Washington high school ranked third-best in nation in 2024 U.S. News annual ranking list

Daniel Schrager
·2 min read

The third-best public high school in the country is in Washington state, according to U.S. News and World Report’s latest rankings, which were released last week.

Redmond’s Tesla STEM High School earned an overall score of 99.98, and was behind only two other schools. BASIS Peoria in Peoria, Arizona took first place and Signature School in Evansville, Indiana earned second place.

Tesla STEM High School is run by the Lake Washington School District, which also topped U.S. News’s ranking of the best magnet schools in the country.

Only one other Washington state school made the top 100 spots on the U.S. News nationwide rankings – International School in Bellevue, which took the 65th spot.

Other top schools in WA

In addition to the nearly 18,000 high schools listed nationwide, U.S. News also put together a ranking of Washington schools.

The third- and fourth-best schools on the Washington ranking list were Interlake and Newport Senior High Schools in Bellevue. Tukwila’s Raisbeck Aviation High School rounded out the state’s top five.

Top schools in Tacoma, Pierce County

  • Science and Math Institute – No. 20 in WA

  • Curtis Senior High School – No. 43 in WA

  • Gig Harbor High School – No 47 in WA

  • Puyallup High School – No. 54 in WA

  • Bonney Lake High School – No. 67 in WA

Top schools in Olympia, Thurston County

  • Olympia High School – No. 31 in WA

  • Rainier Senior High School – No. 66 in WA

  • North Thurston High School – No. 77 in WA

  • Capital High School – No. 95 in WA

  • River Ridge High School – No. 97 in WA

The exterior of Capital High School’s new performing arts center in west Olympia.
The exterior of Capital High School’s new performing arts center in west Olympia.

Top schools in Bellingham, Whatcom County

  • Sehome High School – No. 24 in WA

  • Bellingham High School – No. 48 in WA

  • Squalicum High School – No. 78 in WA

  • Ferndale Virtual Academy – No. 110 in WA

  • Lynden High School – No. 114 in WA

Students walking outside Sehome High School, one of the demonstration sites that practice inclusive learning through its partnership with the University of Washington’s Haring Center.
Students walking outside Sehome High School, one of the demonstration sites that practice inclusive learning through its partnership with the University of Washington’s Haring Center.

Top schools in Tri-Cities area

  • Hanford High School – No. 58 in WA

  • Kamiakin High School – No. 72 in WA

  • Richland High School – No. 85 in WA

  • Southridge High School – No. 128 in WA

  • Kennewick High School – No. 168 in WA

Hanford High School in Richland, Wash.
Hanford High School in Richland, Wash.

See the complete statewide rankings here.

How does WA compare to other states?

U.S. News also ranked each state by the quality of its high schools. Washington took 28th place overall. The Evergreen State was slightly under-represented in the top 5% and top 25% of schools nationally, but slightly over-represented in the top 10%.