The brief
The top-rated high schools in San Diego for 2026 are Mission Bay High (9.1/10), Poway to Palomar Middle College High (8.7/10), and High Tech High Mesa (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 52 high schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
San Diego's high school landscape spans 53 ranked schools, with performance ranging from solid to standout. Mission Bay High leads the field at 8.9 out of 10, followed closely by King-Chavez Community High at 8.8 and East Village Middle College High at 8.6. The average composite score across the metro sits at 6.5 out of 10 — meaning the top performers pull significantly ahead of the pack. That gap matters when you're comparing options. Nearly half the ranked schools — 23 in total — score 7 or above, giving families a real range of strong choices across the region. Whether you're prioritizing academics, location, or school type, the table below lets you sort by the metrics that matter most to your search. Start with the scores, then dig into the details.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.1
- 28.7
- 38.4
- 48.3
- 58.3
- 68.1
- 78.0
- 87.9
- 97.9
- 107.9
All 52 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 52
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Mission Bay HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,166student-teacher ratio 20.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Poway to Palomar Middle College HighPoway Unifiedstudents 81student-teacher ratio 16.2:1grades 11th–12th
- 3High Tech High MesacharterHigh Tech High Mesa Districtstudents 431student-teacher ratio 20.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 4Point Loma HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,682student-teacher ratio 25.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Canyon Hills HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,236student-teacher ratio 22.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 6School for Entrepreneurship and TechnologycharterSchool For Entrepreneurship and Technology Districtstudents 240student-teacher ratio 20.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 7San Diego ScpaSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,275student-teacher ratio 22.4:1grades 6th–12th
- 8Morse HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,614student-teacher ratio 21.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 9University City HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,505student-teacher ratio 24.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 10Kearny College ConnectionsSan Diego Unifiedstudents 336student-teacher ratio 24.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 11San Diego Metro Career and TechSan Diego Unifiedstudents 112student-teacher ratio 11.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 12High Tech High InternationalcharterHigh Tech High International Districtstudents 386student-teacher ratio 22.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 13Madison HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 848student-teacher ratio 20.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 14Scripps Ranch HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,920student-teacher ratio 26.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 15Clairemont HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 813student-teacher ratio 19.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 16High Tech High North CountycharterHigh Tech High North County Districtstudents 401student-teacher ratio 20.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 17Henry HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 2,512student-teacher ratio 25.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 18Kearny Eng Innov & DesignSan Diego Unifiedstudents 296student-teacher ratio 26.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 19Del Norte HighPoway Unifiedstudents 2,564student-teacher ratio 25.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 20San Diego HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 1,855student-teacher ratio 20.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 21East Village Middle College HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 124student-teacher ratio 17.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 22Hoover HighSan Diego Unifiedstudents 2,105student-teacher ratio 21.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 23Kearny Digital Media & DesignSan Diego Unifiedstudents 341student-teacher ratio 26.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 24Southwest Senior HighSweetwater Union Highstudents 1,586student-teacher ratio 22.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 25Mt. Carmel HighPoway Unifiedstudents 1,831student-teacher ratio 23.5:1grades 9th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and California education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in California. 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
Mission Bay High
San Diego Unified
1,166 students · 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 1% in California
- Academics
- 9.2
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 8.7
- 2
Poway to Palomar Middle College High
Poway Unified
81 students · 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 11th–12th
Top 4% in California
- Academics
- 8.0
- Growth
- 8.6
- Environment
- 9.7
- 3
High Tech High Mesa
High Tech High Mesa District
431 students · 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 7% in California · charter
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 6.0
- 4
Point Loma High
San Diego Unified
1,682 students · 25.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 9% in California
- Academics
- 8.3
- Growth
- 10.0
- Environment
- 6.1
- 5
Canyon Hills High
San Diego Unified
1,236 students · 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 9% in California
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 7.7
- 6
School for Entrepreneurship and Technology
School For Entrepreneurship and Technology District
240 students · 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 11% in California · charter
- Academics
- 8.5
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 6.4
- 7
San Diego Scpa
San Diego Unified
1,275 students · 22.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–12th
Top 14% in California
- Academics
- 7.5
- Growth
- 8.6
- Environment
- 8.5
- 8
Morse High
San Diego Unified
1,614 students · 21.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 16% in California
- Academics
- 7.7
- Growth
- 8.9
- Environment
- 8.3
- 9
University City High
San Diego Unified
1,505 students · 24.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 16% in California
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 6.4
- Environment
- 7.3
- 10
Kearny College Connections
San Diego Unified
336 students · 24.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 16% in California
- Academics
- 9.0
- Growth
- 8.5
- Environment
- 7.4
Questions
What is the best high school in San Diego, California?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Mission Bay High is the top-rated high school in San Diego with a composite score of 9.1/10. 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 San Diego, California?
San Diego has 86 high schools, including 21 charter schools. Of these, 63 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in San Diego?
Among 63 San Diego high schools with a composite score, the average is 6.5/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in California).
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 California, 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 California, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the San Diego high school rankings?
San Diego has 21 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 San Diego2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in San Diego2026 rankings and ratings
- All 391 schools in San DiegoElementary, middle and high
- California schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings