As the 2025–26 school year heads toward its final stretch, many California parents — especially those with middle schoolers preparing for high school — may be weighing which campuses offer the strongest academic foundations.
Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the best public high schools across the country and within each state. For its latest rankings, the organization reviewed more than 24,000 public high schools nationwide, including 1,646 schools in California.
U.S. News bases its rankings on several factors, including college readiness, performance on state assessments, graduation rates, curriculum breadth, and how well schools serve underserved students. In California, those assessments draw on data from the California Department of Education, including Smarter Balanced testing results in English and math, as well as the California Science Test.
Southern California schools dominated the top of the list, though standout campuses from the Bay Area, Central Coast, and Central Valley also earned spots among the state’s highest-ranked schools.
Here’s a closer look at the 10 best high schools in California, according to U.S. News & World Report:
What are the top 10 high schools in California?
How California schools are ranked
Before graduating, California students must complete 13 state-mandated courses, including English, math, and science requirements. U.S. News evaluates how well schools prepare students for postsecondary success by examining college-level coursework participation, test scores, graduation rates, and overall academic performance.
When measured against the rest of the country, California performs strongly at the top tier. The state places numerous schools among the nation’s highest‑ranked public high schools, with California campuses regularly landing in the top 1% to 5% nationally. While overall academic outcomes vary by region and district, California’s highest‑ranked schools consistently outperform national averages in advanced coursework participation, graduation rates and college preparation, according to U.S. News.
What are the top 5 schools in the US?
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California’s best high schools ranked in new U.S. News list
Reporting by James Ward and Carly Sauvageau, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
