As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
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For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Virginia using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
![](https://analytics.stacker.com/tracking/01f72597-dc28-415e-94be-3efb8ff91532/pixel.gif?source=feed)
![#30. Albemarle High School A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign19ISF9_2.png)
#30. Albemarle High School
- Location: Albemarle County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,909 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#29. Battlefield High School A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign1833CA_1.png)
#29. Battlefield High School
- Location: Prince William County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,555 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#28. Centreville High School A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign17QOMA.png)
#28. Centreville High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,588 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#27. Chantilly High School A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign160LLP_2.png)
#27. Chantilly High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,962 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#26. James Madison High School Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign1546PL_1.png)
#26. James Madison High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,212 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#25. Grassfield High School A high school student doing a chemical experiment.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign14XZVA_1.png)
#25. Grassfield High School
- Location: Chesapeake Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,289 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#24. Grafton High School A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign137C68_0.png)
#24. Grafton High School
- Location: York County School Division, VA
- Enrollment: 1,180 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
![#23. Tabb High School A student raising their hand in class.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign110B0F_0.png)
#23. Tabb High School
- Location: York County School Division, VA
- Enrollment: 1,082 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#22. Stone Bridge High School An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign96WHE_1.png)
#22. Stone Bridge High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,737 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#21. Princess Anne High School A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign109PNX.png)
#21. Princess Anne High School
- Location: Virginia Beach City Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,705 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#20. Briar Woods High School A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign8PR6M_0.png)
#20. Briar Woods High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,799 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#19. Blacksburg High School A hallway lined with green lockers.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign7EZMX_1.png)
#19. Blacksburg High School
- Location: Montgomery County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,318 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#18. Freedom High School A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign6JDIF_4.png)
#18. Freedom High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA•
- Enrollment: 2,052 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#17. Meridian High School An empty classroom as viewed from the back.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign5F8SI_1.png)
#17. Meridian High School
- Location: Falls Church City Public Schools, VA•
- Enrollment: 848 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#16. Lightridge High School A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign4VGTI.png)
#16. Lightridge High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA•
- Enrollment: 1,800 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#15. Langley High School A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign3SV7K_1.png)
#15. Langley High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,049 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#14. Richmond Community High School An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign2SP8N_0.png)
#14. Richmond Community High School
- Location: Richmond Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 211 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#13. Lake Braddock Secondary School Students using microscopes in science class.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign1PPJ6_2.png)
#13. Lake Braddock Secondary School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 4,368 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#12. Yorktown High School High school students studying and reading together in their school library.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign21LGDX_3.png)
#12. Yorktown High School
- Location: Arlington Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,531 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#11. McLean High School Students raising their hands for class participation.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign20HMD2_1.png)
#11. McLean High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,365 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#10. Oakton High School A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign19L83Q_0.png)
#10. Oakton High School
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,635 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#9. Open High School Two students sharing a book.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign11AGKF_0.png)
#9. Open High School
- Location: Richmond Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 188 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#8. John Champe High School A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign10UD8N_0.png)
#8. John Champe High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,744 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#7. Ocean Lakes High School A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign808MI_0.png)
#7. Ocean Lakes High School
- Location: Virginia Beach City Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,978 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#6. Deep Run High School Students' backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign7ATEF_0.png)
#6. Deep Run High School
- Location: Henrico County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,026 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#5. Washington Liberty High School Bookshelves at a high school's library.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign5LOUO_1.png)
#5. Washington Liberty High School
- Location: Arlington Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 2,549 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#4. Riverside High School A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign4PHJ0_0.png)
#4. Riverside High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,819 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#3. Rock Ridge High School Two rows of red lockers.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign3M30J.png)
#3. Rock Ridge High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,394 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#2. Independence High School Empty desks in a high school classroom.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign2M7GM_0.png)
#2. Independence High School
- Location: Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,825 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
![#1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology A closeup of a student taking notes in class.](https://static.stacker.com/s3fs-public/styles/1280x720/s3/Untitleddesign1PPGO_1.png)
#1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology
- Location: Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
- Enrollment: 1,902 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.