The brief
The top-rated high schools in Cleveland for 2026 are Cleveland School of Science & Medicine (8.7/10), Cleveland Early College High (8.6/10), and Bard Early College Cleveland (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 37 high schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Cleveland's 37 ranked high schools span a wide performance range, with an average composite score of 6.4/10 across the metro. At the top sits Cleveland School of Science & Medicine, the clear standout at 9.3/10 — nearly a full point ahead of the next-highest performers, MC² STEM High School and John F. Kennedy High School, both at 7.8 and 7.7 respectively. Mayfield High School and Cleveland High School for the Digital Arts round out the top five. Notably, 10 schools — 27% of the ranked total — score 7.0 or above, giving families real options when targeting above-average performance. The data also reflects Cleveland's strong presence of specialized and theme-based schools, from STEM and digital arts to medical sciences. Use the table below to sort by score, school type, or other factors to find the right fit for your student.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.7
- 28.6
- 38.4
- 48.2
- 57.4
- 66.8
- 76.7
- 86.6
- 96.5
- 106.5
All 37 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 37
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Cleveland School of Science & MedicineCleveland Municipalstudents 379student-teacher ratio 19.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Cleveland Early College HighCleveland Municipalstudents 272student-teacher ratio 20.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 3Bard Early College ClevelandCleveland Municipalstudents 345student-teacher ratio 13.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 4Mayfield High SchoolMayfield Citystudents 1,574student-teacher ratio 19.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Cleveland School of the Arts High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 377student-teacher ratio 16.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 6Cleveland High School for the Digital ArtsCleveland Municipalstudents 314student-teacher ratio 15.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 7Mc^2 Stem High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 239student-teacher ratio 12.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 8Campus International High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 242student-teacher ratio 14.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 9Lincoln West School of Science & HealthCleveland Municipalstudents 224student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 10Rhodes School of Environmental StudiesCleveland Municipalstudents 356student-teacher ratio 14.2:1grades 6th–12th
- 11Rhodes College and Career AcademyCleveland Municipalstudents 524student-teacher ratio 17.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 12Garrett Morgan School of Engineering & InnovationCleveland Municipalstudents 421student-teacher ratio 16.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 13Collinwood High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 282student-teacher ratio 17.6:1grades 8th–12th
- 14Ginn AcademyCleveland Municipalstudents 302student-teacher ratio 15.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 15Garrett Morgan School of Leadership and InnovationCleveland Municipalstudents 431student-teacher ratio 18.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 16Horizon Science Acad ClevelandcharterHorizon Science Acad Clevelandstudents 308student-teacher ratio 14.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 17Cleveland School of Architecture & DesignCleveland Municipalstudents 227student-teacher ratio 15.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 18John Marshall School of Business and Civic LeadershipCleveland Municipalstudents 477student-teacher ratio 19.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 19Davis Aerospace & Maritime High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 232student-teacher ratio 11.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 20John Adams College & Career AcademyCleveland Municipalstudents 450student-teacher ratio 14.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 21Max S Hayes High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 611student-teacher ratio 15.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 22New Technology WestCleveland Municipalstudents 314student-teacher ratio 18.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 23East Technical High SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 426student-teacher ratio 14.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 24John Marshall School of EngineeringCleveland Municipalstudents 380student-teacher ratio 17.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 25Invictus High SchoolcharterInvictus High Schoolstudents 342student-teacher ratio 22.8:1grades 9th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Ohio education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in Ohio. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Cleveland School of Science & Medicine
Cleveland Municipal
379 students · 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 2% in Ohio
- Academics
- 8.7
- Growth
- 8.5
- Environment
- 8.2
- 2
Cleveland Early College High
Cleveland Municipal
272 students · 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 2% in Ohio
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 6.7
- 3
Bard Early College Cleveland
Cleveland Municipal
345 students · 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 4% in Ohio
- Academics
- 8.3
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 9.3
- 4
Mayfield High School
Mayfield City
1,574 students · 19.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 7% in Ohio
- Academics
- 9.1
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 5.8
- 5
Cleveland School of the Arts High School
Cleveland Municipal
377 students · 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 20% in Ohio
- Academics
- 6.8
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 7.3
- 6
Cleveland High School for the Digital Arts
Cleveland Municipal
314 students · 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 36% in Ohio
- Academics
- 5.1
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 5.7
- 7
Mc^2 Stem High School
Cleveland Municipal
239 students · 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 39% in Ohio
- Academics
- 3.8
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 8.0
- 8
Campus International High School
Cleveland Municipal
242 students · 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 41% in Ohio
- Academics
- 4.0
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 6.2
- 9
Lincoln West School of Science & Health
Cleveland Municipal
224 students · 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 44% in Ohio
- Academics
- 3.0
- Growth
- 9.3
- Environment
- 9.9
- 10
Rhodes School of Environmental Studies
Cleveland Municipal
356 students · 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–12th
Top 44% in Ohio
- Academics
- 4.2
- Growth
- 9.4
- Environment
- 5.9
Questions
What is the best high school in Cleveland, Ohio?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Cleveland School of Science & Medicine is the top-rated high school in Cleveland with a composite score of 8.7/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many high schools are in Cleveland, Ohio?
Cleveland has 46 high schools, including 9 charter schools. Of these, 46 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in Cleveland?
Among 46 Cleveland high schools with a composite score, the average is 5.9/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Ohio).
How does MySchoolScout rate high schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Ohio, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Ohio, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Cleveland high school rankings?
Cleveland has 9 charter high schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Cleveland2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in Cleveland2026 rankings and ratings
- All 185 schools in ClevelandElementary, middle and high
- Ohio schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings