2024 Best Public High Schools for STEM in America

• Morris County Vocational School District, NJ•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  39 reviews

Alum: The Academy is an all around highly-recommended high school experience. Starting with academics, Academy students are challenged everyday through a difficult and relevant courseload, fully preparing them for college and life beyond. Students have a great relationship with their teachers and with each other. The social environment of the academy is an extremely tight web of inseparable, caring, and competitive students. Although its place as a satellite academy causes administrative headache, this school is the center of the greatest academic and social livelihoods a student can hope for.... Read 39 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 180

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  586 reviews

Junior: I’ve been a student for 2 years now, and I’ve experienced good and, not so good. The general community at TJ is pretty great, most people are friendly and welcoming with, of course, a few exceptions. I’ve also had some AMAZING teachers, and some teachers I would prefer not to interact with. For a school that is so STEM focused, some of the STEM teachers just don’t seem to understand that not everyone learns the same way, or some people just won’t get it the first time. The expectations are HIGH, as everyone knows, but in reality, if you ask, some teachers will tell you that the average test scores for regular honors classes is about a B+ (this includes a bunch of As and a bunch of Fs). I don’t know much about AP and post-AP as I haven’t taken any of those yet though. Certain people will thrive at TJ, I personally am doing well academically as long as I take a portion of my time to study, but you wouldn’t really know until you try it out. But, overall, it’s an experience worth taking!... Read 586 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,902

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Scottsdale, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.59 out of 5  122 reviews

Senior: My overall experience for this school is fairly positive I feel like every since I entered in fifth grade there have been changes for the better and changes for the worst. Amount of students are fairly larger at the lower grades and they begin to dwindle down as you get into higher grades and the courses become more rigorous and demanding of you. Because of this, all the students that remain are all very competitive with each other which is both good and bad, it helps foster growth and improvement but it also creates an environment that perpetually gatekept by a certain number of students that have just all the top positions and whatever they don’t have they just help their friends get it and this blatant bias is something I don’t unfortunately see going away anytime soon.... Read 122 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,057

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Monmouth County Vocational School District, NJ•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  105 reviews

Senior: Choosing this high school was one of the best decisions of my life! From amazing teachers to peers that support and get along with each other, High Technology High School provided me with the best possible high school experience I could have asked for. The academics are rigorous but manageable, and the clubs provide great opportunities to meet and become friends with others who share your interests. The hour long lunch in the middle of every day is a perfect time to get some extra studying done as well as generally hanging out with friends. I have met so many great people by going to this school, and I believe that I changed for the better having gone here over my home high school. There are people from every walk of life and by going to this school I was able to learn so much, not just from academics but also from my fellow students.... Read 105 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 287

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Middlesex County Vocational & Technical School District, NJ•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.52 out of 5  50 reviews

Senior: MCA which is now rebranded as Edison Academy Magnet School is very strong at it's brand, but tends to neglect other areas. The course rigor and breadth in STEM in unparalleled, the students are all very motivated and extremely strong in STEM subjects, and students are provided with every resource to succeed in college as well as get into a top-tier school. However, humanities and arts other than history and English are practically non-existent. The only way to partake in them is at the county college it is housed on. Additionally, the academic mindset can be extremely toxic when almost every student scores an A on most tests and the goal to attend a top 20 university is in the mind of every student. Additionally, the focus on STEM many times takes away from the dimensions of students. Ultimately, this school is amazing for a student absolutely committed to STEM. In any case, it is a great education. But with most of your course load decided for you, it can be limiting and tough.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 172

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Bergen County Vocational Technical School District, NJ•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  556 reviews

Parent: My daughter is studying at this school. The school is wonderful and my daughter has loved it. She is in an amazing, academically rich environment with passionate teacher and students who share the same goals. Not only do the students receive specialized classes in the areas of their interest (machine building, pharmacology, advanced Java script, conducting, etc.), but they also get exposed to activities outside their academies through electives, clubs (ex. HOSA, Mock Trial, UNICEF), trips (ex. BCA Global exchange programs, choir performances, international math competitions abroad), and BCA events (one acts, Valentine’s Day assembly). It’s a great opportunity for any child that is interested in pursuing deeper academic pursuits.... Read 556 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,109

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Chandler, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  76 reviews

Parent: My student is in his second year here. Most of his teachers are phenomenal. There are a couple that he doesn't connect with, but that is any school. I like that he gets to take physics and chemistry and biology in 6th grade. He loves that! He is also very excited about his drama and PE classes. It is a very well rounded curriculum and I like the path he is on. He also has a ton of options for extracurriculars. They are affordable and are much cheaper than club sports or the things that he does outside of school. The administration is very visible every day at dismissal, which is nice. I am happy that he is here.... Read 76 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,154

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Chicago Public Schools, IL•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  428 reviews

Senior: I've been here for all four years and I love this school! Truly, the best part of the school is the teachers. Of course, you'll have a few that aren't your favorite, but I've found teachers I really admire. They are here because they love to teach. The student body as a whole is also really great, at least for my years here. We went through a lot of administration struggles, but what pulled us together was our support for our teachers and the shared values that we have as students. The course load is challenging but manageable, but I also felt really well prepared from my elementary school. All that being said, Payton has many normal issues like any high school (some student drama, mediocre/bad food, people that you like and don't like, etc).... Read 428 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,167

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 2, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  1,161 reviews

Sophomore: Stuyvesant is a school that expects students to work their hardest. That being said, there is a lot of independency: if you need help, you are expected to reach out to the teachers or seek out help yourself. Generally, the teachers are looking out for you, with some exceptions, but you are the person that determines how well you do in school. Outside the 10 classes, Stuyvesant offers a wide range of extracurriculars that each have a supportive community in each. For instance, the annual SING! shows are where you can meet a variety of people who share your interests and make friends. Basically, Stuyvesant is a good school with a supportive community that expects independence and hard work from its students.... Read 1,161 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,304

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Reno, NV•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.53 out of 5  83 reviews

Parent: I am a teacher and my husband is a bartender. Private school wasn't an option for us, and private school wouldn't have been able to meet our daughter's academic needs anyway. Our daughter wasn't initially sold on the idea of moving to Reno and leaving her friends. After seeing the overview video, however, she was determined to go to the gifted school with the air hockey table. Now she is in her sixth year at the Davidson Academy, where she dominates the air hockey scene. She has the most wonderful friends and caring teachers. We moved here for the academics (and air hockey). As expected, they are the best of the best. Only in hindsight do we now see that it's the teachers' genuine care for students' overall wellbeing that makes this school so special. Davidson Academy is more than a school. In a world with limited opportunities for those without unlimited funds, Davidson Academy breaks down barriers and paves the way for students to reach their full potential. Thank you!... Read 83 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 172

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Sarasota County Schools, FL•

• 2-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  369 reviews

Senior: I've attended Pine View School from 2nd grade through 12th grade. This place is great and offers many advanced classes for those who are consistently performing above their grade level. Once a student reaches high school, they have so much freedom in what classes they take and what path they want to go down with their academics. This school teaches kids to be independent and work hard. On the other hand, unfortunately, being gifted comes with its fair share of consequences as well. The levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses here is much higher than at other schools. Consistently pushing oneself to ace rigorous courses takes a toll on one's mental health. Pine View has good resources and understanding staff when it comes to this, but all I want to say is that it is NOT FOR EVERYONE. Just because you or your child are gifted does not mean you should attend. Be prepared to have your limits tested... I hope you have a good work ethic! Personally, I owe PV everything.... Read 369 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,745

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Austin Independent School District, TX•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  512 reviews

Junior: LASA is an overall good school and has outstanding academics along with an amazing councilor team and is rated among the best for college readiness. While I think the school provides many good opportunities through AISD and their personal attributes like the library and office administration, due to it being an incredibly competitive school, the students are typically rude and create a hostile environment. Not a day goes by at LASA that you don't have at least 20 conversations a day regarding grades, colleges, or internships. Upon entering, it's nice because you are surrounded by people who want to pursue their career, but after time you see the manipulative ways in which they do so, and the amount of fake aspirations, and people who have no other life purpose than getting it job, and it is exhausting. Being at LASA is depressing, and almost everyone has academic stress. The amount of stress and anxiety that is filled within the campus makes it not worth it to me.... Read 512 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,309

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 10, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  1,061 reviews

Parent: Excellent academics, almost every AP possible offered, lots of students taking post AP classes. Large school (~2800 kids), but brilliant student body with a wide range of interests and passions. This is the school where one can find high performing athletes with interests in performing arts and computers science or biology or math or physics or engineering. As one of the Specialized high school of the city, students come from all boroughs, making a 2-4 hours daily commute a regular part their 4-year high school journey. Very large number of clubs, sports, student activities. Teachers and administrators are top notch and dedicated. Perfect? Of course not, as it is after all a public school, but the Alumni foundation and the Parent Association are extremely active and generous both with time and resources to make up for what the Dept of Education budget does not cover. Go Wolverines!... Read 1,061 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,985

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Hartsville, SC•

• Public School•

• 11-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  172 reviews

Alum: I attended GSSM from 2015-2017 and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. During my tenure, there was not a heavy presence of arts and humanities, however, now it is my understanding that they have a new focus on this at the school to create a more well-balanced curriculum. The professors and staff were so supportive of my academic trajectory and were able to help out whenever I needed them. I spent many hours completing homework in my professors' offices, as well as studying for their exams and attending study sessions. I am forever grateful for my time at this institution, although sometimes, the workload was overwhelming for a 16-18 year old, it prepared me for college more than I knew. College was extremely easy compared to the stress and rigor of GSSM and that allowed me more freedom for self-expression. Following graduation, I still keep in touch with some professors to this day! If you are on the fence-- go!... Read 172 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 270

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  216 reviews

Sophomore: As a high school student who moved from Korea to start my first experience in an American high school at Saratoga High School, I consider my experience incomparable to any other high school I might have gotten into. Saratoga High School has a broad diversity where most students are first-generation immigrants from many different cultures. Although many people comment that our school is putting immense pressure on students, I think the pressure actually motivates many students. However, sometimes this pressure and high expectations on students might be too much.... Read 216 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,159

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Phoenix, AZ•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  78 reviews

Senior: Basis Phoenix was a competitive environment, filled with high-achieving students, and a hard academic curriculum. I enjoyed getting to know my teachers and fellow classmates, as most were helpful and gave a sincere community to be around. The academic curriculum, on the other hand, provided an immense challenge. It was beyond our level of learning and made it difficult to keep up with. There were many times where I struggled with downgrading self-talk because I learned to define myself by my grades. Along with self-esteem, people at the school are extremely competitive and constantly trying to get ahead of one another, which means they have no qualms about hurting others to do better. While I enjoyed the preparation Basis gave me for college, I believe that there are some aspects that harmed my mental stability and would encourage them to take another look at their school system.... Read 78 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 730

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  108 reviews

Alum: I loved my experience at stem - everyone from teachers to students are friendly and amazing, and we have a lot of resources, encouragement, and support from the school to enter competitions and pursue our passions. The school is pretty small compared to other high schools though, but that's a good thing for me because I was able to form amazing friendships and we are a tight-knit community. I would not suggest attending if you are not willing to put in the work because it is very stressful due to most classes being honors or AP, and you should be prepared to take multiple science classes in one year. Also, there are not many humanities classes, but I know amazing artists and passionate historians in the school that formed clubs related to their interests. I would highly recommend joining, but only if you are passionate about stem and are ready to take on the workload.... Read 108 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 610

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  515 reviews

Alum: The teachers are very passionate about what they teach and the environment is super supportive! The schedule is very intensive and not flexible for students with major time commitments, and lunch is unfortunately quite short. Schedule accommodations are being made though!... Read 515 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,165

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Fremont Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.79 out of 5  499 reviews

Alum: Overall, my experience at Lynbrook was great. I think a lot of that positivity comes from my involvement in the school's extracurricular activities. I participated in Lynbrook's golf team for two years and their soccer team for all four years. I enjoyed my time in both sports. Through these sports I was able to build connections with students I may not have otherwise, and made memories that added a lot to my overall high school experience. I also joined a couple clubs and attended one of them consistently. That also gave me a larger sense of community within Lynbrook. The rallies were always fun, Homecoming week is something everyone looks forward too, and the food isn't that bad either (in my opinion). One thing a lot of students say about Lynbrook is that it's really competitive. I know many amazing students who felt overwhelmed by school. Lynbrook is aware of this, and the school does make many efforts to help students, be it through counseling, stress-relief animal days, and more.... Read 499 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,781

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Palo Alto Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  331 reviews

Senior: Honestly not terrible. Can at times be a bit hit and miss (i.e. got unlucky with teachers, but at what school is that not a thing), but for the most part you can get a pretty good experience out of this school if you stay optimistic. Which brings me to the main downside: (it feels like) everyone goes to college. And because of that, there are great resources to go to college! Which means you can get lulled into a false sense of security around knowing what you need to do for college even though you don't because so much has been handed to you. But as long as you're aware of that you can avoid those pitfalls and have a pretty good time.... Read 331 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,868

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Peoria, AZ•

• Public School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  86 reviews

Junior: The school itself is pretty focused on academics and rigorous courses. It has plenty of available APs you can take and most of the teachers are great. However, sometimes if you put a lot on your plate, the work-life balance can be a little rough. Also, the school itself isn't your typical high school, where it's only 9-12th grades, but it also has all of middle school as well. So with the extra people with the building itself it's kind of crowded at times, but at the same time it's also good because you get to know everyone even if you're not in the same grade. Recently, we've also started a student council, so now there's going to be a lot more student-led events and changes being made, so it should be a nice pace of change. Honestly, the thing I'd really like to be improved is the extracurriculars, there's a wonderful Speech and Debate team (ranked #1 in Arizona), but maybe more options and a larger focus on some of the other clubs and emphasis on them.... Read 86 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 943

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Monmouth County Vocational School District, NJ•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  122 reviews

Freshman: I like the education and the people in the school, but the environment can be very stressful especially during important tests because everyone crams a lot of information. This also leads to a lot of people being depressed and overly stressed out about college. That is because it is an IB school and all of the classes are more rigorous and demanding. The school has some great teachers too on the bright side, especially in the science section. If you like science and you liked to pushed to the best of your abilities, I would recommend this school.... Read 122 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 315

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Dallas Independent School District, TX•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  220 reviews

Junior: The school of science and engineering is a really prestigious school that offers great classes to students. It can sometimes be hard to balance all the work were given because of the challenging classes we take. However the teachers makes the experience a little less dreadful. They strive to make students the best that they can. But what I especially like about my teachers is that they are very strict. The are strict to where they want us to learn and to have a future; that is what I adore about them. Something I would like to see a change is the school spirit. My school doesn’t have the spirit I first thought it did. Not much people are united and interested in school activities. This could be due to the fact that freshman year for us was virtual, so we didn't make any connections. But now going into senior year, I wish my school was closer.... Read 220 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 501

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New York City Geographic District No. 31, NY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  785 reviews

Junior: You will be exposed to a multitude of resources during your time here and welcomed into a great community! While this school may not be for those unwilling to take on a rigorous academic experience, you will certainly be given the choices to take easier classes. The courseload can demanding at times, but most teachers are reasonable as long as you communicate with them. Ultimately, Tech will offer you many things to enhance and enrich your high school experience, but it is up to YOU to take advantage, whether that be through an internship, mentorship, sport, club, SING, etc.... Read 785 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,355

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Long Beach Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  498 reviews

Parent: After sending our son for a year, we are happy to tell that the school is filled with wonderful people. CAMS students are kind, friendly, supporting each other across grades, and caring younger students very well. Parents are very nice and supportive, too. Most teachers have decent backgrounds/careers. It's easy to communicate with teachers and school staffs. Minimal donation/volunteer requests. The school is for students like Engineering, Computer Science, or Bio-technology. Required courses include manufacturing with CNC machines & industrial 3D printers, computer programming, CAD designing, and college level Bio-tech curriculum. Located on CSUDH campus, junior/senior students may take the college classes at reasonable cost. More than 50 clubs to choose from. 1/5 students join FRC or VEX Robotics teams. While sports teams are limited, good players compete at tournaments. Dancing teams actively perform at various school events. A lot of fun and exciting opportunities at CAMS!... Read 498 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 667

• Student-teacher ratio 27:1