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2020 Best High Schools in the Bakersfield AreaAbout this List

Explore the best high schools in your area based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.  Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

1 – 25 of 55
Best Schools
55 results

  1. Stockdale High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 496 reviews
    #1 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Alum: Stockdale High School was great experience for me. All those people were amazing and I enjoyed staying over here. I love all the Rally boys and Rally girls dance were excellent. The teachers have excellent service for working with students to help them learn about new things in every subject to be ready in future career goals. Having more curricular programs that students can enjoy playing sports or joining after school clubs was the great idea. I like they included new clubs like Fashion Club, International Club and Kpop Club. Also they included electives as Young Adult Novel and Medical Academy. I glad I’m a Stockdale alumni and didn’t leave this school. I would call it “Once a Mustang! Always a Mustang!”
    Read 496 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,158 Students
    • 29:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  2. Garces Memorial High School

    • Private School
    • Bakersfield, CA
    • 9-12
    • 42 reviews

    Junior: I have loved every minute of my time at Garces! The teachers and staff put so much effort and time into their jobs and always have Christ-like attitudes. Each and every student is connected with the community and urged to follow in the image of God. As an Apple Certified School, students have access to personal iPads year round. The uniforms keep us professional and get us ready for having a full-time career. It’s easy to tell that Garces Memorial High School is an incredible school as soon as you walk into campus!
    Read 42 Reviews

    • A
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 614 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  3. Bakersfield Christian High School

    • Private School
    • Bakersfield, CA
    • 9-12
    • 71 reviews

    Alum: BCHS was a fantastic high school to attend. Combining a Christian education with a rigorous academic path to completely prepare students for college is an extremely difficult task, but BCHS executed this mission perfectly. The administration and staff here are incredible and always greet you with a smile. In recent years, BCHS began a rigorous training course for all students in preparation for the SAT test. Because of this, our school has scored higher than the national average. Finally, the athletic piece of BCHS ties the school together. I myself participated all four years on the swim team. Every sports team has achieved higher by our senior year than when we started our freshman year, and the trend is still leaning upward.
    Read 71 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 477 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  4. Liberty High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 310 reviews
    #2 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Alum: Liberty High School offered me a tremendous environment to thrive within academically, artistically, and socially. I felt incredibly lucky to attend high school at this campus and be actively involved in their amazing drama department. I held numerous positions in this club and participated in over 16 different productions which not only fueled my drive to create beautiful things but to connect with others as well and see the value in art and in fostering empathy with one another. This school prepared me for my college coursework by offering me a rigorous curriculum and enough AP courses to jumpstart my college career by a full year! The community was diverse and vibrant and offered multicultural education and engagement through festivals and community service as well which was highly emphasized on our campus. Though the staff could have been more personal at times and less focused on merely sports activities, overall my experience and education attained at this school was excellent.
    Read 310 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,042 Students
    • 28:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  5. Centennial High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 310 reviews
    #3 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: I liked the teachers the most. Every year I had great teachers, maybe one or two that were decent, but overall I had great teachers every year. They were all understanding and willing to help you always. They had a good sense of humor and overall a good personality. Most people don’t like going to work but almost every teacher I had would say they enjoy going to work. Not only teachers but the staff was great too. Security, lunch ladies, janitors, office staff, they were all so kind and helpful especially if you were an incoming freshman or new to the school. One thing I would like to change or see changed at the school would be their budgeting. The school has recently had a shortage funds. We can not afford to hire more teachers for overfilling classes making class sizes a bit full. This makes teaching a little bit harder for the teacher. Overall Centennial High School would be a great school to go to because the staff and students make the best of whatever situations we are put in.
    Read 310 Reviews

    • A-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,001 Students
    • 28:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  6. Frontier High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 401 reviews
    #4 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: My experience at frontier high school has been amazing. Not only am I Varsity wrestler for the Frontier Titans, I have made a lot of friends with classmates and teachers. The wrestling coaches are very involved and want us to succeed not only wrestling but also in life. The only thing that I would change is the academic courses. The courses that we have are bland compared to other schools, in fact I have met a lot of friends that have exceptional class ideas that frontier has yet to implement. But other than that, frontier is a great high school for a growing teen to study, learn, and grow.
    Read 401 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,360 Students
    • 29:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  9. Valley Oaks Charter School

    • Public School
    • Bakersfield, CA
    • K-12
    • 42 reviews
    #5 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: I have been a student at Valley Oaks from 7th through 12th grade. I enjoy the small class sizes, friendly students, and knowledgeable staff. I highly recommend it to any student!
    Read 42 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,135 Students
    • 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  10. Independence High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 391 reviews
    #6 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: My high school experience was absolutely wonderful! As a freshman, I feel to welcomed and was interested in all the opportunities I had. I was involved in key club, Christian club, and coding club. They have enlightened me about other cultures and taught me the importance of helping others. I will cherish the memories I made with my friends over the course of these four years, for a lifetime! I am thankful to all my teachers who have made me who I am today. I am a CSF lifetime member, have perfect attendance, and I have maintained a 4.19 GPA. I loved every bit of high school whether it was the chemistry labs, field trips, or rallies!
    Read 391 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,069 Students
    • 28:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  11. Bakersfield High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 349 reviews
    #7 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: Such a great community of people! The staff is remarkable, always ready to help their students. The school is very diverse and has many great activities and opportunities for many different types of people. Being a Driller myself, I'm sad to graduate this upcoming year, but seeing others enjoying the school will always remind me that, "Once a Driller, Always a Driller."
    Read 349 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,835 Students
    • 26:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  12. Cesar E. Chavez High School

    • Delano Joint Union High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 326 reviews
    #8 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Senior: It is my experience that only those who are good at school--that is, perform well academically--enjoy their school. Like many others, I could list countless bad experiences with teachers and students alike. There were some classmates that made my eyes roll to the back of my head and there were also some teachers that made me hate the subject they taught. However, there are the diamonds in the rough that make the grueling academic environment worth it. I am fortunate enough to find a sense of belonging among my peers and have several teachers who genuinely cared for their students. I became involved in multiple clubs around campus, which allowed me to grow as a person. Through organizations such as Future Business Leaders of America and Get Lit Poetry, I developed the confidence I have today. I want to thank those who made my high school experience worth the bland lunches and disgusting bathrooms.
    Read 326 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,391 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  13. Taft Union High School

    • Taft Union High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 68 reviews
    #9 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Alum: The teachers at Taft High are some of the best, especially if you're interested in Art or Video Production. The campus is huge and it's very easy to find your own little group of friends. There were a few on campus fights though, but they were usually broken up pretty fast. The library has a huge collection of books, and even comics.
    Read 68 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 968 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  14. Delano High School

    • Delano Joint Union High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 318 reviews
    #10 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Alum: My experience in Delano High School is exceptionally good. The teachers are very helpful to students and sacrifice their time after school for the students to study at their classroom. The school offers AP classes and Dual Enrollment classes, which are an advantage for students when they go to college. The students are very nice and I never had any problems to other students, which is good. I only have arguments with other students when we do a debate for American Government, Calculus, and English, and the debates were fun to begin with as we increase our knowledge and learning for us. Delano High School is one of the best schools in the US and I would recommend students to go there!
    Read 318 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,486 Students
    • 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  15. Highland High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 349 reviews
    #11 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Alum: I transferred in during my junior year and my own experience from the school was overall good. The school is somewhat slow paced compared to the school i came from. However, the teachers do take their time in class to properly help everyone and the classes were smaller compared to others schools but, i think that's how it should be. It benefits other people who are somewhat shy or tend to find things hard. Overall, the school is great and the only thing i think they should approve on is nutrition in school lunches.
    Read 349 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,984 Students
    • 26:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  16. Ridgeview High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 352 reviews
    #12 Best Public High Schools in Bakersfield Area

    Sophomore: Ridgeview's a good school, has great teachers and peers. Very diverse and many students are school spirited which is nice. A thing I would change is probably it's food because for us students and some teachers who eat school lunches, we don't have many selections of food to fill our stomaches. Granted we got a new "Sandwich Bar", but it's basically the salad they serve at school put into a tortilla wrap, or a hotdog bun topped with taco sauce and mayo. Heck, is this even a sandwich bar? A tortilla wrap isn't even a sandwich! Well, in all seriousness, the food isn't the best. Get's pretty boring eating the same thing every school day.
    Read 352 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,549 Students
    • 26:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  17. Tehachapi High School

    • Tehachapi Unified School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 170 reviews

    Senior: I would highly recommend the sports program at Tehachapi High School. I have played high school varsity soccer for 3 years coming on 4 and the coaches are so supportive and encouraging. Also Tehachapi high school has a variety of different clubs to be involved with. All of the teachers and faculty are there to make your high school career a success. To insure better safety our school just installed new security cameras to help keep a safe school environment. Tehachapi high school is a great place to be!
    Read 170 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,291 Students
    • 26:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  18. Robert F. Kennedy High School

    • Delano Joint Union High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 147 reviews

    Alum: From personal experience, there were diversity within the campus that I enjoyed from individuals, clubs, classes and more! However, I would hope that there can be more school oportunities and recognition to get people involved with the available sources like clubs that were given.
    Read 147 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,124 Students
    • 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  19. Wasco High School

    • Wasco Union High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 205 reviews

    Junior: My experience with Wasco High school is very positive. I enjoy the classes that they provide us because they target different interests. The resources here are always provided. I am thankful for this, because I can go to the library after school, to charge, obtain books physically, and get help on Math. I also enjoy the teachers who stay after school, to help individuals, I think its a great way to interact and improve on the areas we struggle in. The school also opportunities at college credits, which is very helpful for the handful of us that are planning to save money for the future. I especially like knowing that I cam enter a clean bathroom, because hygiene is very important, and the bathrooms are very clean. My favorite part of the high school, is having a sense of security wherever I go, because it feels like a safe environment. However, the lunch provided isn't all that great, but it's made up for during breakfast.
    Read 205 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,716 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  22. West High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 271 reviews

    Senior: These four years have been a blast! West High is filled wth many opportunities to volunteer in our community, join a club of our interest, and form bonds with our teachers and staff, who guided us carefully through all the college application processes and genuinely wanted us to succeed.
    Read 271 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,058 Students
    • 25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  23. South High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 255 reviews

    Senior: The school honestly has the best resources I could ever ask for. My teachers have always seemed to be there when I needed them, and they have good relationship with students. The school offers free tutoring everyday with the exception of Fridays from 3 to 6:30 in the afternoon; I would like it if there was tutoring every week day though! This school is that it is not academically up to par with other schools. I went to summer programs the summer of my Junior year, and I was surprised to see students my grade already taking multi variable calculus; it is unreal! I feel that everyone should have the opportunity to be up there in academics. I think that it is great that South is proudly known for it's Math and Science engineering academy, but I feel like it still needs a lot of work in order to make our students competitive out in the large college applicant pool excluding the fact that we are "low income."
    Read 255 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,028 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  24. McFarland High School

    • McFarland Unified School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 147 reviews

    Senior: My experience in McFarland High School as a student has been great. It has offered me the opportunity to better prepare me for college with the classes they offer and help. One thing I like about my high school is that communication between the counselors is very good. Not only do they care about my academics but also about what is happening in our life that can be affecting my performance in school. They do so much to help me be as comfortable as I can at school. Something that I would like for there to be a change is that since my high school changed to an early college high school, they should offer more classes for a nursing pathway.
    Read 147 Reviews

    • B-
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 907 Students
    • 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  25. East Bakersfield High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 308 reviews

    Senior: Through the four years I have been in this school, I can say that the curriculum that is provided for it is really good. Teachers explain in detail what they are teaching to their students, and if a student doesn’t understand something of the subject, teachers are more than willing to help their students. The campus is big enough for the students to move around freely, the food that the school serves is good and sometimes they change the menu to not bother their students with the same kind of food all the time. The materials that are provided for the school suits perfectly for the variety of tasks that students need to complete. The school comes with chemistry labs, a library, computer labs, a career center and the main office for students in case they have questions involving their grades or anything school related questions.I can say that East Bakersfield High School offers the best for their students to fit into something that they may like to do.
    Read 308 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,145 Students
    • 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  26. Golden Valley High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 403 reviews

    Senior: Through my years at Golden Valley, I have grown to be a mature young adult. At Golden Valley, we have a saying called bulldog pride and being bulldog strong when a student does something good or nice, I believe it is such a positive thing to have and live by because it reminds the students that you just have to rid negativity with kindness. The teachers that I have had over the years put an effort into teaching the lessons correctly and going over it when there was confusion. I had the pleasure of having the best teachers because they would usually teach me life lessons in their short little speeches they would give. The way they taught, allowed me to prioritize better and procrastinate much less. Even after I graduate I hope to never forget to be bulldog strong and live by G.P.S which is Growth, Pride and Service. Although they do very well I hope that one day they can get more busses because when I ride them they're always full and I find myself having to sit three to a seat.
    Read 403 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,417 Students
    • 27:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  27. Wonderful College Prep Academy

    • Public School
    • Delano, CA
    • K-12
    • 110 reviews

    Senior: I have attended Wonderful College Prep Academy my entire high school experience. Previously, I was worryed about high school since I came from such a small school before, but I felt great here. The staff is encouraging and helpful and the students are great and easy to get along with. The teachers challenge me when I need it, and help me when I ask for it. There are choices for extra curriculars and sports that make it all the more worth while!
    Read 110 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 879 Students
    • 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  28. Shafter High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 263 reviews

    Senior: Shafter High School is a good school because our community is great all around, Shafter is a small town but everyone knows everyone and almost everyone gets along with each other. Shafter High has a lot of activities people can join and meet new people throughout those activities, sports have their good times and bad times but everyone understands everything. Shafter high is like a big family and it can have better times but also is a good school overall no matter what problems or what happens with the people attending Shafter High. Shafter high has a great staff group, they really help out in anything a student needs and have many resources.
    Read 263 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,574 Students
    • 25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  29. Kern Valley High School

    • Kern High School District, CA
    • 9-12
    • 73 reviews

    Freshman: I love that Kern Valley is a small school because everyone knows everyone.You may not know everyone on a personal level but you've seen them around.Most of the teachers are great and connect with there students.They make sure that every student understands the concept before moving on.We also have lots of support for each other and the stands will be full at ever sports activity.There is also tons of parents involved they help us do lots of things including buying sports equipment and field trips.The clubs are very involved in making the valley a better place and cleaner.Clubs such as CSF holds events to clean up the valley.Even out of school we get reconized for are hard work.Kern Valley is a great school even though it is small.
    Read 73 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 433 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  30. Sponsored

    Nansemond-Suffolk Academy

    • Private School
    • Suffolk, VA
    • PK, K-12
    • 47 reviews

    Senior: My experience at NSA has been pretty good! There are plenty of programs that make my time there enjoyable, run by amazing teachers. Although, I do hope that we stick with our current STEM teacher.
    Read 47 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 877 Students
    • 5:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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    St. Catherine's School

    • Private School
    • Richmond, VA
    • PK, K-12
    • 119 reviews

    Alum: I graduated almost 20 years ago and cannot be more grateful for my experiences at St. Catherine’s. The small classroom sizes and all-girls environment gave me the opportunity to shine as a relatively shy young girl, and develop into a strong leader. The rigorous academics prepared me to develop strong study skills that allowed me to do very well throughout college and graduate school. St.Catherine’s focus on honor and community has helped me focus on the truly important parts of life and being a responsible member of our society. I am truly thankful for my experiences at St. Catherine’s!
    Read 119 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 979 Students
    • 8:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  36. Sponsored

    Virginia Episcopal School

    • Private School
    • Lynchburg, VA
    • 9-12
    • 22 reviews

    Alum: I absolutely loved getting to be a part of the community at VES. We really are one giant family at that school. Not only is there no grade divisions amongst the students, but you get very close with the faculty to the point that a lot of us dog sit or baby sit for faculty. To anyone considering going to VES, I recommend staying overnight and keeping an open mind. Most students have stories that started out like "at first I didn't want to go to VES, but now I couldn't imagine not coming here". Boarding school is scary, but give it three months and you'll feel right at home! Take advantage of the accepting community at VES and be yourself, being weird is cool there.
    Read 22 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 260 Students
    • 6:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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