Schools

These Are The Top 10 Public High Schools In San Diego County: Rankings

Southern California dominated a new list of the best public high schools in the Golden State. Plus, check out the top 25 schools statewide.

A number of San Diego County schools are among the best public high schools in the U.S, according to new rankings from Niche.
A number of San Diego County schools are among the best public high schools in the U.S, according to new rankings from Niche. (Renee Schiavone/Patch)

SAN DIEGO, CA — Several San Diego County schools are among the top-ranked public high schools in America, earning an "A" overall grade, according to new rankings from the education platform Niche.

Niche's 2024 Best Schools and Districts rankings include data on 94,058 public schools, 30,809 private schools and 12,192 school districts.

This year's rankings include 7,375 newly ranked public schools.

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Below are the top 10 public high schools in San Diego County:

  1. Canyon Crest Academy, San Dieguito Union High School District, San Diego
  2. Torrey Pines High School, San Dieguito Union High School District, San Diego
  3. Mt. Everest Academy, San Diego Unified School District, San Diego
  4. Westview High School, Poway Unified School District, San Diego
  5. Preuss School UCSD, San Diego Unified School District, La Jolla
  6. Helix Charter High School, Grossmont Union High School District, La Mesa
  7. Del Norte High School, Poway Unified School District, San Diego
  8. Sage Creek High School, Carlsbad Unified School District, Carlsbad
  9. Coronado High School, Coronado Unified School District, Coronado
  10. Grossmont Middle College High School, Grossmont Union High School District, El Cajon

Below are the top 25 public high schools in Southern California. Twelve are in Los Angeles County, seven are in San Diego County, five are in Orange County and one is in Riverside County, according to Niche:

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  1. California Academy of Mathematics & Science — Long Beach
  2. Troy High School — Fullerton
  3. Canyon Crest Academy — San Diego
  4. Academy of the Canyons — Santa Clarita
  5. California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley — Duarte
  6. Orange County School of the Arts — Santa Ana
  7. University High School — Irvine
  8. The Science Academy STEM Magnet — North Hollywood
  9. Soar High (Students on Academic Rise) — Lancaster
  10. Torrey Pines High School — San Diego
  11. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School — Rolling Hills Estates
  12. Riverside STEM Academy — Riverside
  13. Girls Academic Leadership Academy: Dr. Michelle King School for STEM — Los Angeles
  14. Mt. Everest Academy — San Diego
  15. High Tech Los Angeles — Los Angeles
  16. Whitney High School — Cerritos
  17. Oxford Academy — Cypress
  18. Westview High School — San Diego
  19. Granada Hills Charter — Granada Hills
  20. Preuss School UCSD — La Jolla
  21. Helix Charter High School — La Mesa
  22. Del Norte High School — San Diego
  23. Northwood High School — Irvine
  24. Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science — Long Beach
  25. La Cañada High School — La Cañada Flintridge

View the full rankings here.

Niche said its rankings, now in the ninth year, differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

The company said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information — both quantitative and qualitative — on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they're not familiar with yet.

As in previous years, the Best Schools rankings include categories for boarding, charter and magnet schools as well as schools for STEM and the arts among many others.

Of the overall top 25 public high schools in California, 18 are in Southern California. Here is the full top 25 rankings for all of the Golden State:

  1. California Academy of Mathematics & Science — Carson
  2. Troy High School — Fullerton
  3. Henry M. Gunn High School — Palo Alto
  4. Canyon Crest Academy — San Diego
  5. Academy of the Canyons — Santa Clarita
  6. California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley — Duarte
  7. University High School — Fresno
  8. Orange County School of the Arts — Santa Ana
  9. Palo Alto High School — Palo Alto
  10. University High School — Irvine
  11. Saratoga High School — Saratoga
  12. The Science Academy STEM Magnet — North Hollywood
  13. Lowell High School — San Francisco
  14. Soar High (Students on Academic Rise) — Antelope Valley
  15. Torrey Pines High School — San Diego
  16. Palos Verdes Penninsula High School — Rolling Hills Estates
  17. Riverside STEM Academy — Riverside
  18. Girls Academic Leadership Academy: Dr. Michelle King School For Stem — Los Angeles
  19. Mt. Everest Academy — San Diego
  20. Los Altos High School — Los Altos
  21. Middle College High School — Stockton
  22. High Tech Los Angeles — Los Angeles
  23. Whitney High School — Cerritos
  24. Oxford Academy — Anaheim
  25. Westview High School — San Diego

Check back with Patch this week for coverage on California's best school districts and best private schools.


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