Best High Schools in King County, Washington
Introduction
King County is home to some of the most academically strong public high schools in the entire country — and it's not hard to see why. With major employers like Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, and a dense network of engineering and research firms calling this region home, the demand for rigorous, future-focused education runs deep. Communities here tend to be highly engaged with their schools, and that shows up in the results.
Whether you're relocating to the Eastside, settling into a Seattle neighborhood, or exploring options on the more rural edges of the county, the high schools on this list represent the best of what public education in King County has to offer. These aren't just schools with strong test scores — they're communities with real identities, dedicated teachers, and students who are genuinely prepared for what comes next.
1. Nikola Tesla STEM High School — Lake Washington School District, Redmond
Nikola Tesla STEM High School sits at the absolute pinnacle of academic performance in King County, ranking at the 100th percentile in English, Math, and Science. Located in Redmond — the hometown of Microsoft and a hub of the Pacific Northwest tech economy — it's no surprise that this school has cultivated a culture laser-focused on science, technology, engineering, and math. Families who move to the area specifically for STEM-focused education will find Tesla to be the gold standard, drawing motivated students who thrive in a rigorous, project-oriented environment.
2. International School — Bellevue School District, Bellevue
The International School in Bellevue earns a spot at the very top of the rankings with 100th percentile scores in both Math and Science and a 99th percentile score in English. As part of the highly regarded Bellevue School District — consistently one of the strongest districts in Washington State — this school attracts academically driven students from across the region. Bellevue itself is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with excellent infrastructure, diverse communities, and a booming job market, making it a natural home for families who prioritize both academic excellence and quality of life.
3. Raisbeck Aviation High School — Highline School District, Tukwila
Raisbeck Aviation High School is one of the most distinctive public high schools in the state — a specialized program that combines top-tier academics with an aviation and aerospace focus, and it delivers: 100th percentile in English and Science, and 98th in Math. Located in Tukwila and closely tied to the aviation industry that defines so much of the South King County economy, this school is a dream fit for students fascinated by flight, engineering, or aerospace careers. It's a smaller, more intimate environment than a traditional comprehensive high school, which tends to appeal to families looking for a tight-knit community with a clear sense of purpose.
4. Mercer Island High School — Mercer Island School District, Mercer Island
Mercer Island High School is the flagship of its own small, independent district — and that autonomy shows. With 98th percentile scores in English, 99th in Math, and 96th in Science, it consistently punches at the very top of King County rankings. Mercer Island itself is a unique place: a small, affluent community nestled on an island in Lake Washington, connected to Seattle and Bellevue by I-90, with a strong sense of local identity and deeply invested parents. Families who value a close-knit, well-resourced district where the school truly is the heart of the community will feel right at home here.
5. Lincoln High School — Seattle School District No. 1, Seattle
Lincoln High School is Seattle's newest comprehensive high school, reopened in 2019 after decades as a closed building, and it has quickly established itself as one of the strongest schools in the city. Scoring at the 98th percentile in both English and Math and the 99th percentile in Science, Lincoln serves the northern Seattle neighborhoods of Wallingford, Green Lake, and Phinney Ridge — areas known for their engaged, civically minded residents. For families who want to stay in the city without sacrificing academic rigor, Lincoln offers a compelling modern facility, a growing culture of excellence, and all the energy that comes with a school still defining its identity.
Score Trends — Top 5
Nikola Tesla STEM High School remains a strong performer with English scores dipping slightly from 95 to 92, though their Math program showed improvement with a gain from 88 to 89. International School is moving in the right direction across both subjects, with English climbing from 87 to 90 and Math jumping from 81 to 84—a solid +3 improvement in each. Raisbeck Aviation High School's English performance ticked up modestly from 91 to 92, but their Math scores fell from 72 to 69, suggesting they may need to focus more resources on numeracy skills. Mercer Island High School delivered the most impressive gains in this group, with English soaring from 83 to 91 (an +8 jump), while Math improved steadily from 76 to 77. Lincoln High School showed minimal movement, with English dropping just 1 point to 86 and Math remaining flat at 69, indicating they're treading water rather than making meaningful progress.
6. Skyline High School — Issaquah School District, Sammamish
Skyline High School in Sammamish is one of the Issaquah School District's crown jewels, ranking at the 97th percentile in English, 99th in Math, and 95th in Science. Sammamish is one of the fastest-growing cities in Washington, attracting a highly educated workforce — many of whom work in tech on the Eastside — and the schools here reflect that community investment. Skyline is a large, comprehensive high school with a wide range of programs and extracurriculars, making it a great fit for families who want both strong academics and a full, well-rounded high school experience.
7. Innovation Lab High School — Northshore School District, Bothell
Innovation Lab High School is exactly what it sounds like: a smaller, non-traditional program within the Northshore School District that emphasizes project-based learning, student agency, and real-world problem solving. Its 99th percentile Science score and 99th percentile English score reflect just how well that model translates to academic outcomes, even as it takes a different path to get there. Located in Bothell, a city that blends suburban comfort with easy access to both Seattle and the Eastside, this school tends to appeal to families looking for something beyond the conventional high school model — students who are self-directed, intellectually curious, and ready to take ownership of their education.
8. Newport Senior High School — Bellevue School District, Bellevue
Newport Senior High School is the second Bellevue School District entry on this list, and it fully earns its place — with 97th percentile English, 99th percentile Math, and 90th percentile Science scores. Newport serves the eastern Bellevue and Issaquah corridor, drawing from neighborhoods that are home to many of the region's tech and professional families. It's a large, well-resourced school with strong AP and honors offerings, and the Bellevue School District's overall commitment to academic rigor means Newport students benefit from district-wide curriculum investments and support systems that few other schools in the state can match.
9. Vashon Island High School — Vashon Island School District, Vashon
Vashon Island High School is perhaps the most unique entry on this list — a small, community-anchored school on a rural island in Puget Sound, accessible only by ferry, and yet it ranks at the 97th percentile in English, 96th in Math, and 96th in Science. Vashon Island has long attracted artists, educators, and professionals seeking a quieter, more intentional lifestyle, and that community character infuses the school. Class sizes are small, relationships between students and teachers are close, and the school punches far above its weight academically. For families drawn to island living and a school where every student is truly known, Vashon Island High School is remarkable.
10. Inglemoor High School — Northshore School District, Kenmore
Inglemoor High School rounds out the top ten with solid, consistent performance across the board — 94th percentile in English, 95th in Math, and 95th in Science. Part of the well-regarded Northshore School District, Inglemoor serves Kenmore and the surrounding north King County communities along the shores of Lake Washington. It's a comprehensive high school with a broad range of programs, a strong performing arts tradition, and a reputation as a welcoming, well-balanced school. Families looking for a strong academic environment without the hyper-competitive pressure of some of the Eastside's more intense schools often find Inglemoor to be exactly the right fit.
Score Trends — #6-10
Skyline High School experienced a mixed year with English slipping from 87 to 85 while Math bucked the trend with a +3 improvement to 72. Innovation Lab High School stands out as a turnaround story, particularly in Math where scores jumped dramatically from 50 to 61 (an impressive +11 gain), and English also improved from 86 to 89. Newport Senior High School is trending upward overall, with English gaining 5 points to reach 87, though Math dipped slightly from 74 to 73. Vashon Island High School faced notable challenges, with English plummeting from 93 to 84 and Math dropping from 72 to 62—the steepest declines across both subjects in this cohort. Finally, Inglemoor HS showed minimal progress, with English rising just 2 points to 81 while Math dropped 1 point to 60, suggesting the school is struggling to build momentum in either subject.
How We Rank Schools
The School Advocate rankings are built on state assessment data, measuring how students perform in core academic subjects. Each school's overall score is calculated using English scores (weighted at 40%), Math scores (weighted at 40%), and Science scores (weighted at 20%). We weight more recent years more heavily than older data, so the rankings reflect where a school is performing right now — not where it was several years ago. Percentile scores tell you how a school compares to every other public school in Washington State, so a 99th percentile score means the school outperforms 99% of schools statewide.
Compare Schools Yourself
Rankings are a great starting point, but every family's priorities are different. If you want to dig deeper — compare schools side by side, look at individual subject scores, or explore how a school in one city stacks up against one in another — head over to our comparison tool at /compare. You can build your own custom comparison and get a clearer picture of which school is the right fit for your student.
Top 50 Rankings
| Rank | School | District | City | English | Math | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikola Tesla STEM High School | Lake Washington School District | Redmond | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 2 | International School | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| 3 | Raisbeck Aviation High School | Highline School District | Tukwila | 100 | 98 | 99 |
| 4 | Mercer Island High School | Mercer Island School District | Mercer Island | 98 | 99 | 99 |
| 5 | Lincoln High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 98 | 98 | 99 |
| 6 | Skyline High School | Issaquah School District | Sammamish | 97 | 99 | 98 |
| 7 | Innovation Lab High School | Northshore School District | Bothell | 99 | 93 | 98 |
| 8 | Newport Senior High School | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 97 | 99 | 98 |
| 9 | Vashon Island High School | Vashon Island School District | Vashon | 97 | 96 | 97 |
| 10 | Inglemoor HS | Northshore School District | Kenmore | 94 | 95 | 96 |
| 11 | North Creek High School | Northshore School District | Bothell | 96 | 98 | 96 |
| 12 | Roosevelt High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 95 | 94 | 95 |
| 13 | Mount Si High School | Snoqualmie Valley School District | Snoqualmie | 98 | 92 | 95 |
| 14 | Bellevue High School | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 96 | 97 | 95 |
| 15 | Liberty Sr High School | Issaquah School District | Renton | 95 | 95 | 94 |
| 16 | Woodinville HS | Northshore School District | Woodinville | 93 | 94 | 94 |
| 17 | Interlake Senior High School | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 91 | 96 | 93 |
| 18 | Ballard High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 99 | 97 | 93 |
| 19 | Shorewood High School | Shoreline School District | Shoreline | 91 | 91 | 92 |
| 20 | Cedarcrest High School | Riverview School District | Duvall | 94 | 84 | 91 |
| 21 | West Seattle High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 93 | 90 | 90 |
| 22 | Shorecrest High School | Shoreline School District | Shoreline | 85 | 88 | 90 |
| 23 | Gibson Ek High School | Issaquah School District | Issaquah | 84 | 85 | 89 |
| 24 | Tahoma Senior High School | Tahoma School District | Maple Valley | 93 | 90 | 89 |
| 25 | Lake Washington High School | Lake Washington School District | Kirkland | 87 | 94 | 89 |
| 26 | Eastlake High School | Lake Washington School District | Sammamish | 97 | 98 | 88 |
| 27 | Redmond High School | Lake Washington School District | Redmond | 91 | 97 | 87 |
| 28 | Nathan Hale High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 88 | 86 | 86 |
| 29 | Juanita High School | Lake Washington School District | Kirkland | 88 | 88 | 86 |
| 30 | CHOICE Academy | Highline School District | Seattle | 87 | 93 | 85 |
| 31 | Bothell High School | Northshore School District | Bothell | 92 | 88 | 85 |
| 32 | Ingraham High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 86 | 86 | 83 |
| 33 | Issaquah High School | Issaquah School District | Issaquah | 89 | 96 | 82 |
| 34 | Kentridge High School | Kent School District | Kent | 74 | 86 | 81 |
| 35 | Garfield High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 75 | 79 | 80 |
| 36 | Hazen Senior High School | Renton School District | Renton | 70 | 83 | 72 |
| 37 | Cleveland High School STEM | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 75 | 84 | 71 |
| 38 | The Center School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 73 | 47 | 61 |
| 39 | Maritime High School | Highline School District | Des Moines | 59 | 58 | 56 |
| 40 | Sammamish Senior High | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 65 | 69 | 54 |
| 41 | Summit Public School: Sierra | Summit Public School: Sierra | Seattle | 51 | 52 | 53 |
| 42 | Auburn Riverside High School | Auburn School District | Auburn | 54 | 44 | 49 |
| 43 | Enumclaw Sr High School | Enumclaw School District | Enumclaw | 64 | 50 | 48 |
| 44 | Franklin High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 64 | 47 | 48 |
| 45 | Lindbergh Senior High School | Renton School District | Renton | 50 | 55 | 47 |
| 46 | Kentwood High School | Kent School District | Covington | 57 | 44 | 46 |
| 47 | Kentlake High School | Kent School District | Kent | 52 | 39 | 45 |
| 48 | Auburn Mountainview High School | Auburn School District | Auburn | 58 | 39 | 44 |
| 49 | Nova High School | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle | 41 | 51 | 42 |
| 50 | Mount Rainier High School | Highline School District | Des Moines | 54 | 46 | 38 |