News Summary
The Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia has been recognized as the 8th best high school nationally in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. This achievement reinforces its status as the highest-ranked school in Pennsylvania since 1996. Following it, Downingtown STEM Academy ranks 22nd nationally. The rankings reflect academic performance metrics, underscoring the school’s commitment to providing quality education despite a slight drop from the previous year’s 4th position.
Philadelphia has achieved a remarkable accolade, as the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School has been ranked 8th nationally in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools” rankings. This prestigious recognition continues a long-standing tradition for Masterman School, which has held the title of the highest-ranked school in Pennsylvania since 1996.
Following closely behind in the national rankings, Downingtown STEM Academy in Chester County has been positioned at 22nd. Meanwhile, the top spot in the 2025 rankings is held by BASIS Tucson North in Tucson, Arizona, while its sister school, BASIS Peoria, enjoyed the top ranking in 2024.
The U.S. News rankings evaluate high schools based on several key performance indicators, including graduation rates, state assessment results, and scores from Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. These measures help provide a comprehensive view of a school’s academic performance.
In the latest rankings, Julia R. Masterman School has slid from its previous position of 4th in the 2024 report. However, its sustained presence among the nation’s elite schools emphasizes its continuous commitment to high-quality education. The demographic trends among the top schools reveal that 29.2% are located in urban areas, 44% in suburban regions, and 26.8% in rural locales. Notably, among all ranked schools, 25.4% are in cities, 25.8% in suburbs, and 48.8% in rural areas, highlighting a diverse distribution.
In the South Jersey region, the top-ranked institutions included Moorestown High School at 819th and Haddonfield Memorial High School at 965th. Hershey High School emerged as the top high school within central Pennsylvania, ranking alongside Cumberland Valley High School and Camp Hill Senior High School, which also topped the region’s listings.
The only charter school in the area to make an appearance on the list is the Capital Area School for the Arts Charter, which ranked 112th in Pennsylvania. Interestingly, no cyber charter schools appeared among the top-ranked institutions in the report. Cumberland Valley High School has received recognition as the best STEM school in the central Pennsylvania area, securing the 26th spot in Pennsylvania and 432nd nationally.
The data utilized for these rankings originate from the 2022-2023 academic year, including demographic breakdowns of the schools evaluated. Among all the ranked schools, a significant 71.4% had at least a quarter of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, underscoring the socioeconomic diversity present within these top-performing educational institutions.
The results from the U.S. News & World Report reflect ongoing efforts by schools across the nation to improve educational outcomes amidst varying challenges. As each year brings new rankings, the emphasis on academic excellence remains paramount in shaping the educational landscape.
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Additional Resources
- PennLive: Best High Schools Rankings
- Wikipedia: High School
- Philadelphia Magazine: Best High Schools in Philadelphia Suburbs
- Google Search: Best High Schools in Philadelphia
- CBS News: Top Schools in PA
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- PHL17: Top PA Public Schools
- Google News: Philadelphia Public Schools
Author: STAFF HERE PHILADELPHIA WRITER
PHILADELPHIA STAFF WRITER The PHILADELPHIA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREPhiladelphia.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Mummers Parade, Philadelphia Flower Show, and Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Greater Philadelphia, plus leading businesses in telecommunications, food services, and healthcare that power the local economy such as Comcast, Aramark, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Pennsylvania's dynamic landscape.
