As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 48.1 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2020; and there are almost 24,000 public high schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
For many anxious parents, getting their kid into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in New York using rankings from Niche. Here’s how it breaks down: Niche uses eight factors for its rankings, with each factor given a different weight. A whopping 60% of the score is based on academics and grades, which is calculated using state assessment proficiency tests, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses. From there, culture and diversity, parent and student surveys on their overall experiences, and teachers each contribute to 10% of the score. Finally, scores for each school’s clubs and activities, health and safety, resources and facilities, and sports constitute 2.5% each.
Keep reading to find out which public high schools are the best in your state.
#24. Eleanor Roosevelt High School
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 2
– Enrollment: 540 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#23. Brighton High School
– School district: Brighton Central School District
– Enrollment: 1,200 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#22. Half Hollow Hills High School East
– School district: Half Hollow Hills Central School District
– Enrollment: 1,616 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#21. Rye High School
– School district: Rye City School District
– Enrollment: 1,032 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#20. Bronxville High School
– School district: Bronxville Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 552 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#19. Pelham Memorial High School
– School district: Pelham Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 907 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#18. Horace Greeley High School
– School district: Chappaqua Central School District
– Enrollment: 1,228 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#17. Bard High School Early College Queens
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 24
– Enrollment: 638 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#16. Half Hollow Hills High School West
– School district: Half Hollow Hills Central School District
– Enrollment: 1,197 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#15. Brooklyn Technical High School
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 13
– Enrollment: 6,043 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#14. Herricks High School
– School district: Herricks Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 1,328 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#13. Great Neck North High School
– School district: Great Neck Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,194 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#12. Scarsdale Senior High School
– School district: Scarsdale Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 1,524 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#11. Manhasset Secondary School
– School district: Manhasset Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 1,042 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#10. Roslyn High School
– School district: Roslyn Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 1,065 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#9. High School of American Studies at Lehman College
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 10
– Enrollment: 382 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#8. High School Math Science & Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY)
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 5
– Enrollment: 486 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#7. Syosset Senior High School
– School district: Syosset Central School District
– Enrollment: 2,233 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#6. Great Neck South High School
– School district: Great Neck Public Schools
– Enrollment: 1,250 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#5. Jericho Senior High School
– School district: Jericho Union Free School District
– Enrollment: 1,164 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#4. Townsend Harris High School
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 25
– Enrollment: 1,221 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#3. Staten Island Technical High School
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 31
– Enrollment: 1,334 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#2. Bronx High School of Science
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 10
– Enrollment: 2,983 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#1. Stuyvesant High School
– School district: New York City Geographic District No. 2
– Enrollment: 3,341 (— student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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