Schools

Here Are The 50 Best Public High Schools In PA, New Ranking Says

The latest Niche rankings show the best traditional public high schools in the nation, including magnet and charter schools.

PENNSYLVANIA —A number of Keystone State schools are among the best public high schools in the country, according to a report released this week by Niche.

The 2025 Best Public High Schools in America ranking, released Monday, shows the best traditional public high schools in the nation, including magnet and charter schools.

Niche said its rankings, now in the 10th 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.

Find out what's happening in Across Pennsylvaniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Out of 723 schools on the Niche list, here are Pennsylvania's top 50 public high schools:

  1. Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School (Philadelphia)
  2. Conestoga Senior High School
  3. Radnor Senior High School
  4. North Allegheny High School
  5. Downington STEM Academy
  6. Central High School (Philadelphia)
  7. Lower Merion High School
  8. Harriton Senior High School
  9. New Hope-Solebury High School
  10. Mt. Lebanon Senior High School
  11. Upper St. Clair High School
  12. Fox Chapel Area High School
  13. Great Valley High School
  14. Wissahickon Senior High School
  15. Central Bucks High School - East
  16. State College Area High School
  17. Strath Haven High School
  18. Garnet Valley High School
  19. Science Leadership Academy
  20. Unionville High School
  21. Hershey High School
  22. South Fayette Township High School
  23. Spring-Ford Senior High School
  24. Bayard Rustin High School (West Chester)
  25. The Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Arts
  26. Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy (Erie)
  27. Central Bucks High School - West
  28. Downington High School East
  29. Plymouth-Whitemarsh Senior High School
  30. Lower Moreland High School
  31. Council Rock High School - North
  32. Henderson High School
  33. Upper Dublin High School
  34. Upper Merion High School
  35. Central Bucks High School - South
  36. Parkland High School
  37. Peters Township High School
  38. Franklin Regional Senior High School
  39. Haverford Senior High School
  40. Pine-Richland High School
  41. North Penn Senior High School
  42. Marple Newtown High School
  43. Methacton High School
  44. Cumberland Valley High School
  45. Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School
  46. Hampton High School
  47. East High School (West Chester)
  48. Council Rock High School - South
  49. Quaker Valley High School
  50. Penncrest High School

The company said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information — both quantitative and qualitative — on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they’re not familiar with yet. As in previous years, the Best Schools rankings include categories for boarding schools and private schools, including religious schools, among many others.

Find out what's happening in Across Pennsylvaniafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Check out our report on Niche's top-ranked Pennsylvania school districts here.

Nationally, the top 10 ranked public schools in America are:

  1. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, North Carolina (high school for grades 11-12)
  2. The Davidson Academy, Reno, Nevada (school for grades 5-12)
  3. Massachusetts Academy for Math & Science, Worcester, Massachusetts (magnet school for grades 11-12)
  4. Rising Leaders Academy, Panama City, Florida (charter school for grades K-12)
  5. Stuyvesant High School, New York City (high school for grades 9-12)
  6. Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago (magnet school for grades 9-12)
  7. Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, Oklahoma City (high school or grades 11-12)
  8. South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics, Hartsville, South Dakota (high school for grades 11-12)
  9. School for the Talented & Gifted, Dallas (magnet school for grades 9-12)
  10. Pine View School, Osprey, Florida (magnet school for grades 2-12)

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