Best High School Rankings Revealed
U.S. News Ranks Best High Schools, Showcasing State and Regional Leaders
Key Points
Within Pennsylvania, Hershey High School ranked 28th in the state and 773rd nationally, with nearby schools Cumberland Valley (59th), Camp Hill (68th), Capital Area School for the Arts (70th), and Palmyra Area (72nd) also finishing high on the state list, among 675 Pennsylvania high schools included in the rankings.
North Jersey showcases a strong cluster of top-ranked public high schools, including Bergen County Academies at No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 41 nationally; other high performers include Millburn (No. 12 NJ, 244 nationally), Glen Ridge (No. 13 NJ, 282 nationally), Passaic County Technical Institute (No. 16 NJ, 315 nationally) and Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest (No. 18 NJ, 354 nationally).
In the Pittsburgh region, Upper Saint Clair High School was the highest-ranked local school nationally at No. 426, highlighting strong regional performance on the national stage.
The Pittsburgh-area rankings also emphasize state-level strength, with Fox Chapel Area High School identified as the top Pittsburgh-area school within Pennsylvania (ranked No. 14 statewide).
The report notes that Harrisburg-area schools near the top of the Pennsylvania list tend to be in districts with relatively large real estate tax bases compared with their student populations, adding context to the suburban-and-wealthy-district dominance observed in the rankings.
U.S. News & World Report has released its 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings, evaluating nearly 18,000 public high schools nationwide. Massachusetts leads the country in top-tier representation, with 47% of its eligible schools making the list, according to The Boston Globe. New Jersey follows closely, with ten of its schools landing in the national top 150.
The rankings score schools on six core measures: state-assessment achievement, graduation rate, college readiness, curriculum breadth, underserved-student performance, and AP and IB exam participation. Together, AP and IB metrics make up 40% of a school's total score. Roughly 27,000 public high schools were eligible, but only about 18,000 made the final list.
Massachusetts and New Jersey Lead the Nation
Massachusetts topped the national rankings for the best public high schools, with nearly half of its eligible schools earning a spot, The Boston Globe reported. That share is slightly higher than last year. New Jersey ranked close behind, with Bergen County Academies coming in at No. 2 in the state and No. 41 nationally, according to App.com.
Other strong New Jersey performers include Millburn High School (No. 12 in NJ, No. 244 nationally), Glen Ridge (No. 13 NJ, No. 282 nationally), and Passaic County Technical Institute (No. 16 NJ, No. 315 nationally). Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest came in at No. 18 in the state and No. 354 nationally, App.com reported.
Pennsylvania's Suburbs Claim Top State Spots
In Pennsylvania, 675 high schools made the rankings. Schools near Harrisburg dominated the top of the state list. Hershey High School ranked 28th in the state and 773rd nationally. Nearby schools Cumberland Valley (59th), Camp Hill (68th), Capital Area School for the Arts (70th), and Palmyra Area (72nd) all finished high on the state list.
Wealthier suburban districts tend to do better in these rankings. That is because they have larger real estate tax bases relative to their student populations. More money means more resources for AP and IB programs, higher graduation rates, and stronger test scores — all of which drive rankings higher.
Pittsburgh Region Shows Consistent National Strength
In the Pittsburgh area, Upper Saint Clair High School was the highest-ranked local school nationally, coming in at No. 426. That placed it ahead of all other schools in the region on the national stage. Fox Chapel Area High School ranked No. 14 in Pennsylvania, making it the top Pittsburgh-area school within the state.
The Pittsburgh region's consistent placement reflects strong suburban school performance across western Pennsylvania. Multiple schools in the area earned spots in both state and national rankings, showing that the region's strength is not limited to a single school or district.
How AP and IB Scores Shape Every School's Ranking
AP and IB performance plays a big role in final scores. Schools get 30% of their score from the share of seniors with qualifying AP or IB exam scores. Another 10% comes from how many AP exams students take. The remaining 60% covers six other measures, including graduation rate and college readiness.
This formula tends to favor schools with strong college-prep programs. Schools with more students taking — and passing — AP exams score higher. That gives well-funded suburban districts a built-in edge, since they can offer more AP and IB courses than lower-income or rural schools.
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