The brief
The top-rated high schools in Seattle for 2026 are Cleveland High School Stem (8.8/10), Summit Public School: Sierra (8.3/10), and Ballard High School (8.2/10), 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.
Seattle's 26 ranked high schools span a competitive range, with an average composite score of 6.8/10 and a clear separation at the top. Summit Public School: Sierra leads the metro at 8.6/10, followed closely by Middle College High School at 8.3 and Cleveland High School STEM at 8.2. The table below covers all ranked schools across Seattle's neighborhoods and districts. Eleven schools — 42% of the ranked pool — score 7.0 or higher, meaning families have a solid tier of strong options to compare. Whether you're prioritizing STEM programming, college-prep focus, or a specific part of the city, the data here lets you sort by score, type, and other key metrics to find the fit that makes sense for your student. Use the table to dig into the details behind each ranking.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.8
- 28.3
- 38.2
- 48.2
- 58.1
- 68.1
- 77.9
- 87.7
- 97.6
- 107.5
All 37 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 37
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Cleveland High School StemSeattle School District No. 1students 890student-teacher ratio 18.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Summit Public School: SierracharterSummit Public School: Sierrastudents 221student-teacher ratio 17.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 3Ballard High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,645student-teacher ratio 23.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 4West Seattle High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,392student-teacher ratio 22.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Ingraham High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,413student-teacher ratio 20.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 6Middle College High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 95student-teacher ratio 11.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 7Roosevelt High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,528student-teacher ratio 22.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 8The Northwest Schoolstudents 453student-teacher ratio 7.1:1grades 6th–12th
- 9Garfield High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,641student-teacher ratio 24.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 10Brightmont Academy--Seattle Campusstudents 59student-teacher ratio 5.2:1grades 5th–12th
- 11Seattle Lutheran High Schoolstudents 69student-teacher ratio 5.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 12Choice AcademyHighline School Districtstudents 178student-teacher ratio 29.7:1grades 6th–12th
- 13Franklin High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,237student-teacher ratio 19.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 14Interagency Detention SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 30grades 6th–12th
- 15Lincoln High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,697student-teacher ratio 21.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 16Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciencesstudents 1,081student-teacher ratio 5.6:1grades 6th–12th
- 17Fusion Academy Seattlestudents 54student-teacher ratio 4.3:1grades 6th–12th
- 18Nathan Hale High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 1,091student-teacher ratio 20.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 19Rainier Beach High SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 765student-teacher ratio 16.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 20The Center SchoolSeattle School District No. 1students 184student-teacher ratio 15.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 21O'dea High Schoolstudents 500student-teacher ratio 14.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 22University Prepstudents 613student-teacher ratio 8.3:1grades 6th–12th
- 23Puget Sounds Community Schoolstudents 33student-teacher ratio 6.9:1grades 6th–12th
- 24Seattle Waldorf High Schoolstudents 75student-teacher ratio 4.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 25Holy Names Academystudents 614student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades 9th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Washington education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in Washington. 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 High School Stem
Seattle School District No. 1
890 students · 18.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 8% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.7
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 7.4
- 2
Summit Public School: Sierra
Summit Public School: Sierra
221 students · 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 14% in Washington · charter
- Academics
- 8.1
- Growth
- 9.4
- Environment
- 4.6
- 3
Ballard High School
Seattle School District No. 1
1,645 students · 23.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 17% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 9.1
- Environment
- 4.3
- 4
West Seattle High School
Seattle School District No. 1
1,392 students · 22.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 17% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.6
- Growth
- 9.6
- Environment
- 4.7
- 5
Ingraham High School
Seattle School District No. 1
1,413 students · 20.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 19% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.0
- Growth
- 9.1
- Environment
- 4.6
- 6
Middle College High School
Seattle School District No. 1
95 students · 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 19% in Washington
- Academics
- 7.7
- Growth
- 8.6
- Environment
- 9.9
- 7
Roosevelt High School
Seattle School District No. 1
1,528 students · 22.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 21% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 7.7
- Environment
- 4.9
- 8
The Northwest School
453 students · 7.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–12th
Top 12% in Washington
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 9
Garfield High School
Seattle School District No. 1
1,641 students · 24.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 25% in Washington
- Academics
- 8.6
- Growth
- 7.6
- Environment
- 3.0
- 10
Brightmont Academy--Seattle Campus
59 students · 5.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–12th
Top 17% in Washington
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
Questions
What is the best high school in Seattle, Washington?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Cleveland High School Stem is the top-rated high school in Seattle 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 Seattle, Washington?
Seattle has 43 high schools, including 4 charter schools. Of these, 38 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in Seattle?
Among 38 Seattle high schools with a composite score, the average is 6.8/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Washington).
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 Washington, 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 Washington, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Seattle high school rankings?
Seattle has 4 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 Seattle2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in Seattle2026 rankings and ratings
- All 200 schools in SeattleElementary, middle and high
- Washington schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings