Columbus, OH high schools ranked

RankGradeSchoolCityDistrictActualProjectedImpactStudents
#1A+Columbus Preparatory Academy (Charter, K-12)ColumbusColumbus Preparatory Academy64%36%Greatly Exceeds Expectations841
#2AGrandview Heights High SchoolColumbusGrandview Heights Schools81%69%Exceeds Expectations344
#3APatriot Preparatory Academy (Charter, K-12)ColumbusPatriot Preparatory Academy57%18%Greatly Exceeds Expectations711
#4A-Worthington Kilbourne High SchoolColumbusWorthington City74%49%Greatly Exceeds Expectations1,505
#5A-Zenith Academy (Charter, K-12)ColumbusZenith Academy50%23%Greatly Exceeds Expectations441
#6A-Kipp Columbus (Charter, K-12)ColumbusKIPP Columbus47%18%Greatly Exceeds Expectations1,920
#7BMetro Early College High SchoolColumbusMetro Early College High School67%60%Meets Expectations876
#8B-Columbus Alternative High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District64%44%Greatly Exceeds Expectations758
#9B-Hamilton Township High SchoolColumbusHamilton Local63%45%Greatly Exceeds Expectations775
#10B-Bridge Gate Community School (Charter, K-12)ColumbusBridge Gate Community School34%10%Greatly Exceeds Expectations212
#11CColumbus Arts And Technology Academy (Charter, K-12)ColumbusColumbus Arts & Technology Academy29%10%Greatly Exceeds Expectations509
#12C-Horizon Science Academy Columbus (Charter)ColumbusHorizon Science Academy Columbus51%13%Greatly Exceeds Expectations502
#13D+Franklin Heights High SchoolColumbusSouth-Western City48%38%Meets Expectations1,338
#14D+Arts And College Preparatory Academy (Charter)ColumbusArts & College Preparatory Academy45%30%Exceeds Expectations483
#15D+Whetstone High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District44%39%Meets Expectations976
#16DCentennial High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District40%42%Doesn't Meet Expectations732
#17D-Fort Hayes Arts And Academic HSColumbusColumbus City Schools District33%30%Meets Expectations718
#18D-Briggs High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District30%21%Meets Expectations980
#19D-Charles School At Ohio Dominican University (Charter)ColumbusCharles School at Ohio Dominican University30%13%Greatly Exceeds Expectations301
#20D-Mifflin High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District26%14%Exceeds Expectations749
#21D-Eastmoor AcademyColumbusColumbus City Schools District25%15%Meets Expectations673
#22D-Walnut Ridge High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District24%14%Exceeds Expectations684
#23D-Columbus North International School 7 12ColumbusColumbus City Schools District21%21%Doesn't Meet Expectations392
#24D-East High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District21%14%Meets Expectations440
#25D-Northland High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District21%18%Meets Expectations904
#26D-West High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District20%16%Meets Expectations837
#27FBeechcroft High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District19%15%Meets Expectations658
#28FFlex High School (Charter)ColumbusFlex High School19%20%Doesn't Meet Expectations376
#29FIndependence High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District18%14%Meets Expectations664
#30FColumbus Africentric Early College High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District17%16%Doesn't Meet Expectations367
#31FFocus Learning Academy Of Southwest Columbus (Charter)ColumbusFocus Learning Academy of Southwestern Columbus17%23%Doesn't Meet Expectations274
#32FMarion Franklin High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District17%14%Meets Expectations473
#33FSouth High SchoolColumbusColumbus City Schools District15%17%Doesn't Meet Expectations903
#34FLinden Mckinley Stem AcademyColumbusColumbus City Schools District13%12%Doesn't Meet Expectations776
#35FFocus North High School (Charter)ColumbusFocus North High School12%18%Doesn't Meet Expectations144
#36FFranklinton High School (Charter)ColumbusFranklinton High School11%19%Underperforms Expectations114
#37FYb Columbus Community School (Charter)ColumbusYB Columbus Community School10%14%Doesn't Meet Expectations208
#38FGraham School The (Charter)ColumbusGraham School The8%21%Underperforms Expectations147
#39FThe Academy For Urban Scholars (Charter)ColumbusThe Academy for Urban Scholars7%15%Underperforms Expectations333
#40FSpecial Education Center (K-12)ColumbusColumbus City Schools District2%21%Underperforms Expectations158
#41FEarly College Academy (Charter)ColumbusEarly College Academy0%15%Underperforms Expectations129

How Columbus, OH's high schools compare

A: 6B: 4C: 2D: 14F: 15

24% of the 41 ranked high schools in Columbus, OH earn an A or B (6 A grades, 4 B, 2 C, 14 D, 15 F), against 50% of high schools nationwide. 27 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (66% here, 74% nationally), and 15 exceed it. On average 32% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 24% (national averages: 44% actual, 41% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Patriot Preparatory Academy (57% against 18%, A), Horizon Science Academy Columbus (51% against 13%, C-), Kipp Columbus (47% against 18%, A-), Columbus Preparatory Academy (64% against 36%, A+), Zenith Academy (50% against 23%, A-).

The largest ranked high schools: Kipp Columbus (1,920 students, A-, #6), Worthington Kilbourne High School (1,505 students, A-, #4), Franklin Heights High School (1,338 students, D+, #13).

Of the top 25, 0 are magnet schools and 9 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.

High schools in Columbus, OH that are not ranked

20 graded high schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Special-purpose schools (2)

Alternative, special-education and vocational schools serve a different mission and a different student body, so they are graded but not ranked against regular schools.

Fully online schools (2)

Statewide virtual schools draw students from everywhere, so a place ranking is not a fair comparison.

Very small schools (1)

Schools with fewer than 30 students have grades that swing on a handful of test results.

Not yet graded (15)

Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.

About this ranking

  • Scope: public high schools in Columbus, OH, as grouped on its schools page; the Ohio ranking covers the whole state.
  • Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
  • Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
  • Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the high schools.
  • Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about high schools in Columbus, OH

What is the best high school in Columbus, OH?

Columbus Preparatory Academy in Columbus ranks first among the 41 ranked high schools in Columbus, OH with a SchoolGrade of A+, 64% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 36%.

How are high schools in Columbus, OH ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many high schools does Columbus, OH have?

SchoolGrade grades 61 public high schools in Columbus, OH; 41 are ranked here and 20 are listed as not ranked.