California high schools battle for top US rankings — these came out on top

Southern California is at the head of the class.

Several Golden State campuses landed among the nation’s top public high schools, with Southern California schools leading the way, according to a new ranking from US News & World Report.

The annual report analyzed data from more than 24,000 public high schools across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., measuring factors such as college readiness, graduation rates and academic performance.

Whitney High School in Cerritos claimed the top spot in California, followed by Oxford Academy in Cypress and The Science Academy STEM Magnet in North Hollywood — giving Los Angeles a strong presence at the top.

US News said the rankings are designed to highlight campuses that best prepare students for college or career success.

Across the state, 1,646 California schools made the broader national rankings.

Top 10 public high schools in California

According to U.S. News & World Report, the top-performing campuses for the 2025-26 school year are:

1. Whitney High School — Cerritos
2. Oxford Academy — Cypress
3. The Science Academy STEM Magnet — North Hollywood
4. Dr. Richard A. Valdovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy — Wilmington
5. California Academy of Mathematics and Science — Carson
6. Riverside STEM Academy — Riverside
7. University High School — Fresno
8. Dr. T.J. Owns Gilroy Early College Academy — Gilroy
9. Pacific Collegiate Charter — Santa Cruz
10. Lynbrook High School — San Jose

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