Best High Schools in California

All 1,598 ranked high schools in California, ordered by state rank, with each school's rank history.

2012–2026 data · 30,000+ schools · 10,000+ cities · Free to use. An optional $4.99 report on some schools

U.S. News 2026-27 · California

One square per ranked school: 1,598 in all.

  • Top 500: 73
  • 501–2,000: 254
  • 2,001–5,000: 381
  • 5,001+: 621
  • Ranked as a range: 269

Top 5 in California, 2026-27

  1. Science Academy Stem Magnet — North Hollywood · #1 in CA · #10 nationally
  2. Whitney High School — Cerritos · #2 in CA · #11 nationally
  3. Oxford Academy — Cypress · #3 in CA · #17 nationally
  4. Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy — Wilmington · #4 in CA · #24 nationally
  5. Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy — Gilroy · #5 in CA · #37 nationally

Among states

73 in the top 500. 1st.

73 in the national top 500, 1st of 51. California leads the country.

Who moved

Up 1,173 places. Down 210.

The ten biggest moves in California's top 100, 2025-26 to 2026-27.

Both ranks printed by U.S. News · cross-checked

The long view

Science Academy Stem Magnet: #12 to #10

The state's top four, by U.S. News edition since 2021-22.

Typical school

More take AP exams than in most states

Median ranked school, California vs the U.S.

Median schoolCaliforniaU.S.
Took an AP exam45% (4th of 47)37%
Students per school873 (8th of 51)516

Your school

Where did yours land?

Pacific Grove climbed 1,173 places: #1,812 → #639. U.S. News 2025-26 → 2026-27 · highschooltrends.org

Every ranked school in California

1,598 California high schools are ranked in this edition, ordered here by state rank.

  1. Science Academy Stem Magnet — North Hollywood · #1 in CA · #10 nationally
  2. Whitney High School — Cerritos · #2 in CA · #11 nationally
  3. Oxford Academy — Cypress · #3 in CA · #17 nationally
  4. Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy — Wilmington · #4 in CA · #24 nationally
  5. Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy — Gilroy · #5 in CA · #37 nationally
  6. University High School (Fresno) — Fresno · #6 in CA · #64 nationally
  7. California Academy of Mathematics and Science — Carson · #7 in CA · #69 nationally
  8. Pacific Collegiate Charter — Santa Cruz · #8 in CA · #82 nationally
  9. Lynbrook High School — San Jose · #9 in CA · #92 nationally
  10. Mission San Jose High School — Fremont · #10 in CA · #98 nationally
  11. Riverside Stem Academy — Riverside · #11 in CA · #105 nationally
  12. Canyon Crest Academy — San Diego · #12 in CA · #106 nationally
  13. Western Center Academy — Hemet · #13 in CA · #109 nationally
  14. Girls Academic Leadership Academy Dr. Michelle King School STEM — Los Angeles · #14 in CA · #113 nationally
  15. West Campus High School — Sacramento · #15 in CA · #117 nationally
  16. University Preparatory — Victorville · #16 in CA · #120 nationally
  17. Monta Vista High School — Cupertino · #17 in CA · #134 nationally
  18. Lowell High School — San Francisco · #18 in CA · #145 nationally
  19. San Marino High School — San Marino · #19 in CA · #164 nationally
  20. Cupertino High School — Cupertino · #20 in CA · #174 nationally
  21. Piedmont High School — Piedmont · #21 in CA · #178 nationally
  22. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter — Chula Vista · #22 in CA · #179 nationally
  23. Henry M. Gunn High School — Palo Alto · #23 in CA · #180 nationally
  24. La Canada High School — La Canada · #24 in CA · #182 nationally
  25. Dougherty Valley High School — San Ramon · #25 in CA · #190 nationally
  26. Umoja International Academy — Sacramento · #26 in CA · #196 nationally
  27. Preuss School UCSD — La Jolla · #27 in CA · #198 nationally
  28. Troy High School — Fullerton · #28 in CA · #202 nationally
  29. Miramonte High School — Orinda · #29 in CA · #205 nationally
  30. Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School — La Crescenta · #30 in CA · #217 nationally
  31. Leland High School — San Jose · #31 in CA · #229 nationally
  32. Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) — Santa Ana · #32 in CA · #239 nationally
  33. Technology High School — Rohnert Park · #33 in CA · #242 nationally
  34. Campolindo High School — Moraga · #34 in CA · #243 nationally
  35. Oak Park High School — Oak Park · #35 in CA · #263 nationally
  36. KIPP San Jose Collegiate — San Jose · #36 in CA · #264 nationally
  37. Saratoga High School — Saratoga · #37 in CA · #265 nationally
  38. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School — Rolling Hills Estates · #38 in CA · #281 nationally
  39. Mt. Everest Academy — San Diego · #39 in CA · #288 nationally
  40. Stockton Unified Early College Academy — Stockton · #40 in CA · #293 nationally
  41. Carlmont High School — Belmont · #41 in CA · #296 nationally
  42. Western Sierra Collegiate Academy — Rocklin · #42 in CA · #304 nationally
  43. Compton Early College High School — Compton · #43 in CA · #305 nationally
  44. South Pasadena Senior High School — South Pasadena · #44 in CA · #309 nationally
  45. Downtown Business High School — Los Angeles · #45 in CA · #313 nationally
  46. Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science — Long Beach · #46 in CA · #322 nationally
  47. Del Norte High School — San Diego · #47 in CA · #327 nationally
  48. Irvington High School — Fremont · #48 in CA · #329 nationally
  49. American High School — Fremont · #49 in CA · #336 nationally
  50. University Preparatory Academy Charter — San Jose · #50 in CA · #342 nationally

High schools by city in California

Where these numbers come from

Ranks and school figures
U.S. News & World Report, Best High Schools, 2026-2027 edition, California list, read Aug 20, 2026. Current U.S. News California list (may have changed since we read it)
Squares and the map
Counts of exact national ranks in this edition. Schools U.S. News ranks only as a range are counted apart, never as the range’s top.
Who moved
Top 100 only, and only when U.S. News printed both ranks and they agree with the school’s other years.
The long view
Only ranks U.S. News printed for the school on its list or the school’s own page, from 2019 on. A gap means no printed rank on file for that edition; a line stops where U.S. News changed how it ranked the state, or where the school itself changed.
Typical school
Medians of schools ranked in this edition that report the figure. Test scores are not compared across states: each state sets its own test.

Each school’s page has a Source button beside its key numbers. How we source data.

Sources