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

Several Pennsylvania 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.

Indeed, the top 50 list below is dramatically different from the ranking released by U.S. News and World Report a few weeks ago.

The top 50 in Pennsylvania, according to Niche, include:

1. Julia R. Masterson Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia
2. Conestoga High School, Berwyn
3. Radnor Senior High School, Radnor
4. North Allegheny High School, Wexford
5. Downingtown STEM, Downingtown
6. Central High School, Philadelphia
7. Lower Merion High School, Lower Merion
8. Mt. Lebanon Senior High School, Mt. Lebanon
9. New Hope Solebury High School, New Hope
10. State College Area High School, State College
11. Fox Chapel Area High School, O'Hara Township
12. Unionville High School, Kennett Square
13. Upper St. Clair High School, Upper St. Clair
14. Harriton Senior High School, Lower Merion
15. Great Valley High School, Malvern
16. The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Bethlehem
17. Central Bucks East High School, Doylestown
18. Wissahickon High School, Ambler
19. Hershey High School, Derry
20. Downingtown High School East, Downingtown
21. Garnet Valley High School, Glen Mills
22. Spring-Ford Senior High School, Royersford
23. Strath Haven High School, Wallingford
24. South Fayette Township High School, South Fayette
25. Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth-Meeting
26. Bayard Rustin High School, West Chester
27. Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, Erie
28. Science Leadership Academy, Philadelphia
29. Upper Dublin High School, Upper Dublin
30. Henderson High School, West Chester
31. Central Bucks South High School, Warrington
32. Parkland High School, Parkland
33. Council Rock High School North, Newtown
34. Central Bucks West High School, Doylestown
35. Franklin Regional Senior High School, Murrysville
36. Upper Merion High School, Upper Merion
37. Haverford Senior High School, Haverford
38. Pine Richland High School, Gibsonia
39. Lower Moreland High School, Lower Moreland
40. Peters Township High School, Peters
41. West Chester East High School, West Chester
42. North Penn Senior High School, Towamencin
43. Hampton High School, Hampton
44. Cumberland Valley High School, Mechanicsburg
45. Council Rock High School South, Holland
46. Marple Newtown High School, Newtown Square
47. Methacton High School, Eagleville
48. Quaker Valley High School, Leetsdale
49. Academy at Palumbo, Philadelphia
50. Phoenixville Area High School, Phoenixville

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.”