South Florida once again shone in the annual U.S. News & World Report ranking of the nation's top high schools. Impressively, five schools from Miami-Dade County secured spots among Florida's top 10, with all of them also placing within the top 100 in the United States for the 2026-2027 edition.
According to a report by Telemundo 51, the ranking, released on Thursday by the specialized magazine, assessed educational institutions based on six criteria: college readiness, performance on state assessments, graduation rate, equity in performance among disadvantaged students, and the breadth of the college curriculum. These evaluations used data from the 2023-2024 academic year.
Leading the state ranking was Pine View School in Osprey, Sarasota County, which achieved the 13th spot nationally with an impressive score of 99.93 out of 100.
However, Miami-Dade's Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU) in North Miami clinched the second position in Florida and ranked 31st nationwide. This school is noted as "the only public high school in Florida with a collaborative partnership with a public university."
Miami-Dade Schools Excel in State and National Rankings
The other four Miami-Dade schools completing the state's top 10 were Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School (4th in Florida, 39th nationally), José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy in Hialeah (6th in Florida, 55th nationally), iPreparatory Academy in Miami (9th in Florida, 86th nationally), and Terra Environmental Research Institute, also in Miami (10th in Florida, 87th nationally).
Additionally, Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH) placed 13th in Florida and 96th nationally, bringing the total to six Miami-Dade schools within the nation's top 100.
Broward County's Contribution to the Top 100
In total, seven schools from Miami-Dade and Broward counties joined this exclusive group of the top 100 educational centers nationwide. Broward's highest-ranked institution, Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy in Tamarac, secured the 11th spot in Florida and 93rd nationwide, marking the only representation from that county in the top 100.
This performance by Miami-Dade reflects a significant improvement over previous editions of the same ranking. In 2023, four of the county's schools were in the national top 100, led by School for Advanced Studies at the third spot in the country. The current edition sees that number grow to six, with five schools among the state's top 10.
Magnet and charter schools have driven this success. As noted by Telemundo 51, "in Miami-Dade County, magnet schools and charter schools dominated the top 10," thanks to specialized programs in science, technology, arts, and international studies that attract high-achieving students through applications or lotteries.
The U.S. News ranking of top high schools is published annually and is regarded as one of the most influential in the U.S. education system, with a methodology that heavily weighs college readiness, accounting for 30% of the total evaluation weight.
Frequently Asked Questions About Miami-Dade High School Rankings
What criteria does the U.S. News & World Report use to rank high schools?
The ranking evaluates schools based on six criteria: college readiness, state assessment performance, graduation rates, equity in performance among disadvantaged students, and the breadth of college curriculum, using data from the 2023-2024 academic year.
How many Miami-Dade schools are in the top 100 nationally?
Six Miami-Dade schools are ranked within the top 100 high schools in the United States.
Which Miami-Dade school ranked the highest nationally?
The Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU) in North Miami ranked the highest nationally among Miami-Dade schools, placing 31st in the country.