LightField Studios // Shutterstock

Best public high schools in Wisconsin

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.

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 Wisconsin 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.

You may also like: Counties receiving the most SBA loans in Wisconsin

A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
Daniel Hoz // Shutterstock

#30. West High School

– Location: Wauwatosa School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,069 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
Achira22 // Shutterstock

#29. Kohler High School

– Location: Kohler School District, WI
– Enrollment: 217 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

#28. Slinger High School

– Location: Slinger School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,069 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

3 of the Best Places to Stay in Wisconsin:
✅ Hotel #1
✅ Hotel #2
✅ Hotel #3

AN-APP-MAR19.jpg" alt="Get pre-approved for home equity loan" width="1628" height="742">
A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
LightField Studios // Shutterstock

#27. Verona Area High School

– Location: Verona Area School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,737 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock

#26. West De Pere High School

– Location: West De Pere School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,028 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

You may also like: Counties with the highest cancer rates in Wisconsin

A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#25. Marshfield High School

– Location: School District of Marshfield, WI
– Enrollment: 1,232 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
panitanphoto // Shutterstock

#24. Muskego High School

– Location: Muskego-Norway School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,676 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A student raising their hand in class.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

#23. Franklin High School

– Location: Franklin Public Schools, WI
– Enrollment: 1,573 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
ImageFlow // Shutterstock

#22. Sun Prairie East High School

– Location: Sun Prairie Area School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,779 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

#21. Greendale High School

– Location: Greendale School District, WI
– Enrollment: 948 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

You may also like: Best private high schools in Wisconsin

A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#20. Menomonee Falls High School

– Location: Menomonee Falls School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,319 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A hallway lined with green lockers.
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock

#19. Waunakee Community High School

– Location: Waunakee Community School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,352 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock

#18. East High School

– Location: Wauwatosa School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,079 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
maroke // Shutterstock

#17. Lakeview Technology Academy

– Location: Kenosha School District, WI
– Enrollment: 394 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
Studio KIWI // Shutterstock

#16. Hamilton High School

– Location: Hamilton School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,532 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

3 of the Best Places to Stay in Wisconsin:
✅ Hotel #1
✅ Hotel #2
✅ Hotel #3

AN-APP-MAR19.jpg" alt="Get pre-approved for home equity loan" width="1628" height="742">

You may also like: How road conditions in Wisconsin have deteriorated since 2000

A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#15. Eisenhower Middle/High School

– Location: New Berlin School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,044 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#14. West High School

– Location: Madison Metropolitan School District, WI
– Enrollment: 2,175 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

Students using microscopes in science class.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

#13. Arrowhead High School

– Location: Hartland, WI
– Enrollment: 2,082 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
Joyseulay // Shutterstock

#12. Pewaukee High School

– Location: Pewaukee School District, WI
– Enrollment: 846 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

Students raising their hands for class participation.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock

#11. Cedarburg High School

– Location: Cedarburg School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,110 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

You may also like: Counties where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Wisconsin

A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
Canva

#10. Nicolet Union High School

– Location: Glendale, WI
– Enrollment: 1,090 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

Two students sharing a book.
Canva

#9. Memorial High School

– Location: Madison Metropolitan School District, WI
– Enrollment: 2,078 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
Canva

#8. Homestead High School

– Location: Mequon-Thiensville School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,266 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A

A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
Roman Kosolapov // Shutterstock

#7. High School of Health Sciences

– Location: Kettle Moraine School District, WI
– Enrollment: 190 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

Students' backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
LBeddoe // Shutterstock

#6. Reagan College Preparatory High School

– Location: Milwaukee Public Schools, WI
– Enrollment: 1,344 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

You may also like: How syringe exchanges in Wisconsin reduce the spread of disease

Bookshelves at a high school's library.
Canva

#5. Middleton High School

– Location: Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, WI
– Enrollment: 2,271 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

#4. Brookfield Central High School

– Location: Elmbrook School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,200 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

Two rows of red lockers.
Canva

#3. Whitefish Bay High School

– Location: Whitefish Bay School District, WI
– Enrollment: 951 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

Empty desks in a high school classroom.
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock

#2. Shorewood High School

– Location: Shorewood School District, WI
– Enrollment: 635 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+

A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
Canva

#1. Brookfield East High School

– Location: Elmbrook School District, WI
– Enrollment: 1,337 (17:1 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.

You may also like: How drunk driving fatalities in Wisconsin compare to the rest of the US

By Stacker

Related Posts