The Best Schools in America's 50 Largest Cities

The Trinity School ranks as the best school in the New York City area — America’s largest population center — according to school data platform Niche. The private school, located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, educates children K-12.

The Trinity School received A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep. Tuition for 12th grade at the school costs $47,965. It has a students-to-teacher ratio of 6:1, compared to a nationwide ratio of 17:1. This individualized attention can help students achieve academic success.

The top school in the Los Angeles area is the Harvard-Westlake School in the Bel Air neighborhood of L.A. The seven-12 grade private, college prep school received an overall A+ grade from Niche, as well as A+ grades for aspects like academics, teachers, college prep, sports, and clubs and activities.

Harvard-Westlake School boasts a 100% graduation rate, and its students reported an average score of 1460 on the SAT and 33 on the ACT — both well above the average scores across all U.S. students.

University of Chicago Laboratory Schools ranks as the top school in the Chicago area. It is located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, just west of Lake Michigan. The school has just over 2,000 students, from pre-K through 12th grade.

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools has a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1, less than half the ratio at the typical American school. Students benefit from smaller class sizes, as they are able to receive more specialized attention if they struggle with a concept, often boosting their academic performance.

The top high school in the Houston area is St. John’s School. The private, K-12 school has a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, and 99% of graduates go on to attend a four-year college. St. John’s ranks as the second best STEM high school in Texas, according to Niche.

St. John’s School is located in the Greenway / Upper Kirby area of Houston. The area is relatively affluent, with a median household income of over $107,000. The school’s tuition is just over $30,000.

The best school in the Phoenix area is Phoenix Country Day School. The private school educates children from pre-K through 12th grade. It received A+ grades from educational data platform Niche for its academics and its college prep.

Phoenix Country Day School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1. The typical American school has 17 students per teacher. This individualized attention can help struggling students, as teachers can identify their issues and help them overcome challenges. After graduation, 100% of Phoenix Country Day students go on to a four-year college.

The best school in the Philadelphia area is Germantown Friends School, according to educational data platform Niche. The private Quaker school also ranks as the top STEM school not just in the area, but all of Pennsylvania.

With just over 1,000 students, Germantown Friends School has a very low student-to-teacher ratio at 6:1, nearly one-third the rate for all American schools. It also has a perfect 100% graduation rate, and its students tend to score much better in both the SAT and ACT scores than the typical American student.

San Antonio’s most highly rated school is the Keystone School. It received A+ grades from Niche for its academics, diversity, and college prep. The private school charges an annual tuition of $22,207 for the highest grade offered.

Keystone School educates pre-K through 12th grade students, though it is relatively small with an enrollment under 500. It has a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1, less than half of the nationwide rate, allowing its students to receive more individualized attention. The school boasts a 100% graduation rate, and its reported ACT and SAT scores are much higher than average.

The Bishop’s School ranks as the best school in the entire San Diego area. It received not just an A+ grade overall from educational data platform Niche, but A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep as well.

The Bishop’s School is a private, Christian, college prep school located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It has 800 students, grades 6-12, and holds a 100% graduation rate. The school’s Center for the Creative Sciences offers students a chance to work with laser cutters, 3D printers, and more as a part of STEM educational opportunities..

The top school in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is St. Mark’s School of Texas — a private, episcopal all-boys school located in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas. Available to students in grades 1-12, St. Mark’s ranks as the best elementary school in America.

According to Niche, St. Mark’s received an A+ overall grade, as well as top marks for its teachers, academics, clubs and activities, and college prep.

The best school in the San Jose, California, area is The Harker School. School data platform Niche gave the private school A+ grades for its academics, teachers, and college prep — as well as an overall A+ grade. The school educates just under 2,000 students grades pre-K through 12th grade.

As you might expect from a school in Silicon Valley, The Harker School ranks among the top five high schools for STEM education in the country. Even among highly-rated private schools, the Harker School charges high tuition — for high school seniors, tuition is $51,300 per year.

The best school in the Austin, Texas, area is St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. The private, episcopal boarding school is for students in grades 6-12. It has just under 700 students, and a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. This low ratio allows students to get more attention and stay more engaged than students in larger class sizes, benefitting their education.

St. Stephen’s received an overall A+ grade from school data platform Niche. It also earned top marks for its academics, teachers, and college prep. The school reported a 100% graduation rate.

Stanton College Preparatory ranks as the top school in the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Unlike nearly every other school that ranks as the best in its area, Stanton College Prep is a public school. Most of the other top schools are private institutions.

Stanton College Preparatory received an overall A+ grade from education data platform Niche, and A+ grades for its academics, diversity, and college prep as well. It has an average graduation rate of 99% for its 12th grade class, and 95% of students are proficient in reading.

The Columbus, Ohio, area’s top school is The Columbus Academy in Gahanna. The private school welcomes students from pre-K through 12th grade. Though it has over 1,000 students enrolled, its student-to-teacher ratio is 8:1 — less than half the 17:1 ratio at the typical American school.

The Columbus Academy received an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche. It also received top overall marks for its academics and its college prep. After graduating, 100% of students go onto a four-year college.

The best school in the San Francisco area is The Nueva School. The school, located in Hillsborough just south of the city, earned A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep from school data platform Niche.

The Nueva School has one of the smallest student-to-teacher ratios of any school in the country, at just four students per teacher. Nationwide, the typical teacher has 17 students in a given class. This small class size can help students stay engaged and get more individualized attention.

The Trinity Valley School ranks as the best school in Fort Worth, Texas. It earned an A+ grade from school data platform Niche. It boasts a 100% graduation rate, and its students reported an average SAT score of 1340 and an average ACT score of 30 — both well above average.

Trinity Valley School is a private school for children from pre-K through 12th grade. Its annual tuition is nearly $25,000. The school has just over 1,000 students and a student-teacher ratio of 9:1, well below the nationwide average.

Park Tudor School ranks as the best school in the entire Indianapolis area. It educates students from pre-K through 12th grade. Located in the affluent Meridian Hills neighborhood, the school has a yearly tuition of $22,480.

Park Tudor School received an overall grade of A+ from school data platform Niche, as well as top scores for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep as 100% of graduates go on to a four-year college. The students also report much higher ACT and SAT scores than the typical American student.

The top school in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area is Providence Day School. Located in the Lansdowne area, the school received an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, clubs and activities, and college prep.

The school has a 100% graduation rate, and its students reported an average SAT score of 1340 and an average ACT score of 31 — both well above average. Providence Day offered the country’s first Global Studies Diploma, giving students a chance to learn about different cultures and customs around the world.

The Seattle area’s top school is Lakeside School, according to school data platform Niche. The school received A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep. Students reported an average SAT score of 1450 out of 1600, well above the national average of 1058.

Lakeside School educates students in fifth-12th grade. It has a student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1, compared to the 17:1 average ratio nationwide. This smaller class size allows students to get more individualized attention and helps them stay engaged in their classes.

Kent Denver School ranks as the Denver area’s best school, according to educational data platform Niche. The private school educates students in sixth-12th grades and has an annual tuition of $32,841.

Kent Denver School ranks as both the top school for STEM education and college prep not just in the Denver area, but the entire state of Colorado. The school earned an A+ overall grade from Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

The Washington, D.C. area’s top school is Georgetown Day School, according to school data platform Niche. The private school educates just over 1,000 students from pre-K through 12th grade.

Georgetown Day School earned an A+ overall grade from Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and its college prep. The school boasts a 100% graduation rate, and its students report SAT and ACT scores much higher than the average for students nationwide.

The top school in the Boston area is the Phillips Academy. Located in Andover in Massachusetts’ northeastern corner, Phillips Academy is a private boarding school for students in ninth-12th grades. According to school data platform Niche, Phillips Academy is not just the top school in the Boston area, but it ranks as the best private high school in America.

The school received an A+ overall grade as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, sports, clubs and activities, and college prep. Its 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio is well below that of the typical school, allowing students to get more individualized attention. Its students reported an average SAT score of 1470 out of 1600, compared to an average of 1058 for all students.

Radford School ranks as the top school in the El Paso, Texas, area, according to school data platform Niche. The school received an A+ overall grade as well as an A+ for its academics. The private institution educates students from pre-K through 12th grade.

A relatively small school with an enrollment of just 221, the Radford School has a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio. This small class size helps students stay more engaged and allows teachers to help students who may be struggling.

The top school in the Detroit area is Cranbrook Schools. Located in Bloomfield Hills just north of Detroit, the institution educates students from pre-K through 12th grade. Cranbrook Schools is a private boarding school, with a yearly tuition of $34,200.

The school earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

Located next to Vanderbilt University, University School of Nashville is the Nashville, Tennessee, area’s top school. The school earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

University School of Nashville has just over 1,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school also has an average graduation rate of 100% and a student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1.

The top school in the Memphis, Tennessee, area is St. Mary’s Episcopal School. The private, Christian, all-girls school educates students from pre-K through 12th grade.

St. Mary’s earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep. The school has a 100% graduation rate, and its students report ACT and SAT scores well above the average American student.

Catlin Gabel School ranks as the top school not just in the Portland area, but the entire state of Oregon. The private school accepts students from pre-K through 12th grade. The school earned an overall A+ grade from educational data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

Catlin Gabel School has a 67-acre campus, allowing students to learn in nature. The school ranks as the top STEM high school in the state, not just in the Portland area.

Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics ranks as the top school in the Oklahoma City area. Unlike most of the top schools on this list, OSSM is a public school. OSSM earned an A+ overall grade from educational data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, teachers, health and safety, and college prep.

The students at OSSM benefit from small class sizes, with a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Nationwide, the ratio is 17:1. The school is open to 11th and 12th grade students only and has an enrollment of 150.

The top school in the Las Vegas area is The Meadows School. The private school accepts students from pre-K through 12th grade and has an annual tuition of nearly $29,000.

The Meadows School earned an A+ overall grade as well as A+ grades for its academics and college prep. The school provides students with regular college counseling sessions beginning in eighth grade. It also has a 100% graduation rate, and students report average SAT scores of 1400 and average ACT scores of 31, both well above average.

The Louisville, Kentucky, area’s top school is DuPont Manual High School. Though most top schools in the country are private, DuPont Manual High School is a magnet school. It is not just the area’s top school, but ranks as the best high school in all of Kentucky.

DuPont Manual High School earned an overall A+ grade from school data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, clubs and activities, and college prep. The school has a 99% graduation rate, and its students report average SAT and ACT scores well above average.

The Baltimore area’s top school is The Bryn Mawr School, a private, all-girls school that educates students from pre-K through 12th grade. The school earned an overall A+ grade from educational data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

Students in higher grades at The Bryn Mawr School participate in the Personalized Pathways program, allowing them to select one of three areas in which they can expand their education and work on a senior year capstone project: arts, global studies, or STEM/entrepreneurship.

The Milwaukee area’s top school is the Brookfield Academy — a private pre-K through 12th grade institution. The school earned an A+ overall grade from educational data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics and college prep.

Brookfield Academy has an enrollment of 842 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1 — less than half the nationwide ratio of 17:1. This allows the students to receive more individualized attention, which can benefit their academic performance. The school has a 100% graduation rate and average SAT and ACT scores well above average.

Albuquerque Academy ranks as the top school in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area. The grade 6-12 school earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, sports, and college prep.

A private school with an annual tuition of just over $25,000, Albuquerque Academy has a 100% graduation rate, and its students report average SAT scores of 1380 and ACT scores of 31 — both well above the average SAT score of 1058 and ACT score of 20.

The Tucson, Arizona, area’s top school is BASIS Oro Valley — a public charter school that accepts students in sixth through 12th grades. The school earned an A+ grade overall from Niche as well as top scores for its academics, teachers, health and safety, and college prep.

BASIS Oro Valley is one of the very few public schools to rank as the top institution in a major metro area. The top schools tend to be private. The school has a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1, and its students have proficiency rates of 93% in both math and reading.

The Fresno, California, area’s top school is University High School — a public charter high school serving students from grades 9-12. It is one of very few public schools to rank on this list. The school has a 95% graduation rate, and 87% of students are proficient in math and 95% are proficient in reading.

University High School is located on the campus of Fresno State University and has an enrollment of nearly 500. The school earned an overall A+ grade from school data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, teachers, health and safety, and college prep.

The Sacramento, California, area’s top school is Sacramento Country Day School. The private school educates students from pre-K through 12th grade. The school earned an overall A+ grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics and college prep.

Sacramento Country Day School has a low student-to-teacher ratio, at 8:1. This allows students to get more personalized attention, and allows teachers to better help struggling students. The school has a 100% graduation rate.

BASIS Mesa ranks as the top school in Mesa, Arizona, earning an A+ overall grade. The school also earned top marks for its academics, health and safety, and college prep. The public charter school educates children from kindergarten through 12th grade.

BASIS Mesa has a 90% graduation rate, and its students report average SAT scores of 1400 and average ACT scores of 32 — both well above the nationwide average.

Across the Atlanta metro area, The Westminster Schools ranks as the top school. The private, Christian, coed K-12 school earned not just an A+ overall grade, but A+ grades for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

The school boasts a graduation rate of 100%, and students report average SAT scores of 1420 and average ACT scores of 33 — both well above average. The Westminster Schools also ranks as the top STEM school in Georgia.

The Pembroke Hill School ranks as the top school in the Kansas City area. Located just on the Missouri side of the border, the school accepts students from pre-K through 12th grade. The school has an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio, well below the nationwide ratio of 17:1. This helps students to stay engaged and receive more individualized attention.

The Pembroke Hill School earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, and college prep.

Of the more than 300 schools in the Omaha area in Nebraska, the Brownell Talbot School ranks as the best. The private school enrolls some 440 students in grades K-12 as well as pre-K. The school gets top marks for academics, teachers, and college prep, and every student who graduates from Brownell Talbot goes on to attend a four-year college. Students also benefit from small class sizes, with an average of one teacher for every nine students.

Prospective students must apply to attend Brownell Talbot, and tuition for 12 graders is just under $20,000.

The top school in the Long Beach, California, area is the California Academy of Mathematics & Science — a public magnet school located in Carson, California enrolling students grades 9-12. The school is one of the few top institutions on this list that is not a private school.

California Academy of Mathematics & Science earned an A+ overall grade from Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, health and safety, college prep, and diversity. It also has a graduation rate of 95%, and its students are 92% proficient in reading and 95% in math.

The top school in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area is the Fountain Valley School. The private boarding school educates students in grades 9-12 and charges an annual tuition of $30,500, though boarding more than doubles the cost.

Fountain Valley School has a 100% graduation rate, and its students report average SAT and ACT scores well above average. The school earned an overall grade of A+ from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics and college prep.

There are over 600 schools in and around Raleigh, North Carolina’s capital region, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics ranks as the best among them. The magnet school offers small class sizes, with an average of seven students per teacher, and gets top marks for academics, teachers, college prep, and clubs and activities.

The school, which currently has a campus in Durham with student resident halls, plans to open a second campus in fall 2022 in Morganton. Popular colleges and universities for graduates include highly competitive in-state institutions, including UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, and Duke University.

The Miami area’s top school is the Ransom Everglades School, located in Coconut Grove, Florida. The private school educates students in grades 6-12 and has an enrollment of 1,130. The school earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as A+ grades for its academics, teachers, and college prep.

Ransom Everglades School ranks as Florida’s top high school for STEM education. It opened a new STEM center for students in the fall of 2020, providing students with laboratories for earth sciences, biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as classrooms, an auditorium, and more.

Cape Henry Collegiate, a private pre-K-12 school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, ranks as the best school in the area. The school has small class sizes, with 11 students per teacher on average, and it gets top marks for academics, sports, clubs and activities, and college prep.

While annual tuition costs at Cape Henry top $21,000, more than one in every four students receive some form of financial aid. The school boasts a 100% graduation rate, and popular colleges and universities among graduates include James Madison University, Virginia Tech, and University of Virginia.

The College Preparatory School ranks as the top school in Oakland, California. The private high school is not just the best in the city, but the top private high school in the entire state. The school earned an A+ overall grade from Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, diversity, and college prep.

The school’s students have among the best academic performance of high schools in the country. College Prep has an average graduation rate of 100%. Its students reported an average SAT score is 1470 out of 1600, and average ACT score of 34 out of 36 — both well above the typical score.

Mounds Park Academy ranks as the top school in the top school in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The private pre-K through 12th grade academy received an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, teachers, clubs and activities, and college prep.

Mounds Park Academy has an enrollment of 562 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1, compared to a nationwide ratio of 17:1. This gives students a better chance to have their questions answered and issues addressed as well as allowing teachers to connect better with their pupils.

Holland Hall is a private school that enrolls about 1,000 students in grades K-12 as well as pre-K. With a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio as well as a highly-ranked teaching staff, strong academics, and top rated college prep, the school ranks as the best school in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area.

While annual tuition costs at Holland Hall top $21,000, more than one in every three students receive some form of financial aid. Though the school is affiliated with the Episcopal church, it offers a comprehensive liberal arts education. The most recent class of graduates were accepted to 39 different colleges and universities, including Brown, Smith, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, and Northwestern.

The Oakridge School ranks as the top school in Arlington, Texas, earning an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics and its college prep. The private school offers education for students from pre-K through 12th grade.

The Oakridge School has an average graduation rate of 100%. Also, its students report an average SAT score of 1280 and an average ACT score of 29 — both well above the nationwide average.

The top school in New Orleans and the surrounding area is Benjamin Franklin High School — a public magnet charter school that serves students in grades 9-12.

Benjamin Franklin High School earned an A+ overall grade from school data platform Niche. It also earned an A+ for its academics, college prep, and diversity. It has a 99% graduation rate, and 99% of students are proficient in reading, and 95% are proficient in math.

The top school in Wichita, Kansas, is the Wichita Collegiate School — a private school educating students from pre-K through 12th grade. The school earned an A+ grade overall from school data platform Niche as well as top marks for its academics, sports, clubs and activities, and college prep.

Wichita Collegiate School has 846 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1, well below the ratio nationwide of 17:1. This allows students to receive more individualized attention, and allows teachers to manage their classes better.