19 VA High Schools Make U.S. News 2024 ‘Best’ Ranking

VIRGINIA — Dozens of public high schools in Virginia are among the best in the country, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.

In the 2024 Best High Schools list, Virginia ranks 16th among U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Among the 320 of ranked schools, 19 are in the top 5.9 percent nationally, and 89 were in the top 27.8 percent.

The top 25 public high schools in Virginia are:

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 14th nationally.
2. Langley High School, McLean (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 148th nationally.
3. Open High School, Richmond (Richmond City Public Schools) ranked 161st nationally.
4. Oakton High School, Vienna (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 199th nationally.
5. McLean High School, McLean (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 218th nationally.
6. Marshall High School, Falls Church (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 238th nationally.
7. Meridian High School, Falls Church (Falls Church City Public Schools) ranked 249th nationally.
8. Richmond Community High School, Richmond(Richmond City Public Schools) ranked 254th nationally.
9. Madison High School, Vienna (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 273rd nationally.
10. West Springfield High School, Springfield (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 562nd nationally.
11. Chantilly High School, Chantilly (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 575th nationally.
12. Yorktown High School, Arlington (Arlington County Public Schools) ranked 581st nationally.
13. Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 620th nationally.
14. Green Run Collegiate, Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City Public Schools) ranked 640th nationally.
15. Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 648th nationally
16. W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 677th nationally.
17. Briar Woods High School, Ashburn (Loudoun County Public Schools) ranked 683rd nationally.
18. Freedom High School, South Riding (Loudoun County Public Schools) ranked 735th nationally.
19. Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (Henrico County Public Schools) ranked 869th tnationally.
20. Washington-Liberty High School, Arlington (Arlington County Public Schools) ranked 892nd nationally.
21. Blacksburg High School, Blacksburg (Montgomery County Public Schools) ranked 905th nationally.
22. Riverside High School, Leesburg (Loudoun County Public Schools) ranked 964th nationally.
23. Grafton High School, Yorktown (Yorktown County Public Schools) ranked 1,025th nationally.
24. Rock Ridge High School, Ashburn (Loudoun County Public Schools) ranked 1,191th nationally.
25. Independence High School, Ashburn (Loudoun County Public Schools) ranked 1,196th nationally

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. Among standout schools in Virginia are:

Magnet schools

• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked first in Virginia, 14th nationally and fifth among magnet schools.
• Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 13th in Virginia, 811th nationally and 104th among magnet schools.
• Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked 15th in Virginia, 292nd nationally and 100th among magnet schools.
• Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (Henrico County Public Schools) ranked 19th in Virginia, 567th nationally and 116th among magnet schools.
• Osbourn Park High School, Manassas (Prince William Public Schools) 26th in Virginia, 877th nationally and 152nd among magnet schools.
• Godwin High School, Richmond (Henrico County Public Schools) ranked 27th in Virginia, 977th nationally and 153rd among magnet schools.
• Ocean Lakes High School, Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City Public Schools) ranked 31st in Virginia, 977th nationally and 176th among magnet schools.
• Grassfield High School, Chesapeake (Chesapeake City Public Schools) ranked 33rd in Virginia, 1,527th nationally and 179th among magnet schools.
• Patriot High School, Nokesville (Prince William County Public Schools) ranked 34th in Virginia, 1,562nd nationally and 182nd among magnet schools.
• Galileo Magnet High School, Danville (Danville City Public Schools) ranked 35th in Virginia, 1,564th nationally and 176th among magnet schools

Charter schools

• Green Run Collegiate, Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach City Public Schools) ranked 14th in Virginia,640th nationally and 115th among charter schools nationally.
• York River Academy, Yorktown (York County Public Schools) ranked 187th in Virginia, 9,021st nationally and 909th among charter schools nationally.

STEM schools

• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked first in Virginia, 14th nationally and fourth in STEM.
• Blacksburg High School, Blacksburg (Montgomery County Public Schools) ranked 21st in Virginia, 811th nationally and 128th in STEM.
• Oakton High School, Vienna (Fairfax County Public Schools) ranked fourth in Virginia, 292nd nationally and 236th in STEM.