Every year, U.S. News and World Report puts out a ranking of high schools throughout the nation. The list includes more than 25,000 public high schools, magnet, and charter schools across the nation and the District of Columbia.
The ranking methodology considers multiple measurable factors, including college readiness, state assessment proficiency and performance, college curriculum breadth, graduation rates, and aggregated information about underserved student performance.
The 2024 rankings show a continuation of excellent education throughout the DMV, with multiple schools ranking among the nation’s top 200 high schools. These best-of-the-best schools are located in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with several earning high placements in consecutive years.
District of Columbia
Within D.C. itself, two high schools again broke into the nation’s top 200. These are the three highest-ranked schools in the District:
- School Without Walls High School
As part of the District of Columbia Public Schools, this school has 902 grade 9-12 students. Notably, this year’s ranking research found the school boasts a more than 99% graduation rate, an increase from its 95% rate in 2023.
#1 in District of Columbia
#2 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools
#68 in national rankings (ranked #114 in 2023) - Benjamin Banneker Academy High School
As part of the District of Columbia Public Schools, this school has 579 grade 9-12 students and a more than 99% graduation rate.
#2 in District of Columbia
#3 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools (ranked #4 in 2023)
#96 in national rankings (ranked #131 in 2023) - BASIS DC
This charter school operates as the sole school in the BASIS DC Public School System. It has 233 students with 100% AP course participation and has an over 95% graduation rate.
#3 in District of Columbia
#16 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools
#81 in Charter Schools
#400 in national rankings
Northern Virginia
Numerous NoVa high schools ranked highly throughout the region and state. Notably, while two featured schools made the top 200 schools in the nation for a consecutive year, this year, Oakton High School also joined the top 200 ranks.
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
This magnet school operates within the Fairfax County Public Schools system using a STEM-focused curriculum. It has 1,967 grade 9-12 students with 100% of students taking at least one AP course and has a 100% graduation rate.
#1 in Virginia high schools
#1 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools
#1 in Fairfax County Public Schools high schools (ranked #2 in 2023)
#5 in STEM high schools
#6 in Magnet high schools
#14 in national rankings
- Langley High School
This traditional public school operates within the Fairfax County Public Schools system. It has 2,123 grade 9-12 students, an 81% AP class participation, and a 98% graduation rate.
#2 in Virginia high schools (ranked #5 in 2023)
#5 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools (ranked #7 in 2023)
#2 in Fairfax County Public Schools high schools (ranked #3 in 2023)
#148 in national rankings (ranked #213 in 2023)
#451 in STEM high schools - Oakton High School
This traditional public school joined the list of Virginia’s top three this year. It operates within the Fairfax County Public Schools system and has 2,701 grade 9-12 students, 79% of whom took at least one AP exam.
#4 in Virginia high schools
#8 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools
#3 in Fairfax County Public Schools high schools
#199 in national rankings (ranked #213 in 2023)
Maryland
Numerous Maryland high schools within the D.C. metro ranked highly throughout the region and state, with two of them earning consecutive top-200 placements, and a third area school joining them in the top 200 nationally.
- Walt Whitman High School
Operating as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools system, this school has 2,018 grade 9-12 students and an over 95% graduation rate.
#2 in Maryland high schools (ranked #3 in 2023)
#4 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools (ranked #5 in 2023)
#1 in Montgomery County Public Schools high schools (ranked #2 in 2023)
#139 in national rankings (ranked #147 in 2023)
#262 in STEM high schools - Poolesville High School
This public magnet school operates within the Montgomery County Public Schools system. It has 1,309 grade 9-12 students and a more than 95% graduation rate.
#3 in Maryland high schools
#6 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools
#2 in Montgomery County Public Schools high schools
#46 among Magnet schools
#32 in STEM high schools (ranked #45 in 2023)
#172 in national rankings
- Thomas S. Wootton High School
This traditional public school operates within the Montgomery County Public Schools system. It has 1,911 grade 9-12 students and a more than 95% graduation rate. This year it joined the ranks of the nation’s top 200 best high schools.
#4 in Maryland high schools
#7 in Washington, D.C., Metro area high schools (ranked #8 in 2023)
#3 in Montgomery County Public Schools high schools
#121 in STEM high schools
#196 in national rankings (ranked #235 in 2023)
The full, searchable list, including details on each school, can be found here.
