Best High Schools in Contra Costa County, California

Part of our Best Schools in Contra Costa County guide.

Introduction

Contra Costa County has quietly built one of the stronger collections of public high schools in the Bay Area — and if you're a parent researching where to plant roots, you'll find a lot to like here. From the tree-lined streets of Orinda and Lafayette to the newer planned communities of San Ramon and Danville, the county offers a range of cities and school districts that consistently outperform state and national averages.

What makes this area particularly interesting is the variety. You've got the smaller, tight-knit Acalanes Union High School District anchoring the Lamorinda corridor, the fast-growing San Ramon Valley Unified serving the 680 corridor suburbs, and even a standout small alternative program tucked into West Contra Costa Unified. Whether you're prioritizing raw academic performance, community feel, or a particular neighborhood vibe, there's likely a school on this list worth a closer look.

1. Miramonte High — Acalanes Union High School District, Orinda

Sitting at the very top of our rankings with 99th percentile scores across English, Math, and Science, Miramonte High is simply one of the strongest public high schools in California, full stop. Orinda itself is a small, affluent enclave tucked into the hills just east of the Caldecott Tunnel — the kind of place where the community takes its schools seriously and that investment shows. Families who prioritize academic rigor and want their kids in an environment where high expectations are the norm tend to feel right at home here.

2. Dougherty Valley High — San Ramon Valley Unified School District, San Ramon

Dougherty Valley is the newer kid on the block in San Ramon, but it has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best high schools in the region — landing at the 97th percentile overall, with especially impressive 98th percentile scores in both Math and Science. The school serves the master-planned neighborhoods in the eastern part of San Ramon, attracting a lot of families with backgrounds in tech and engineering, which may partly explain its particularly strong STEM performance. If you're moving to the newer developments in San Ramon and want a high-achieving school with a modern feel, Dougherty Valley is hard to beat.

3. Campolindo High — Acalanes Union High School District, Moraga

Campolindo sits in Moraga, a quiet, close-knit community nestled in the hills between Orinda and Lafayette, and it carries a lot of the same character as its surroundings — academic, suburban, and genuinely community-oriented. With 97th percentile scores in Math and Science and a 96th percentile in English, it ranks right alongside the best schools in the county. Families who want a slightly smaller-town feel compared to some of the bigger 680 corridor suburbs, without sacrificing academic quality, often find Moraga and Campolindo to be a natural fit.

4. Acalanes High — Acalanes Union High School District, Lafayette

Acalanes High is the flagship school for Lafayette, one of the most sought-after towns in the East Bay, and it lives up to its address with 96th percentile scores in English and Math and a 95th in Science. Lafayette has a wonderful downtown with a strong sense of community, excellent walkability by suburban standards, and easy BART access — all of which makes it popular with Bay Area commuters who want top schools without the San Francisco price tag (relatively speaking). Acalanes tends to draw families who value both academic excellence and a well-rounded school experience.

5. Middle College High — West Contra Costa Unified School District, San Pablo

Middle College High is the most unique school on this list — a small, specialized program that blends high school coursework with community college classes, giving students a genuinely different path through their secondary education. Its 97th percentile English score is among the highest in the county, and its overall 95th percentile ranking is remarkable given that it serves a district that faces far greater socioeconomic challenges than the Lamorinda or San Ramon Valley schools. This one appeals to motivated, self-directed students and families who are open to an alternative structure and want their teenager to get a head start on college credit.

Score Trends — Top 5

Miramonte High continues to be a standout performer, with English scores jumping dramatically from 115 to 140 and Math climbing from 67 to 91—gains of 25 and 24 points respectively. Dougherty Valley High shows solid but more modest growth, particularly in Math where scores improved from 81 to 90, while English barely budged at 95 to 96. Campolindo High is holding relatively steady with balanced but small improvements across both subjects—English rose 5 points to 100, and Math gained 5 points to reach 61. Acalanes High presents a mixed picture: while Math made a notable jump from 40 to 55 (+15 points), English scores actually declined from 108 to 98, suggesting the school is prioritizing math support. Middle College High is struggling overall, with Math remaining quite low at just 15 points despite a 5-point gain, and English declining from 107 to 103.

6. Monte Vista High — San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Danville

Monte Vista is a large, well-regarded comprehensive high school in Danville — a polished, upscale suburb at the base of Mount Diablo — and it consistently performs at the 94th percentile overall. The school has a strong reputation for both academics and athletics, and the broader Danville community has a very active, family-forward culture with excellent parks, trails, and a charming downtown. Families relocating to the southern end of the San Ramon Valley who want a proven, well-resourced school with a wide range of programs tend to gravitate toward Monte Vista.

7. Las Lomas High — Acalanes Union High School District, Walnut Creek

Las Lomas rounds out the Acalanes Union district's four schools and serves the northern Walnut Creek neighborhoods, landing at the 90th percentile overall with particularly strong Science performance at the 92nd percentile. Walnut Creek is one of the most livable cities in the East Bay — walkable downtown, great dining, easy BART access, and a suburban feel that doesn't feel too sleepy. Las Lomas tends to attract families who want the Acalanes district pedigree and the conveniences of Walnut Creek living, with a somewhat more diverse mix of neighborhoods feeding into it than the other Acalanes schools.

8. Northgate High — Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Walnut Creek

Northgate High sits in the hills on the north side of Walnut Creek and is widely considered the standout school within Mt. Diablo Unified, reaching the 89th percentile overall with solid 90th percentile scores in both Math and Science. The school draws from some of the more established and established neighborhoods in the area, and families here tend to appreciate that it punches above the typical expectations for its district. If you're looking at Walnut Creek but find yourself priced out of the Acalanes district boundaries, Northgate is a genuinely strong alternative worth considering.

9. San Ramon Valley High — San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Danville

San Ramon Valley High is the older of Danville's two high schools and has a deeply rooted identity in the community — it's been the heart of Danville for decades and carries a strong tradition in both academics and activities. It ranks at the 89th percentile overall, with a 90th percentile English score, and serves families throughout central Danville. For parents drawn to a school with history, school spirit, and a strong sense of place in its community, San Ramon Valley High has an appeal that goes beyond the numbers.

10. California High — San Ramon Valley Unified School District, San Ramon

California High — known locally as "Cal High" — serves a large portion of San Ramon and comes in at the 88th percentile overall, with a notably strong 93rd percentile Math score. The school has a large, diverse student body and a wide range of programs and extracurriculars, making it a good fit for families who want plenty of options alongside solid academics. San Ramon continues to grow rapidly, and Cal High reflects the city's increasingly competitive academic culture even as it serves a broader cross-section of the community than some of the more boutique schools on this list.

Score Trends — #6-10

Monte Vista High deserves celebration for dramatic turnarounds in both subjects—English surged from 66 to 96 (+30 points) and Math nearly doubled from 18 to 41 (+23 points), making this school's improvement one of the most impressive in the group. Las Lomas High, however, is heading in the wrong direction, with English dropping 12 points from 74 to 62 while Math barely improved with only a 4-point gain to 15. Northgate High shows concerning trends, particularly in Math where scores plummeted from 16 to just 3, while English remained flat around the low 60s. San Ramon Valley High is moving in a positive direction with English up 13 points to 85 and Math making a remarkable 19-point jump from -14 to 5. California High rounds out the group with strong gains, especially in Math which surged 26 points from 9 to 35, and English improving 19 points to 65, though both subjects still have significant room for growth.

How We Rank Schools

Our rankings are based on student performance data across three subjects: English (weighted at 40%), Math (weighted at 40%), and Science (weighted at 20%). We use percentile scores to compare schools against all other public schools in California, so a 95th percentile score means the school outperformed 95% of schools statewide in that subject. More recent years are weighted more heavily in our calculations to reflect a school's current performance rather than historical averages. We don't factor in funding levels, demographics, or subjective criteria — just how students are actually performing academically.

Compare Schools Yourself

Rankings are a great starting point, but every family has different priorities. If you want to dig into specific schools side by side — whether you're deciding between two neighborhoods or just curious how a school stacks up against the county's best — use our school comparison tool at /compare. You can pull up any schools in our database and compare their scores across subjects in one view.

Top 34 Rankings

Rank	School	District	City	English	Math	Overall
1	Miramonte High	Acalanes Union High	Orinda	99	99	99
2	Dougherty Valley High	San Ramon Valley Unified	San Ramon	95	98	97
3	Campolindo High	Acalanes Union High	Moraga	96	97	97
4	Acalanes High	Acalanes Union High	Lafayette	96	96	97
5	Middle College High	West Contra Costa Unified	San Pablo	97	91	95
6	Monte Vista High	San Ramon Valley Unified	Danville	94	94	94
7	Las Lomas High	Acalanes Union High	Walnut Creek	86	91	90
8	Northgate High	Mt. Diablo Unified	Walnut Creek	86	90	89
9	San Ramon Valley High	San Ramon Valley Unified	Danville	90	88	89
10	California High	San Ramon Valley Unified	San Ramon	85	93	88
11	Heritage High	Liberty Union High	Brentwood	84	81	84
12	Clayton Valley Charter High	Contra Costa County Office of Education	Concord	78	78	77
13	College Park High	Mt. Diablo Unified	Pleasant Hill	69	81	75
14	Hercules High	West Contra Costa Unified	Hercules	69	75	73
15	Liberty High	Liberty Union High	Brentwood	65	63	66
16	Alhambra Senior High	Martinez Unified	Martinez	40	59	56
17	El Cerrito High	West Contra Costa Unified	El Cerrito	34	51	49
18	John Swett High	John Swett Unified	Crockett	45	54	49
19	Leadership Public Schools: Richmond	West Contra Costa Unified	Richmond	39	58	40
20	Freedom High	Liberty Union High	Oakley	41	31	38
21	Deer Valley High	Antioch Unified	Antioch	39	34	36
22	Invictus Academy of Richmond	Contra Costa County Office of Education	El Cerrito	30	42	36
23	Pinole Valley High	West Contra Costa Unified	Pinole	22	34	30
24	John Henry High	SBE - John Henry High	Richmond	10	50	27
25	Concord High	Mt. Diablo Unified	Concord	28	24	25
26	Summit Public School K2	Contra Costa County Office of Education	El Cerrito	13	25	23
27	Pittsburg Senior High	Pittsburg Unified	Pittsburg	19	25	22
28	Summit Public School: Tamalpais	West Contra Costa Unified	Richmond	12	26	19
29	Richmond High	West Contra Costa Unified	Richmond	15	8	10
30	De Anza High	West Contra Costa Unified	Richmond	12	9	9
31	Mt. Diablo High	Mt. Diablo Unified	Concord	16	9	9
32	Ygnacio Valley High	Mt. Diablo Unified	Concord	8	10	8
33	Antioch High	Antioch Unified	Antioch	8	9	7
34	John F. Kennedy High	West Contra Costa Unified	Richmond	1	1	1

Related Guides

• Best Schools in Contra Costa County, California
• Best Elementary Schools in Contra Costa County, California
• Best Middle Schools in Contra Costa County, California