As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
Recommended Videos
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Michigan using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
#30. West Bloomfield High School
- Location: West Bloomfield School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,817 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#29. Rochester High School
- Location: Rochester Community School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,712 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#28. Central High School
- Location: Forest Hills Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,136 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#27. East Grand Rapids High School
- Location: East Grand Rapids Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 925 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#26. St. Joseph High School
- Location: St. Joseph Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,034 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#25. Grosse Pointe North High School
- Location: Grosse Pointe Public School System, MI
- Enrollment: 1,147 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#24. Stoney Creek High School
- Location: Rochester Community School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,496 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#23. East Lansing High School
- Location: East Lansing School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,216 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#22. Saline High School
- Location: Saline Area Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,549 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#21. Washtenaw Technical Middle College
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
- Enrollment: 796 (35:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#20. Henry Ford Early College
- Location: Dearborn City School District, MI
- Enrollment: 225 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#19. Athens High School
- Location: Troy School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,575 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#18. Northern High School
- Location: Forest Hills Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,153 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#17. Grosse Pointe South High School
- Location: Grosse Pointe Public School System, MI
- Enrollment: 1,305 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#16. Ernest W. Seaholm High School
- Location: Birmingham Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,248 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#15. International Academy of Macomb
- Location: Chippewa Valley Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 445 (74:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#14. Rochester Adams High School
- Location: Rochester Community School District, MI
- Enrollment: 1,522 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#13. Bloomfield Hills High School
- Location: Bloomfield Hills Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,715 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#12. Skyline High School
- Location: Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,323 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#11. City Middle/High School
- Location: Grand Rapids Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 907 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#10. Pioneer High School
- Location: Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,868 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#9. Community High School
- Location: Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 518 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#8. Okemos High School
- Location: Okemos Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,433 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#7. Wylie E. Groves High School
- Location: Birmingham Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,147 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#6. Northville High School
- Location: Northville Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 2,459 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#5. Huron High School
- Location: Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,621 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#4. Troy High School
- Location: Troy School District, MI
- Enrollment: 2,098 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#3. Novi High School
- Location: Novi Community School District, MI
- Enrollment: 2,108 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. International Academy
- Location: Oakland Schools, MI
- Enrollment: 1,468 (1468:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#1. Washtenaw International High School
- Location: Washtenaw Intermediate School District, MI
- Enrollment: 559 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.