Top High Schools in North Carolina

North Carolina's top high schools are concentrated in the Research Triangle (Wake, Durham, and Orange counties) and in specialized residential programs that draw from across the state.

NC School of Science and Mathematics (Durham)
A public residential high school for academically gifted juniors and seniors — the first public residential high school for STEM in the US (founded 1980). NCSSM has been consistently ranked among the top 10 public high schools in the nation. Students live on campus and take college-level STEM courses. Graduates are disproportionately represented at MIT, Caltech, Duke, and UNC. The school serves students from all 100 NC counties.

Raleigh Charter High School
A public charter high school in Wake County with a rigorous liberal arts curriculum and exceptional college placement. Raleigh Charter typically ranks among the top 10 NC high schools in AP participation and college outcomes.

East Chapel Hill High School
Part of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district, East Chapel Hill benefits from the UNC faculty community. The school has strong academics, particularly in sciences and writing, with significant numbers of National Merit Scholars and AP scholars.

Marbles Kids Museum and School Programs (Raleigh)
While primarily a children's museum, Marbles' connections to the Research Triangle school system through enrichment programs support the area's academic culture — a reflection of how the Research Triangle's institutions strengthen public education broadly.

Community Lab School (Durham)
A progressive charter school with project-based learning and strong arts integration. Community Lab has grown from elementary to include high school and receives national attention for its innovative model.

Providence Day School and Charlotte Latin (Charlotte)
Top independent schools in the Charlotte metro, both ranking among the best college prep schools in the Southeast by AP participation, college placement, and athletic achievement.