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This Pennsylvania high school ranks in the top 10 nationwide

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Published  August 20, 2025 10:44am EDT
Education
FOX 29 Philadelphia

The Brief

    • Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Philadelphia has once again been ranked in the top 10 high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
    • The competitive magnet school is ranked No. 8 on the national list for 2025.
    • The school has a highly selective admissions process and is considered one of the best public schools in Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - In a country with tens of thousands of high schools, a single Philadelphia institution has earned a spot among the nation's top 10. 

What we know:

According to the U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings, Philadelphia's Julia R. Masterman Secondary School has been named the eighth-best high school in the nation.

The rankings, which evaluate nearly 18,000 public high schools across the country, are based on a rigorous analysis of key statistics, including state test scores, college readiness and graduation rates. 

Julia R. Masterman Secondary School is a public magnet school located in the city of Philadelphia that serves students in grades 5 through 12. The school has a 9-12 enrollment of 465 students and is considered one of the most difficult schools to get into in the country, with a high school acceptance rate of approximately 3%.

The Julia R. Masterman Secondary School, which has a highly selective admissions process, finished fourth in the 2024 rankings. Other Pennsylvania schools also made the list, including Downingtown STEM Academy in Chester County, which placed 22nd nationally.

The school is ranked first in the School District of Philadelphia and in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to the report, 99% of the school's students reportedly have taken at least one AP exam.

Local schools in the top 300

Pennsylvania schools

  • 8th: Julia R. Masterman Secondary School, School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
  • 22nd: Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown Area School District, Chester County
  • 208th: Central High School, School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County

New Jersey schools

  • 27th: High Technology High School, Monmouth County Vocational School District
  • 41st: Bergen County Academies, Bergen County Vocational Technical School District
  • 59th: Edison Academy Magnet School, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District
  • 77th: Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School, Jersey City Public Schools
  • 79th: Union County Magnet High School, Union County Vocational-Technical School District
  • 80th: Biotechnology High School, Monmouth County Vocational School District
  • 82nd: Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro, Bergen County Vocational Technical School District
  • 90th: Woodbridge Academy Magnet School, Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District
  • 94th: Academy for Information Technology, Union County Vocational-Technical School District
  • 114th: Academy for Allied Health Sciences, Union County Vocational-Technical School District
  • 186th: Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Monmouth County Vocational School District
  • 244th: Millburn High School, Millburn Township School District
  • 282nd: Glen Ridge High School, Glen Ridge Public School District
  • 283rd: STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges, Orange Board of Education School District
  • 288th: Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health and Science, Monmouth County Vocational School District

Delaware schools

  • 87th: Charter School of Wilmington, New Castle County
  • 273rd: Sussex Academy, Sussex County

The Source: This article uses information sourced from the U.S. News & World Report. 

Education