By Niels Baardseth · Updated May 2026
75 high school schools serving grades 9 through 12 (ages 14–18).
Browse all 75 schools that offer high school grades (9–12) in Washington DC — including DCPS public schools, public charter schools, and private/parochial options. Filter by sector, ward, or apply via the DC school lottery.
Washington DC has dozens of public high schools, charter high schools, and private high schools serving grades 9-12. The best high schools in DC by 2025 OSSE STAR ratings include Jackson-Reed HS, Benjamin Banneker Academic HS, and School Without Walls — all DCPS selective options. Leading public charter high schools include BASIS DC, Washington Latin, KIPP DC College Prep, and Bard High School Early College DC.
Among private high schools in DC, the elite tier includes Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, National Cathedral School, Maret, and Georgetown Day School. Catholic options include Gonzaga, Georgetown Visitation, and Archbishop Carroll. Use the directory below to filter all DC high schools by ward, sector, or program.
Sortable directory — click any school for full profile, contact info, and admissions details.
Among public schools, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School and School Without Walls High School consistently rank as the top DCPS high schools by test scores and college outcomes. BASIS DC and Washington Latin lead among public charter high schools. Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, and National Cathedral School top the list of private/independent high schools. Rankings vary year to year by source (US News, Niche, GreatSchools).
A typical top 10 list (combining DCPS, charter, and private): 1) Sidwell Friends, 2) St. Albans, 3) National Cathedral, 4) Benjamin Banneker Academic HS, 5) School Without Walls, 6) Gonzaga College HS, 7) Maret, 8) BASIS DC, 9) Washington Latin PCS, 10) Georgetown Day School. Specific ordering depends on the ranking source — US News weights test scores, Niche weights student reviews.
DC high schools serve grades 9–12 (ages 14–18). DCPS operates traditional high schools (each with an in-boundary boundary), selective high schools (Banneker, School Without Walls, Duke Ellington, McKinley Tech), and themed academies. Public charter high schools — including KIPP, Friendship Collegiate, Thurgood Marshall Academy, and Bard High School Early College — admit through the DC school lottery.
DCPS selective high schools (admission based on academic criteria + lottery): Benjamin Banneker Academic HS, School Without Walls @ GWU, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, McKinley Technology HS, and Bard High School Early College DC. Each has its own application requirements (test scores, audition, portfolio) plus lottery rules.
For 9th grade entry, apply during the DC school lottery (November–late January). Selective DCPS high schools (Banneker, Walls, Ellington, McKinley, Bard) have additional application steps — auditions, portfolios, or test scores — typically due December–January. Decisions release in March.
The top-rated DCPS public high schools by 2025 OSSE STAR ratings and US News rankings are: Benjamin Banneker Academic HS, School Without Walls HS, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, McKinley Technology HS, Jackson-Reed HS (largest DCPS HS), and Wilson HS. These schools combine strong academic programs with diverse student bodies.
For your in-boundary DCPS high school: no, you're guaranteed a seat. For any other DCPS or any charter high school: yes, lottery via DC school lottery. Selective DCPS schools combine application steps with the lottery. Private high schools have completely separate independent applications.
The DC citywide four-year graduation rate is 72.8% (OSSE 2025). Rates vary widely by school — top DCPS schools like Banneker and School Without Walls regularly exceed 95%, while some neighborhood schools fall below 60%. Full school-by-school data is published at schoolreportcard.dc.gov.
Yes. DC public charter high schools have no boundary requirements — any DC resident can apply to any charter regardless of ward. Lottery preference may be given to siblings of currently enrolled students or to students applying to the school's home ward.
DC private high schools include independent day schools (Sidwell Friends, Maret, Georgetown Day School, National Cathedral School, St. Albans, Edmund Burke), Catholic schools (Gonzaga, Georgetown Visitation, Archbishop Carroll, Bishop McNamara), Quaker schools (Sidwell, Edmund Burke), and Episcopal schools (St. Albans, National Cathedral). Tuition typically ranges $40,000-$55,000/year.