The 10 best MS high schools this year, US News & World Report says. Here’s how they rank nationally
Is your high school among the best in Mississippi? The U.S. News & World Report recently shared their highly regarded annual rankings of top high schools in each state and across the nation.
More than 24,000 U.S. public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia were reviewed for the rankings, published Aug. 19.
There were 230 high schools in Mississippi that made the ranking, including four schools located along the Mississippi Coast which ranked among the top in the state, the SunHerald reported.
Here’s the full list of top 10 best high schools in Mississippi for the 2025-26 school year along with how they landed nationally:
#1 The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science
Location: Columbus
Graduation rate: 99%
National Ranking: #544
#2 Ocean Springs High School
Location: Ocean Springs
Graduation rate: 93%
National Ranking: #763
#3 Lewisburg High School
Location: Olive Branch
Graduation rate: 99%
National Ranking: #1,341
#4 Petal High School
Location: Petal
Graduation rate: 98%
National Ranking: #1,701
#5 Heidelberg High School
Location: Heidelberg
Graduation rate: 92%
National Ranking: #2,156
#6 Biloxi High School
Location: Biloxi
Graduation rate: 91%
National Ranking: #2,393
#7 D’Iberville High School
Location: Biloxi
Graduation rate: 91%
National Ranking: #2,527
#8 Long Beach Senior High School
Location: Long Beach
Graduation rate: 97%
National Ranking: #2,745
#9 Center Hill High School
Location: Olive Branch
Graduation rate: 95%
National Ranking: #2,936
#10 Union High School
Location: Union
Graduation rate: 96%
National Ranking: #3,012
How were schools ranked?
Schools were ranked according to the following six categories:
- College readiness, meaning the proportion of seniors who took and passed an AP or IB test. This was weighted at 30%.
- State assessment proficiency, meaning the combined average scores of math, reading and science state assessments. This was weighted at 20%.
- State assessment performance, meaning how the combined average scores on state assessments compare with U.S. News’ expectations with respect to the rates of students who are Black, Hispanic and from low-income households. This was weighted at 20%.
- Underserved student performance, weighted at 10%.
- College curriculum breadth, weighted at 10%.
- Graduation rate, weighted at 10%.
What were the 10 best schools in the nation?
1. BASIS Charter Schools Inc. in Tuscon, Arizona
2. Signature School in Evansville, Indiana
3. Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
4. Davidson Academy in Reno, Nevada
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia
6. Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science in Albuquerque, New Mexico
7. Haas Hall Bentonville in Bentonville, Arkansas
8. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
9. The School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas, Texas
10. Aiken Scholars Academy in Aiken, South Carolina
This story was originally published August 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
