GRAND RAPIDS, MI – One West Michigan high school was ranked among the top 100 in the country, part of the latest rankings from U.S. News and World Report.
The media company produces multiple education-related advisory lists each year.
It released its “Best High Schools” rankings for 2025-26 on Tuesday, Aug. 19, with close to 18,000 of more than 24,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia examined.
Schools are scored in several categories, according to U.S. News, including state assessment proficiency and performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum availability and graduation rate.
Grand Rapids Public Schools’ (GRPS) City High Middle School ranked 48th in the nation for its performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well it prepares students for college.
The school had an overall score of 99.73/100, which it earned because 99% of students participated in International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework and exams, a program allowing students to take college-level courses while in high school.
City’s scorecard showed that 88% of students passed at least one IB exam, and college readiness for 12th-graders who took and qualified for an Advanced Placement (AP) or IB exam was 88% in mathematics, 93% in reading and 83% in science.
The school also boasted a 100% graduation rate, and had 44% minority student enrollment. Another 41% of students were economically disadvantaged.
City High Middle School serves students in grades 7 through 12, with a student-teacher ratio of 22:1. The school enrolled 955 students as of the 2024-25 school year, according to state data, with 573 high-schoolers counted by U.S. News.
Superintendent Leadriane Roby said, “Being named the highest-ranked high school in West Michigan and among the top 50 in the nation is a distinction we’re proud to celebrate.
“Earning recognition from U.S. News and World Report year after year speaks to the excellence of our school community,” she said.
In addition to a high-ranking national spot, City also earned 3rd place in Michigan’s high school ranking, only behind Chippewa Valley Schools’ International Academy of Macomb and Oakland Schools’ International Academy.
The state’s top 50 schools range in enrollment size and location, but 12 total schools in Kent and Ottawa counties (or included in their intermediate school districts) made the list.
Many of the Michigan schools have been similarly ranked before. With only a slight variation, the top five Michigan high schools for this round were also in the top five in 2024.
During the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, City High Middle School has remained ranked in third place, also ranking 44th nationwide last year.
The following are the West Michigan schools, and their ranking, pulled from the top 50 in-state rankings. They are listed along with enrollment in grades nine to 12, graduation rates, home school district and spot in national rankings.
49. Lowell Senior High School
School district: Lowell Area Schools
National ranking: No. 1,666
Enrollment: 1,050
Student-teacher ratio: 19-1
Graduation rate: 98%
46. Saugatuck High School
School district: Saugatuck Public Schools
National ranking: No. 1,617
Enrollment: 258
Student-teacher ratio: 15-1
Graduation rate: 95%
41. Hudsonville High School
School district: Hudsonville Public School District
National ranking: No. 1,548
Enrollment: 1,951
Student-teacher ratio: 17-1
Graduation rate: 95%
28. Black River Public School
School district: Black River Public School
National ranking: No. 866
Enrollment: 313
Student-teacher ratio: 14-1
Graduation rate: 100%
26. Spring Lake High School
School district: Spring Lake Public Schools
National ranking: No. 846
Enrollment: 793
Student-teacher ratio: 21-1
Graduation rate: 99%
24. Eastern High School
School district: Forest Hills Public Schools
National ranking: No. 813
Enrollment: 767
Student-teacher ratio: 18-1
Graduation rate: 99%
22. West Michigan Aviation Academy
School district: West Michigan Aviation Academy
National ranking: No. 779
Enrollment: 608
Student-teacher ratio: 16-1
Graduation rate: 99%
21. Byron Center High School
School district: Byron Center Public Schools
National ranking: No. 769
Enrollment: 1,363
Student-teacher ratio: 22-1
Graduation rate: 95%
17. Northern High School
School district: Forest Hills Public Schools
National ranking: No. 631
Enrollment: 1,109
Student-teacher ratio: 16-1
Graduation rate: 98%
12. Central High School
School district: Forest Hills Public Schools
National ranking: No. 561
Enrollment: 1,033
Student-teacher ratio: 19-1
Graduation rate: 99%
10. East Grand Rapids High School
School district: East Grand Rapids Public Schools
National ranking: No. 486
Enrollment: 874
Student-teacher ratio: 19-1
Graduation rate: 98%
3. City High Middle School
School district: Grand Rapids Public Schools
National ranking: No. 48
Enrollment: 573
Student-teacher ratio: 22-1
Graduation rate: 100%