The brief
The top-rated high schools in Denver for 2026 are Dsst: Conservatory Green High School (8.8/10), Denver School of the Arts (8.3/10), and Dsst: Cedar High School (8.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 54 high schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Denver's ranked high school landscape covers 53 schools, with performance ranging from a metro average of 6.6/10 to a peak of 9.6/10 at DSST: Conservatory Green High School — the top performer in this list. That gap signals real variation in outcomes, so where a school lands in the table matters. DSST: College View High School and George Washington High School follow closely behind, while Contemporary Learning Academy and South High School round out the top five. Nearly half the field clears the 7/10 threshold, with 26 schools hitting that mark or above — a sign that strong options are spread across the metro, not concentrated in one neighborhood or district. Use the table below to sort by score, school type, or other factors that fit your family's priorities. The data does the heavy lifting; this page just puts it in context.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.8
- 28.3
- 38.3
- 48.0
- 57.9
- 67.9
- 77.8
- 87.5
- 97.4
- 107.4
All 54 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 54
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Dsst: Conservatory Green High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 562student-teacher ratio 13.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Denver School of the ArtsSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 1,039student-teacher ratio 18.9:1grades 6th–12th
- 3Dsst: Cedar High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 548student-teacher ratio 15.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 4Dsst: College View High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 543student-teacher ratio 11.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Dsst: Green Valley Ranch High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 565student-teacher ratio 11.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 6Northfield High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 2,066student-teacher ratio 18.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 7Dsst: Montview High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 566student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 8South High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 1,846student-teacher ratio 18.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 9East High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 2,359student-teacher ratio 18.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 10Girls Athletic Leadership School High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 93student-teacher ratio 10.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 11Denver Montessori Junior/senior High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 178student-teacher ratio 11.1:1grades 6th–12th
- 12D'evelyn Junior/senior High SchoolJefferson County School District No. R-1students 1,197student-teacher ratio 21.4:1grades 6th–12th
- 13Kipp Denver Collegiate High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 471student-teacher ratio 12.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 14Compassion Road AcademySchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 89student-teacher ratio 9.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 15George Washington High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 1,272student-teacher ratio 18.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 16Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable DesignSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 94student-teacher ratio 9.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 17Contemporary Learning AcademySchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 132student-teacher ratio 8.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 18Dsst: Cole High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 308student-teacher ratio 10.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 19Delta High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 105student-teacher ratio 13.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 20North High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 1,635student-teacher ratio 17.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 21Thomas Jefferson High SchoolSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 1,375student-teacher ratio 18.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 22Prep AcademySchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 41student-teacher ratio 2.7:1grades 6th–12th
- 235280 High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 92student-teacher ratio 10.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 24Denver Justice High SchoolcharterSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 107student-teacher ratio 15.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 25Denver Center for 21st-Century Learning at WymanSchool District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of Cstudents 143student-teacher ratio 10.2:1grades 6th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Colorado education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in Colorado. 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
Dsst: Conservatory Green High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
562 students · 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 4% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 9.4
- Growth
- 8.4
- Environment
- 8.6
- 2
Denver School of the Arts
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
1,039 students · 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–12th
Top 10% in Colorado
- Academics
- 9.7
- Growth
- 7.1
- Environment
- 7.0
- 3
Dsst: Cedar High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
548 students · 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 10% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 9.7
- Growth
- 6.0
- Environment
- 7.8
- 4
Dsst: College View High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
543 students · 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 15% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 8.3
- Growth
- 6.0
- Environment
- 9.1
- 5
Dsst: Green Valley Ranch High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
565 students · 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 17% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 5.2
- Environment
- 9.2
- 6
Northfield High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
2,066 students · 18.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 17% in Colorado
- Academics
- 8.5
- Growth
- 8.6
- Environment
- 5.5
- 7
Dsst: Montview High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
566 students · 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 19% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 4.5
- Environment
- 9.4
- 8
South High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
1,846 students · 18.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 24% in Colorado
- Academics
- 8.5
- Growth
- 7.3
- Environment
- 4.9
- 9
East High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
2,359 students · 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 26% in Colorado
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 6.3
- Environment
- 4.2
- 10
Girls Athletic Leadership School High School
School District No. 1 In the County of Denver and State of C
93 students · 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 27% in Colorado · charter
- Academics
- 5.3
- Growth
- 6.7
- Environment
- 9.8
Questions
What is the best high school in Denver, Colorado?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Dsst: Conservatory Green High School is the top-rated high school in Denver with a composite score of 8.8/10. 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 Denver, Colorado?
Denver has 63 high schools, including 17 charter schools. Of these, 60 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in Denver?
Among 60 Denver high schools with a composite score, the average is 6.1/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Colorado).
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 Colorado, 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 Colorado, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Denver high school rankings?
Denver has 17 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 Denver2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in Denver2026 rankings and ratings
- All 274 schools in DenverElementary, middle and high
- Colorado schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings