Four of Centre County’s five public high schools improved their statewide standing in the U.S News & World Report 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings released this week.
The annual rankings of 18,000 public high schools are based on performance indicators including student achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates and college readiness measures such as participation and success on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.
State College Area High School was once again the highest rated in the county. It is ranked No. 38 among Pennsylvania’s 741 public high schools, up three spots from last year. Nationally, State High ranked No. 1,371, down from No. 1,271 last year.
Penns Valley Area Junior/Senior High rose to No. 63 in Pennsylvania from No. 115 a year ago. Nationally, it ranked No. 1,765, improving from No. 3,021.
Bald Eagle Area Junior/Senior High School is No. 192 in Pennsylvania, up from No. 227 in 2024-25. Its national ranking is No. 4,815, up from No. 5,440 last year.
Bellefonte Area High School was the only Centre County high school to fall in the rankings, dropping to No. 306 from No. 73 a year earlier. Nationally, its ranking fell to No. 7,498 from No. 1,974. This year’s rankings are more in line with Bellefonte’s standing in the 2023-24 list, when it was No. 326 in the state and No. 7,944 nationally.
Philipsburg-Osceola Area High School also climbed in the rankings, moving up to No. 368 in the state from No. 466 last year. Its national ranking also rose to No. 9,316 from No. 12,323 in 2024-25.
Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philadelphia was Pennsylvania’s top-ranked public high school for the fourth consecutive year and rated No. 8 in the nation.
“Students and families need data to help them make one of the most important decisions of their academic journey. Our Best High Schools rankings provide the insights to help them identify schools that will prepare students for college success,” LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, said in a release. “Access to information isn’t just helpful— it’s essential for planning a student’s future.”
