Tucson, AZ high schools ranked

RankGradeSchoolCityDistrictActualProjectedImpactStudents
#1A+University High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)90%71%Greatly Exceeds Expectations1,060
#2A+Basis Tucson Primary (Charter, K-12)TucsonBASIS Charter Schools Inc. (6361)74%25%Greatly Exceeds Expectations806
#3AVail Academy And High School (K-12)TucsonVail Unified District (4413)62%44%Greatly Exceeds Expectations554
#4A-Academy Of Math And Science (Charter, K-12)TucsonAcademy of Mathematics and Science Inc. (79961)51%21%Greatly Exceeds Expectations581
#5A-Sonoran Science Academy Tucson (Charter, K-12)TucsonDaisy Education Corporation dba Sonoran Science Ac (79049)49%36%Greatly Exceeds Expectations723
#6B+Empire High SchoolTucsonVail Unified District (4413)57%44%Greatly Exceeds Expectations876
#7B+Vail Blended LearningTucsonVail Unified District (4413)55%37%Greatly Exceeds Expectations74
#8B+Catalina Foothills High SchoolTucsonCatalina Foothills Unified District (4410)53%54%Meets Expectations1,887
#9B+Presidio School (Charter, K-12)TucsonPresidio School (4425)43%32%Greatly Exceeds Expectations377
#10BTanque Verde High SchoolTucsonTanque Verde Unified District (4408)50%52%Meets Expectations712
#11B-Mica Mountain HighTucsonVail Unified District (4413)43%44%Meets Expectations1,161
#12C+Academy Of Tucson High School (Charter)TucsonAcademy of Tucson Inc. (78897)40%40%Meets Expectations166
#13C-Andrada Polytechnic High SchoolTucsonVail Unified District (4413)30%36%Doesn't Meet Expectations652
#14C-Sabino High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)30%54%Underperforms Expectations862
#15C-Mountain View High SchoolTucsonMarana Unified District (4404)27%35%Doesn't Meet Expectations1,831
#16D+Sky Islands (Charter)TucsonBlue Adobe Project (89871)25%31%Doesn't Meet Expectations70
#17D+Amerischools Academy Country Club (Charter, K-12)TucsonThe Charter Foundation Inc. (6355)18%18%Meets Expectations187
#18DFlowing Wells High SchoolTucsonFlowing Wells Unified District (4405)23%27%Doesn't Meet Expectations1,694
#19DMarana High SchoolTucsonMarana Unified District (4404)23%41%Underperforms Expectations2,379
#20DTucson Magnet High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)19%36%Underperforms Expectations3,162
#21DTucson International Academy (Charter, K-12)TucsonTucson International Academy Inc. (79979)16%14%Exceeds Expectations70
#22DTia West (Charter, K-12)TucsonTucson International Academy Inc. (79979)13%17%Meets Expectations125
#23D-Sahuaro High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)18%43%Underperforms Expectations1,432
#24D-City High School (Charter)TucsonCITY Center for Collaborative Learning (85448)16%35%Underperforms Expectations186
#25D-Pueblo High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)13%18%Doesn't Meet Expectations1,831
#26D-Tucson International Academy Midvale (Charter, K-12)TucsonTucson International Academy Inc. (79979)11%16%Meets Expectations127
#27FDesert View High SchoolTucsonSunnyside Unified District (4407)11%26%Underperforms Expectations2,169
#28FInnovation Tech High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)10%28%Underperforms Expectations286
#29FCholla High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)9%15%Doesn't Meet Expectations1,760
#30FSunnyside High SchoolTucsonSunnyside Unified District (4407)9%14%Doesn't Meet Expectations2,204
#31FAmphitheater High SchoolTucsonAmphitheater Unified District (4406)8%22%Underperforms Expectations1,163
#32FPalo Verde High Magnet SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)8%32%Underperforms Expectations691
#33FRincon High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)8%37%Underperforms Expectations1,273
#34FSanta Rita High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)6%34%Underperforms Expectations392
#35FCatalina High SchoolTucsonTucson Unified District (4403)5%25%Underperforms Expectations600

How Tucson, AZ's high schools compare

A: 5B: 6C: 4D: 11F: 9

31% of the 35 ranked high schools in Tucson, AZ earn an A or B (5 A grades, 6 B, 4 C, 11 D, 9 F), against 48% of high schools nationwide. 16 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (46% here, 75% nationally), and 9 exceed it. On average 29% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 33% (national averages: 42% actual, 40% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Basis Tucson Primary (74% against 25%, A+), Academy Of Math And Science (51% against 21%, A-), University High School (90% against 71%, A+), Vail Academy And High School (62% against 44%, A), Vail Blended Learning (55% against 37%, B+).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): Vail Unified District (4413) (3).

The largest ranked high schools: Tucson Magnet High School (3,162 students, D, #20), Marana High School (2,379 students, D, #19), Sunnyside High School (2,204 students, F, #30).

Of the top 25, 0 are magnet schools and 10 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 Tucson, AZ that are not ranked

37 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 (21)

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.

Closed schools (3)

NCES lists these schools as closed or inactive since their last graded year.

Not yet graded (11)

Too little test data to grade.

About this ranking

  • Scope: public high schools in Tucson, AZ, as grouped on its schools page; the Arizona 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 Tucson, AZ

What is the best high school in Tucson, AZ?

University High School in Tucson ranks first among the 35 ranked high schools in Tucson, AZ with a SchoolGrade of A+, 90% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 71%.

How are high schools in Tucson, AZ 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 Tucson, AZ have?

SchoolGrade grades 72 public high schools in Tucson, AZ; 35 are ranked here and 37 are listed as not ranked.