These are best high schools in California, new report says. Is yours on the list?
California is home of some of the nation’s top high schools, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report.
To rank the best public schools in the United States, the media company analyzed data from more than 24,000 public high schools across all 50 states and Washington D.C.
“The best public high schools can help students nurture their passions and reach their college or career aspirations,” U.S. News said in its Aug. 18 report.
Three of the nation’s top 25 public high schools are in California, U.S. News said.
Here’s where to find them:
What makes California high schools the best in the US?
U.S. News & World Report reviewed public schools in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., for its 2025-2026 Best Public High Schools rankings.
A total of 25 schools across the nation “scored the highest based on their performance on various ranking indicators, including state tests and graduation rates,” U.S. News said in its report.
Whitney High School in Cerritos was the highest ranking California school, landing at No. 16 on the national list.
The public high school in Los Angeles County has a total of 691 students enrolled in grades ninth through 12th and a student-teacher ratio of 26 to one, according to U.S. News.
Oxford Academy in Cypress was the 19th best public high school in the United States, U.S. News said, with 831 students and a student-teacher ratio of 25 to one at its Orange County campus.
The Science Academy STEM Magnet in North Hollywood, which placed at No. 20 nationwide, enrolls 226 students with a 24-to- one student-teacher ratio. The school is in Los Angeles County.
What are top 10 public high schools in the country?
According to U.S. News, there were the top 10 public high schools in the United States for the 2025-26 school year:
1. BASIS Tucson North in Tucson, Arizona
2. Signature School in Evansville, Indiana
3. Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
4. Davidson Academy in Reno, Nevada
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia
6. Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science in Albuquerque, New Mexico
7. Haas Hall Bentonville in Bentonville, Arkansas
8. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philadelphia
9. The School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas
10. Aiken Scholars Academy in Aiken, South Carolina
Where to find the best public high schools in California
According to U.S. News & World Report, these are the top 10 public high schools in California for the 2025-26 academic school year:
1. Whitney High School in Cerritos
2. Oxford Academy in Cypress
3. Science Academy STEM Magnet in North Hollywood
4. Dr. Richard A. Valdovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy in Wilmington
5. California Academy of Mathematics and Science in Carson
6. Riverside Stem Academy in Riverside
7. University High School in Fresno
8. Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy in Gilroy
9. Pacific Collegiate Charter in Santa Cruz
10. Lynbrook High School in San Jose
How did U.S. News come up with its rankings?
To rank the nation’s best public high schools, U.S. News analyzed data from more than 24,000 schools across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Nearly 18,000 schools earned a spot on the 2025-2026 Best Public High Schools list.
The top 25 stood out for their strong performance on measures such as state test scores and graduation rates.
