2024 Best Schools for STEM in the Los Angeles Area

• Studio City, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.48 out of 5  163 reviews

Parent: Joyful pursuit of excellence! My two daughters are attending Harvard-Westlake. One is in lower school and the other is a junior in the upper school. For the past several years they have been evolving and focusing on the health and well-being of the students! Late starts for high school students, days off for high school students, day trips to Disneyland! Head of School Rick Commons and Associate Head of School Laura Ross are incredible! The teachers are passionate, enthusiastic, outstanding (they often incorporate curbed grading) and there's a supportive team/learning specialists, psychologists who are there for students and parents no matter where they are on their journey! My kids are learning to listen effectively. work collaboratively, enhancing their emotional intelligence quotient. Applying historical-cultural insights to contemporary moments, have a richer appreciation for the need to be an engaged active glocal and global citizen and are more than ready for college!... Read 163 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,620

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Arcadia, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.84 out of 5  61 reviews

Freshman: My son applied for admission to RA for two reasons. First, he heard that the basketball atmosphere at the school is excellent, and the school's basketball team has competed at both the state and national levels, winning the state championship. Second, after coming here, the academic teachers not only arrange class schedules flexibly based on our basketball training time but also provide additional academic tutoring when we have extra learning needs. At the same time, the basketball atmosphere at the school is really good. The school has hired a renowned basketball coach in the California region to guide our school team and participate in various levels of competitions. Thanks to the basketball achievements of school team, my son successfully applied to his ideal university through the NCAA.... Read 61 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 258

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Newport Coast, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  102 reviews

Parent: Sage Hill has provided many opportunities for learning and growth for my student. Not only through the faculty who are extremely dedicated to each student's learning, but also through the additional programs available. My son has been able to excel in his sport and add on an additional sport in his off season. He has also expanded his horizons by volunteering at a soup kitchen through the school and making new friends through various school activities. Sage provides a community in which students can confidently thrive in current areas of interest and also try new things. Between the faculty, coaches, advisor, and college counselors, I know my student has lots of people rooting for his growth and success.... Read 102 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 550

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Los Angeles, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.39 out of 5  166 reviews

Parent: As a parent, I can not say enough wonderful things about Marlborough. It is truly a top-notch school and affords students not only a superb education but a deep sense of community. The academics are rigorous but the support the students receive to be successful is second to none. The teachers, administrators, faculty, staff, and coaches are beyond excellent. The community is diverse, welcoming, kind, curious, and intelligent. I would highly recommend Marlborough without reservation!... Read 166 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 533

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Long Beach Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  497 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 497 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 667

• Student-teacher ratio 27:1

• Pasadena, CA•

• Private School•

• 4-12

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  130 reviews

Senior: Westridge offers an extremely rigorous academic experience. I am immensely grateful for the education I have received at this school. However, I cannot deny the faults of its toxic competitive and elitist environment. The culture of comparative suffering, and pressure to constantly strive for (and prioritize) academic excellence is potent, and damaging to students’ mental health. We don’t have finals anymore, though! That’s a plus.... Read 130 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 550

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Los Angeles, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.52 out of 5  79 reviews

Junior: I love Windward because of the balance of challenging academics, wide range of extracurriculars, incredible student life, and high quality athletics. I feel prepared for college and happy with my experience.... Read 79 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 625

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Claremont, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.43 out of 5  90 reviews

Senior: The campus, first of all, is beautiful. The teachers are also amazing. Classes were difficult, but always doable; students are never assigned busywork, and student-teacher communication is great. On the flip side, (probably due to COVID) the student culture seems to have changed for the worse in recent years. Students now seem more disconnected, and tend to say or do unacceptable or just rude things. Also, both the student body and the faculty are not very diverse. This is a problem Webb is definitely working on, and I have seen some progress not only in hiring and acceptance but also in school culture. Webb has held many (student run!) events celebrating different cultures and educating students on barriers their peers may face due to race, ethnicity, gender, etc., like the Asian Affinity's Fashion Show, which I was a part of(It was a LOT of fun). That's why I think Webb is. ultimately, a great school; because the administration listens and changes according to student voices.... Read 90 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 404

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• La Canada Flintridge, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.66 out of 5  107 reviews

Parent: So far, so good. Son chose this school over other top schools because he liked the community there. Happy to report that he is loving school and the food and getting acclimated very well. The HS academics are challenging which is a plus but I never got the sense that he is stressed out. It is a healthy and manageable level for him but could be difficult if student is not used to the rigor. The teachers and admins are very supportive and available and most of the students are friendly, nice, and well rounded. We love the school so much that we are excitedly waiting to get our younger one there for 7th!... Read 107 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 530

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• ABC Unified School District, CA•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  399 reviews

Sophomore: Whitney has little social conflict and is arguably a little boring. The teachers excel at teaching despite that some are questionable in terms of character. Every space has its share of bad influence, but I would argue that, compared to other high schools, Whitney promotes good character; some of my favorite teachers are Whitney alumni. In terms of size, Whitney is not winning. They built a new science building, but there are still not enough tables for everyone to sit at, forcing the majority of the underclassmen to sit on the ground during lunch. We also do not have a football field. Whitney's extracurriculars tend to be shifted towards the arts, creating a diverse culture among students. The biggest clubs are service and culture clubs. Each year on International Day, the culture clubs go all out with performances and food. In my opinion, Whitney's theatre productions are the most amazing part of our extracurriculars, especially 2023's Anything Goes performance.... Read 399 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,013

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• Rowland Heights, CA•

• Private School•

• 3-12

• •
  Rating 4.93 out of 5  86 reviews

Sophomore: I'm a student taking the MBacc course at Elite Open School. MBacc course gives us a completely different opportunity of learning from the original high school course. MBacc class goes on online and follows the form of the class called the forum that is made by Minerva University. In the forum, we meet teachers and students living in different countries online. The advantage that I found in this course is that we are doing 'real' learning, not just studying for exams or university. By doing student-led classes and lots of presentations, we learn what we have to learn in the real world and relate every topic to each other. Whenever I take the class, I feel like I'm really learning something very useful and meaningful. Even though there are some parts where we have many work-loads for every class, a small number of students in class, and different time-line with teachers and other students, these factors also make us more productive and have real close relationships with the class!... Read 86 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 185

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Anaheim, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.58 out of 5  109 reviews

Parent: For generations, Fairmont Academy has been a cornerstone of our family and for good reason. Investing in this institution is an investment with long-term benefits - offering the chance to gain more than just knowledge but also confidence, discipline and poise. Education plays such a key role in success that making sure we give our children the best start possible was paramount; thankfully at Fairmont they are guaranteed quality teaching from experts who know their stuff!... Read 109 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 456

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Fullerton Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  967 reviews

Senior: I have loved my time at Troy High School these past four years. Even though my sophomore year was Covid, my school has prepared me for everything I can imagine college will possibly be. I have great relationships with my teachers, they are truly in my corner and encouraging me to dream so much farther than I ever was when I started freshman year. I feel challenged in what I am learning but excited about what it to come. and I am a little restless, just ready to get going for what is next after high school. I think my time at Troy really got me ready for that! Troy has been so much fun with clubs and my soccer team and kept things balanced while keeping school going and life got busy. My favorite each year is the halloween rally when our sports teams dance and the pink game each year. Our student body takes over! I am definitely ready for the next chapter of life to start, but I will always love my time in highschool- go warriors!... Read 967 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,614

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Irvine Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  519 reviews

Sophomore: I've had a pretty amazing experience at University High School in Irvine, California. They have provided me with so many opportunities for rigorous learning and opportunities to be involved in so many unique clubs, activities, and classes. Students at University High are really passionate and love to collaborate with each other. Teachers also really care about their students and I've had so many meaningful interactions in their classes. Classes are interesting and engaging and we often have interesting discussions. Also, no matter what question I have or if I want to learn more about something, there is always someone willing to help me -- teachers, counselors, students, anyone! I've had a chance to really foster my love for learning by taking honors classes. The only downside I would reflect on is how competitive the environment can be, which makes you feel a bit pressured at times to be high achieving. But competitiveness has also encouraged me as well!... Read 519 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,097

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Pasadena, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  107 reviews

Sophomore: Poly offers so many vast opportunities for learning, growth, change, challenge and mastery. My teachers and my classmates are supportive and the community as a whole is welcoming. I couldn't think of what I would change about Poly. The greatest challenge that I see Poly facing is time. There are not enough hours in a day or week to be able to enjoy all the opportunities it allows for, however that challenge has forced me to utilize my time more efficiently.... Read 107 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 872

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Chatsworth, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.59 out of 5  114 reviews

Parent: No place is perfect, but Sierra Canyon is about as close as you can get to a child utopia! My two kids (who are very different) have been incredibly well served by Sierra- socially, athletically, and academically all while being in a warm and loving environment. You walk into Sierra and it's like you drank happy juice! It is just so inviting and visually diverse. And this feeling is real. Everything they tell you during the tours and through admissions is true- and it's actually better. My kids have thrived at Sierra Canyon.... Read 114 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,173

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Los Angeles, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  26 reviews

Junior: YULA is a great modern-orthodox school. They have wonderful teachers and really support student growth. Despite this, I feel as though they could improve their dedication to extracurriculars that are not athletic.... Read 26 reviews

• grade A

• Students 206

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Irvine, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.42 out of 5  189 reviews

Parent: TVT was tremendously supportive and welcoming as my son transitioned from another school. On the first day, I received an email with a picture of my smiling son and a brief note telling me he's doing great. From that day forward, I can't say enough wonderful things about the administrators, faculty, and all the great school events that brought families onto campus to witness firsthand how our children are learning and growing. My son would tell me he loved his teachers because they were kind and they challenged him every day in all his subjects. Besides math, his other favorite subject is learning Hebrew! They make learning fun! He made new friends quickly and they support each other wholeheartedly. As I attended parent workshops and volunteering opportunities, I was impressed with the advanced curriculum but more importantly, their focus on building great character, addressing the student's emotional needs, and providing a well rounded support system. TVT far exceeded my expectations!... Read 189 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 830

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Los Angeles, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.34 out of 5  59 reviews

Parent: My daughter attends Milken and it has been a wonderful experience for her and our family. First, the students were so welcoming (and so were parents). Second, the opportunities available are immense - so many electives, athletics and the arts that she could try everything she wanted to before committing once she gets to high school. Her teachers are supportive and when we reached out to ask questions, they were very helpful and attentive. The school has been a very stepped up experience from elementary school - more than we could have expected. The senior leadership has vision, and the students benefit from that. We love it!... Read 59 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 768

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Riverside Unified School District, CA•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  57 reviews

Alum: As someone who was a student from 5th through 12th, I had a great experience in the middle school. Great teachers, fun activities and a unique experience that made it very different from any other school I could go to. Going into high school, it was a bit more disorganized and not as innovative with the experience, and rather felt lacking compared to a normal high school. Despite this the smaller environment, and the excellent teachers made the school and overall great experience.... Read 57 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 662

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  101 reviews

Senior: As a current senior, I have loved my time at Chadwick School. The teachers are incredible; they are always willing to meet with students outside of class time to go over content and improve the student's academic skills. The athletics department is fantastic because anyone can join any sport. It provides a great opportunity to expand your comfort zone, experience team camaraderie, and play against other teams. The campus is beautiful because of all the trees and green areas and everyone on campus is extremely friendly. The cafeteria has wonderful food - from sushi, to omlette bars, to ice cream bars, etc. Outdoor education trips have been the highlight of my Chadwick time because you go backpacking with a group of 12 students for a week and experience the outdoors. It is great for bonding and appreciating nature. I have met my closest friends here, and I am so thankful for every dance, class, and event I've attend through this school! Love this campus more than anything!... Read 101 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 865

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Marino Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  279 reviews

Works Here: The thing I love most about this school is the sense of community. We really are a small town and parents, students, and staff are all vital parts of making sure the school is excellent! We have over 20 sports, a thriving visual and performing arts program, two strong CTE pathways in business and media arts, as well as a brand new Medical Arts Academy in partnership with Pasadena City Colleges Dual Enrollment program of which we offer over 7 courses. We offer over 30 clubs and are adding new ones every year. Our teaching staff are second to none and offer a variety of engaging and creative activities and challenging lessons to prepare students for their post-secondary life which includes over 90% of students matriculating to a four-year university.... Read 279 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 869

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Los Angeles, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.32 out of 5  34 reviews

Senior: I have attended Pilibos for 7 years. It does its best with what it has, but there are some inconsistencies that I do not like. The administration has too much influence over the curriculum of the teachers and it often feels like the teachers don't approve of the material they are teaching. Regardless, the teachers are knowledgeable and great people. The school environment is very safe, and the diversity of sports offered is great. Overall a great school!... Read 34 reviews

• grade A

• Students 613

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• San Juan Capistrano, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  58 reviews

Parent: From the moment I walked through the campus , I was impressed with the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff and teachers were friendly and approachable, and the students seemed happy and engaged in their learning. The facilities are top-notch. The classrooms are spacious, clean, and equipped with the latest technology to enhance the learning experience. The school also has a well-stocked library, science and computer labs, a gymnasium, and outdoor sports fields. One of the things I appreciate most about SMES is their commitment to student well-being. The school offers a range of programs and services to support the mental health and emotional well-being of its students, including counseling services, and extracurricular activities that promote physical activity and social connection.... Read 58 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,250

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Glendale Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  222 reviews

Senior: In key metrics of college and job preparedness, this school outperforms the state average. This school's test results are well above the state average, indicating that the majority of its students are performing at or above grade level. The staff is also kind and always has a smile on their face. An overall clean environment for the students to study hard was provided as well.... Read 222 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,191

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1