U.S. News & World Report has released its rankings of the best public high schools in the United States for the 2025-2026 academic year, and Newton’s two public high schools landed relatively high up on the list.
They ranked nearly 18,000 high schools across the country based on a variety of metrics. Newton South came in at number 575, and Newton North was ranked number 852.
That puts both of the city’s high schools in the top 5 percent of the rankings nationwide.
Statewide, Newton South High School was ranked the 24th best public high school in Massachusetts, and Newton North was ranked number 35.
The U.S. News & World Report ranking methodology takes several factors into consideration:
- College readiness, which can be seen in the proportion of 12th grade students who took and earned a qualifying score on at least one Advanced Placement or Baccalaureate Exam, counts for 30 percent of a school’s ranking.
- State assessment in math, science and reading counts for 40 percent of the ranking.
- Underserved student performance (for Black, Hispanic, Latino and low-income students) counts for 10 percent.
- College curriculum participation rate, based on how many 12th graders earned qualifying scores on AP exams, counts for 10 percent.
- And the school’s graduation rate for students who entered ninth grade in the 2019-2020 school counts for 10 percent.
While their rankings are different, very little sets the two Newton high schools apart. Newton South High School has a 99 percent graduation rate with a college readiness score of 57.1. Newton North has a 98 percent graduation rate with a college readiness score of 56.7.
For nearby comparison:
- Brookline High School is ranked number 637 nationally and 28th statewide.
- Needham High School’s at number 760 nationally and 31st statewide.
- Wellesley came in at number 481 nationally and 20th statewide.
- And Watertown is ranked 2,047th in the country and 85th in the state.
You can read the full U.S. News & World Report rankings lists, both nationally and by state, here.