WEST MICHIGAN — Several high schools near Holland are among the best in the state, according to a report from niche.com.
The website’s list of 2025 Best High Schools in Michigan includes six area high schools in the public Top 100, and 12 with an overall grade of “B” or above.
Niche ranks schools across the country in a variety of categories. Scores are based on academics, culture and diversity, parent and student surveys, teachers, clubs and activities, resources and facilities, and sports.
Academics holds the most weight, at 60% of a school’s grade. That’s followed by culture and diversity at 12.5%, then parent and student surveys and teachers, each at 10%. The remaining categories each account for 2.5%.
Niche ranked 810 public high schools in Michigan in 2025. There are more than 1,100 total public high schools in the state.
How did local public high schools rank on Niche?
According to Niche, the top high school in the area is a non-traditional one. West Ottawa’s Virtual Academy, an online school, ranked 19 in Michigan with an overall A.
The school received an A in academics, diversity and teachers. WOVA was the top online public high school in the state in 2025.
Black River was the next highest ranking local high school at 26, with an overall A grade. It received an A+ for teachers, an A in academics and an A- in diversity and college prep. Black River was the second ranked charter high school in Michigan, and had the third best teachers in the state.
The third local school in the Top 50, West Ottawa High, ranked 49. It received an A overall, including an A for sports, clubs and activities, and diversity. The school received an A- in several categories, including college prep. WO was ranked 17 as the most diverse high school in Michigan and 26 for college prep.
Zeeland West had an overall grade of A- and ranked 66 in the state. The school received an A in the sports and teachers categories and an A- in academics. Zeeland West was a Top 20 school for athletes, per Niche, coming in at 19.
iCademy Global, an online school based in Zeeland, ranked 87 with an overall grade of A-. The school ranked third for online high schools in the state, had an A+ for teachers, and had a B+ in several categories, including academics, diversity and administration.
Zeeland East ranked at 92, also with an A- overall. The school earned an A for teachers and sports and a B+ for academics. It was also ranked 39 as best for athletes.
Saugatuck High School was just outside the Top 100 at 116 — still in the highest 15% of all ranked schools. The building, which was the highest ranked in Allegan County, had an A- in both academics and sports and a B in teachers. Saugatuck had an overall grade of B+.
Just a dozen spots lower, Holland High School ranked 128 in Michigan with a B+ grade. The school had an A for diversity, an A- for teachers and a B+ for college prep. It was Top 50 in both diversity (21) and college prep (44).
Hamilton High School also received a B+ grade and ranked 148 in the state — within the highest 20% of ranked schools. Hamilton had an A- in teachers and a B+ in both academics and sports.
Fennville High School had a B grade and ranked 301 on this year’s list, better than 63% of ranked schools. The school scored an A- in diversity, a B in college prep and a B- in academics and teachers.
What about private high schools?
Niche releases a separate list of the best private high schools in the state.
On that list, Holland Christian received a B+ overall, including an A for sports, clubs and activities and an A- for academics. Calvary Schools of Holland earned a B, with a B+ in academics and a B- in diversity.
Learn more at niche.com.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Niche has named the best high schools in Michigan. Here’s how the Holland area ranked
Reporting by Mitchell Boatman, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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