Virginia's Best Public, Private High Schools Ranked By Niche For 2023

VIRGINIA — Several high schools in Virginia are among America’s best, according to rankings released Tuesday by the education platform Niche.

The new 2023 Best Schools and Districts rankings provide insight for parents on 92,743 public schools, 30,112 private schools and 11,820 school districts nationwide.

On the nationwide list, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was ranked as the seventh best public high school in the U.S. The governor's school for science and technology in Northern Virginia offers admissions to students in Fairfax County, Arlington County, Loudoun County, Prince William County and cities of Falls Church and Fairfax.

Following TJ, the eighth-best public high school in the U.S. is Richmond's Maggie Walker Governor's School. The school specializes in government and international studies.

Niche also compiles lists by state and for major metropolitan areas.

Here are the top 25 public high schools in Virginia, according to Niche:

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (Fairfax County)
2. Maggie Walker Governor's School (Richmond)
3. McLean High School (Fairfax County)
4. Langley High School (Fairfax County)
5. Chantilly High School (Fairfax County)
6. Oakton High School (Fairfax County)
7. W.T. Woodson High School (Fairfax County)
8. Briar Woods High School (Loudoun County)
9. Riverside High School (Loudoun County)
10. James Madison High School (Fairfax County)
11. Deep Run High School (Henrico County)
12. Ocean Lakes High School (Virginia Beach)
13. Yorktown High School (Arlington County)
14. Rock Ridge High School (Loudoun County)
15. Blacksburg High School (Montgomery County)
16. Washington Liberty High School (Arlington County)
17. West Springfield High School (Fairfax County)
18. Freedom High School (Loudoun County)
19. Lake Braddock Secondary School (Fairfax County)
20. Broad Run High School (Loudoun County)
21. Stone Bridge High School (Loudoun County)
22. Meridian High School (Falls Church City)
23. Independence High School (Loudoun County)
24. Princess Anne High School (Virginia Beach)
25. Tabb High School (York County)

Here are the top 25 private high schools in Virginia, according to Niche:

1. BASIS Independent McLean (McLean)
2. The Madeira School (McLean)
3. The Potomac School (McLean)
4. Episcopal High School (Alexandria)
5. Woodberry Forest School (Woodberry Forest)
6. Flint Hill School (Oakton)
7. Norfolk Academy (Norfolk)
8. St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School (Alexandria)
9. St. Christopher's School (Richmond)
10. Pinnacle Academy (Chantilly)
11. Chatham Hall (Chatham)
12. Randolph-Macon Academy (Front Royal)
13. Loudoun School for Advanced Studies (Ashburn)
14. Foxcroft School (Middleburg)
15. Trinity Christian School (Fairfax)
16. Veritas Collegiate Academy (Arlington)
17. Collegiate School (Richmond)
18. Veritas Collegiate Academy (Chesapeake)
19. Fairfax Christian School (Dulles)
20. Oakcrest School (Vienna)
21. Virginia Episcopal School (Lynchburg)
22. Blue Ridge School (Dyke)
23. Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach)
24. St. Anne's - Belfield School (Charlottesville)
25. The Steward School (Richmond)

You can view the full rankings here. Rankings for Virginia are available here, and rankings for the DC metropolitan area are here.

Niche said its rankings differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

Niche named the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, the top public school. Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, is the best private school.

Niche said its rankings were created to provide families with valuable information — both quantitative and qualitative — on schools in their area or in a neighborhood they’re not familiar with yet.

As in previous years, the Best Schools rankings include categories for boarding, charter and magnet schools as well as schools for STEM and the arts among many others.

Check back with Patch this week for coverage on Virginia’s best school districts.