Academic Magnet High School, Charleston County School of the Arts (SOA), and Wando High School made the U.S. News & World Report’s top-10 list for high schools in South Carolina. ranking second, third, and eighth, respectively. In addition, Academic Magnet is ranked 14th in the entire country.
Consistently ranked among the best in the nation, Academic Magnet High School is known for its strong academic focus and innovative programs like the mentorship program. SOA focuses on both academics and the arts, providing a unique educational experience. At Wando, a high percentage of students participate in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams.
Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college. A great high school educates all of its students from different social and economic backgrounds, exposing them to challenging coursework on the path to graduation. The highest-ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading, and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.