With the school year about to begin, we are looking at the most recent data from U.S. News & World Report to share their top 50 public high schools in Maryland. This annual ranking evaluates nearly 25,000 public high schools across the country each year and 255
When examining the top 50 high schools in Maryland, a few counties stand out. Montgomery County has the most schools on the list, with more than half of its high schools in the top 50 across the state. Other counties with a strong presence include Baltimore County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County. Here are the top 50 high schools in Maryland based on the current U.S. News & World Report rankings:
1. Eastern Technical High School (Baltimore County)
2. Walt Whitman High School (Montgomery County)
3. Poolesville High School (Montgomery County)
4. Thomas S. Wootton High School (Montgomery County)
5. Winston Churchill High School (Montgomery County)
6. Richard Montgomery High School (Montgomery County)
7. Urbana High School (Frederick County)
8. Western School Of Technology (Baltimore County)
9. River Hill High School (Howard County)
10. Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (Montgomery County)
11. Chesapeake Science Point (Anne Arundel County)
12. Severna Park High School (Anne Arundel County)
13. George W. Carver Center for Arts and Technology (Baltimore County)
14. Baltimore Design School (Baltimore City)
15. Walter Johnson High School (Montgomery County)
16. Towson High Law and Public Policy (Baltimore County)
17. Centennial High School (Howard County)
18. Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Baltimore City)
19. Marriotts Ridge High School (Howard County)
20. Northwest High School (Montgomery County)
21. Hereford High School (Baltimore County)
22. South River High School (Anne Arundel County)
23. Clarksburg High School (Montgomery County)
24. Barbara Ingram School For the Arts (Washington County)
25. Century High School (Carroll County)
26. Arundel High School (Anne Arundel County)
27. Oakdale High School (Frederick County)
28. Liberty High School (Carroll County)
29. Wheaton High School (Montgomery County)
30. College Park Academy (Prince George’s County)
31. Montgomery Blair High School (Montgomery County)
32. Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Prince George’s County)
33. Springbrook High School (Montgomery County)
34. Kent Island High School (Queen Anne’s County)
35. Broadneck High School (Anne Arundel County)
36. Baltimore School For the Arts (Baltimore City)
37. Albert Einstein High School (Montgomery County)
38. Baltimore City College (Baltimore City)
39. Pikesville High School (Baltimore County)
40. Western High School (Baltimore City)
41. Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC (Prince George’s County)
42. Mount Hebron High School (Howard County)
43. Sherwood High School (Montgomery County)
44. Bohemia Manor High School (Cecil County)
45. Winters Mill High School (Carroll County)
46. North Hagerstown High School (Washington County)
47. Damascus High School (Montgomery County)
48. Magruder High School (Montgomery County)
49. Oxon Hill High School (Prince George’s County)
50. Chesapeake Math and IT Public Charter (Prince George’s County)
Ranking Methodology: U.S. News & World Report uses a methodology that weighs several factors to determine its “Best High Schools” rankings. The six main components are:
• College Readiness (30%): This measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.
• State Assessment Proficiency (20%): This evaluates how well students perform on state-required tests in core subjects like math, science, and reading.
• State Assessment Performance (20%): This compares student test results with the publication’s predicted results based on student demographics.
• Underserved Student Performance (10%): This factor focuses on how well schools are serving their historically disadvantaged student populations, including those who are Black, Hispanic, or from low-income households.
• College Curriculum Breadth (10%): This assesses the variety and accessibility of AP and IB courses offered to students.
• Graduation Rate (10%): This is based on the proportion of students who graduate from high school.