High School, Acalanes. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 26.
16. Junipero Serra High School, San Mateo. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 16.
17. Marin Catholic High School, Kentfield. A Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 29.
18. Loyola High School of Los Angeles. A+ Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 12.
19. Vista Murrieta High School, Murrieta. A Niche Grade, A+ Sports Grade. Total sports: 20.
20. Mater Dei Catholic High School, Chula Vista. A- Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 27.
21. Saint Francis High School, Mountain View. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 26.
22. JSerra Catholic High School, San Juan Capistrano. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 33.
23. Damien High School, La Verne. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 15.
24. La Costa Canyon High School, San Diego. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 34.
25. Orange Lutheran High School, Orange. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 27.
26. Servite High School, Anaheim. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 16.
27. The Bishop's School, La Jolla. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 22.
28. Redondo Union High School, Redondo Beach. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 30.
29. Bishop O'Dowd High School, Oakland. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 24.
30. St. Ignatius College Preparatory School. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
31. Liberty High School, Kern County. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 21.
32. San Clemente High School, San Clemente. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 26.
33. St. Mary's High School, Stockton. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 36.
34. Polytechnic High School, Long Beach. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 19.
35. Buchanan High School, Clovis. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 24.
36. Palos Verdes High School, Palos Verdes. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 20.
37. Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 25.
38. Junipero Serra High School, Gardena. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
39. Aquinas High School, San Bernardino. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 25.
40. Harvard-Westlake High School, Studio City. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 28.
41. Chaminade College Preparatory, West Hills. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 26.
42. Folsom High School, Folsom. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 4.
43. St. Francis Catholic High School. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 13.
44. Marin Academy, San Rafael. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
45. Crespi Carmelite High School, Encino. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 14.
46. San Marin High School, Novato. A- Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 24.
47. Los Gatos High School, Los Gatos. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 25.
48. Central Valley Christian Schools, Visalia. B+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: --.
49. Murrieta Valley High School, Murrieta. A Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 20.
50. Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach. A+ Niche Grade, A Sports Grade. Total sports: 39.

See the complete list of the best high schools for athletes in California on Niche.