Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Washington using rankings from Niche. It ranked Olympia High School as the 21 best among 884 public high schools in the state and the only school in Thurston County to make the Top 25 List.

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: 48.1 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2020; and there are almost 24,000 public high schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

For many anxious parents, getting their kid 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.

Here’s how it breaks down: Niche uses eight factors for its rankings, with each factor given a different weight. A whopping 60% of the score is based on academics and grades, which is calculated using state assessment proficiency tests, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses. From there, culture and diversity, parent and student surveys on their overall experiences, and teachers each contribute to 10% of the score. Finally, scores for each school’s clubs and activities, health and safety, resources and facilities, and sports constitute 2.5% each.

Here are the others in the Top 25. 

#25. Sehome High School
- School district: Bellingham School District
- Enrollment: 1,153 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#24. Kamiak High School
- School district: Mukilteo School District
- Enrollment: 2,096 (24:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#23. Lake Washington High School
- School district: Lake Washington School District
- Enrollment: 1,765 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#22. Inglemoor High School
- School district: Northshore School District
- Enrollment: 1,659 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

21. Olympia High School

- School district: Olympia School District
- Enrollment: 1,879 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#20. Ingraham High School
- School district: Seattle Public Schools
- Enrollment: 1,488 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#19. Sammamish Senior High School
- School district: Bellevue School District
- Enrollment: 1,272 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#18. Roosevelt High School
- School district: Seattle Public Schools
- Enrollment: 1,822 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A

#17. Garfield High School
- School district: Seattle Public Schools
- Enrollment: 1,786 (26:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#16. Liberty Senior High School
- School district: Issaquah School District
- Enrollment: 1,460 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#15. Bainbridge High School
- School district: Bainbridge Island School District
- Enrollment: 1,369 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#14. Skyline High School
- School district: Issaquah School District
- Enrollment: 2,230 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#13. Woodinville High School
- School district: Northshore School District
- Enrollment: 1,696 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#12. Issaquah High School
- School district: Issaquah School District
- Enrollment: 2,480 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#11. Redmond High School
- School district: Lake Washington School District
- Enrollment: 2,087 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#10. Eastlake High School
- School district: Lake Washington School District
- Enrollment: 2,151 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#9. North Creek High School
- School district: Northshore School District
- Enrollment: 1,722 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#8. Mercer Island High School
- School district: Mercer Island School District
- Enrollment: 1,544 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#7. Raisbeck Aviation High School
- School district: Highline School District
- Enrollment: 400 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#6. Bellevue High School
- School district: Bellevue School District
- Enrollment: 1,537 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#5. International School
- School district: Bellevue School District
- Enrollment: 587 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#4. Newport Senior High School
- School district: Bellevue School District
- Enrollment: 1,781 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#3. Interlake Senior High School
- School district: Bellevue School District
- Enrollment: 1,705 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#2. International Community School
- School district: Lake Washington School District
- Enrollment: 429 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+

#1. Tesla STEM High School
- School district: Lake Washington School District
- Enrollment: 603 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+