The 10 Best High Schools In North Dakota For 2026-2027
School is back in session across much of North Dakota. I won't start my yearly rant about how school should begin after Labor Day because the weather is always fantastic this time of year, and how this takes away from family vacations, etc. Wait a minute, I guess I just did rant.
We Have Some Great High Schools in North Dakota
Not only that, but some of the best teachers in the nation, despite being vastly underpaid, North Dakota teachers rank 41st in pay, according to the North Dakota Monitor. This needs to change. Even despite the low wages, our teachers in the Peace Garden State continue to lead the youth in North Dakota in the right direction.
I ran across an article from U.S. News & World Report on the best high schools in the state of North Dakota that caught my eye.
Finding the Best High Schools
The U.S. News & World Report worked with a research firm called, RTI International, who reviewed more than 27,000 public high schools and ranked nearly 18,000 schools, Each earned an overall score from zero to 100 and was based on six factors such as College Readiness, State Assessment Profieciency, College Curriculum Breadth, Underserved Student Performance, and Graduation Rate.
(SEE ALSO: The Top 10 School Districts in North Dakota for 2026)
When the smoke cleared, these were the Top 10 Best High Schools in North Dakota.
Best of the Best 2026-2027
Honorable Mention Area Schools: Finishing inside the Top 25 and outside the Top 10.
New Salem/Almont High School #24
Mandan High School at #21
Bismarck Legacy High School at #20
Kidder County High School at #16
Bismarck High at #12
#10 Fargo South High School
Fargo South has an 83% graduation rate.
#9 Central Cass High School
Central Cass has a 100% graduation rate.
#8 Velva High School
Velval has a 100% graduation rate.
#7 Grand Forks Central High School
Grand Forks Central has an 85% graduation rate.
#6 Red River High School
Red River has a 91% graduation rate.
#5 Jamestown High School
Jamestown has an 82% graduation rate.
#4 Ellendale High School
Ellendale has an 87% graduation rate.
#3 Fargo Davies High School
Fargo Davies has a 90% graduation rate.
#2 Fargo North High School
Fargo North has an 89% graduation rate.
#1 Bismarck Century High School
Yep, Bismarck Century is the Top Ranked High School in the state and has a 95% graduation rate. It finished at #1,248 in the entire nation. Well done, Bismarck Century teachers and students.
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