High School Statistics 2026

In the US, high school signals the beginning of secondary education. It holds a place of great importance in students’ educational careers. Thus, success in high school is often an indicator of a higher quality of life.

Due to the sheer size of the US population, there are a significant number of high schools and high school students. Therefore, it is important to look at several factors and indicators to gain a well-rounded understanding of the entire American educational system.

High School Student Enrollment For Public and Private Schools

High school student enrollment is a significant indicator of educational success that can show how much of the current youth population is actively engaging in secondary education. In turn, this can shed light on whether the entire nation is achieving greater educational status.

• In fall 2023, approximately 15.6 million students were enrolled in public high schools (grades 9-12) in the United States.
• Total high school enrollment (public and private) in 2023 was approximately 17.1 million students.
• High school enrollment increased by about 2% between fall 2019 and fall 2023, bucking the trend seen in lower grades.
• While overall K-12 enrollment declined 2.5% from 2019 to 2023, grades 9-12 enrollment actually grew during this period.
• 1990 marked the lowest high school enrollment in US history with only 12.4 million students in attendance.
• High school graduates are expected to peak in 2025 at 3.9 million before declining through 2041 due to declining birth rates.
• By 2041, the number of high school graduates is projected to fall to 3.4 million, a 13% decline from the 2025 peak.

High School Statistics and Rankings

High school rankings are becoming more common. High schools can be ranked according to various elements including high school teacher competence, whether Advanced Placement courses are offered, and teacher-to-student ratios among other factors.

• The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Virginia) has been ranked the best high school in the US.
• The Lincroft’s High Technology high school is ranked as the best STEM high school in the nation.
• Massachusetts has the highest number of top-ranking high schools, with 49.6% of schools in the top 25%.
• Nebraska and Maine ranked at the bottom, with only 5.8% and 3.6% of schools appearing in the top 25%.

High School Density

High school density can be quite uneven throughout the country. The irregularity of high school density in the US can be due to state size, population density, or whether a particular location can be classified as an urban or rural area. Thus, the numbers can vary quite a bit.

• As of 2024, there are currently 26,727 high schools in the US.
• Of these, 2,845 are private schools.
• The state of California has 3,892 high schools, which is the highest number of high schools within a US state.
• The state of Delaware has only 83 high schools, which is the lowest number of high schools within a US state.
• Although the District of Columbia is not a state, it has the lowest number of high schools at only 72.

High School Students Demographics

In addition to viewing the high school student population, it is important to consider the various demographics contained within the general population. Specifically, gender and race statistics help to determine the equality of the American education system.

• From 2019 to 2020, 15.1 million students attended high school in the US.
• The gender parity index (GPI) is 0.99, with slightly fewer girls than boys being enrolled in high school.
• US high schools rank 115th globally in terms of gender parity.
• 47% of students were White, 27% were Hispanic, 15% were Black and 11% were other races.
• In October 2024, 62.8% of 2024 high school graduates ages 16 to 24 were enrolled in colleges or universities.
• Among 2024 high school graduates, 69.5% of women and 55.4% of men enrolled in college.
• The college enrollment rate for Asian graduates was 94.7% in 2024, the highest of any demographic group.

High School Teachers

High school teachers play a significant role in the perceived competence of the school and student educational outcomes. Thus, it is important to consider the number of teachers currently employed in the US and their personal and professional qualifications.

• High school teachers held about 1.1 million jobs in 2024.
• Approximately 3.2 million full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers work in public schools as of fall 2022 across all K-12 grades.
• 77% of public school teachers are female, while 23% are male.
• 60% of high school teachers are women, while 40% are men.
• The median annual wage for high school teachers was $64,580 in May 2024.
• 90% of teachers held a standard teaching certificate or advanced professional certificate.
• 61% of teachers held a post baccalaureate degree.
• 40% of teachers had ten to twenty years of teaching experience.
• 9% of teachers had less than 3 years of teaching experience.
• 45% of high schools had teachers with specialist or academic coaching assignments.
• 74% of public schools reported difficulty filling special education teaching positions for the 2024-25 school year.
• 84% of teachers in public schools stayed at the same school from 2020-21 to 2021-22.

US High School Student Courses and Performances

In addition to student performance, the courses offered by high schools are often good indicators of overall educational status in the country. Thus, it is important to examine the most popular courses and student performance in these courses overall.

• In 2015, the average reading literacy score of 15-year-olds was 497, slightly higher than the OECD average of 493.
• The math literacy score for 15-year-olds was 470, lower than the OECD average of 490.
• The science literacy score for 15-year-olds was 496, slightly higher than the OECD average of 493.
• 89% of high school students completed Algebra 2 or higher, with 19% finishing calculus or higher.
• 79% of students took at least one general science course, with 21% taking at least one advanced science course.
• 98% of students took biology, 76% took chemistry, and 41% took physics.
• 40% of students earned credits in computer and information sciences.
• 15% of students earned credits in engineering and technology.
• In 2016, 2,611,172 students took at least one Advanced Placement exam.
• Calculus BC had the highest completion rates, with 81.1% of students passing the class.
• Physics 1 had the lowest completion rates, with only 39.8% of students passing the class.
• Males dominated the math and science classes, with 71% enrolled in physics and 58% enrolled in calculus BC.
• 77% of computer science students were male.
• However, 61% of biology students and 55% of environmental science students were female.
• 5% of high schools offered courses entirely online.
• More than half (53%) of US high school students are expected to enroll in a dedicated personal finance course before graduation.
• Dual enrollment in college courses jumped sharply, with 19% of community college populations comprised of high schoolers in 2023.

High School Graduation Rates

High school graduation rates are a good indication of future quality of life for the American population. Graduation from high school can often determine how much money individuals may earn and how much success they may achieve in their future careers. Graduation rates can also outline how well an education system has improved over time.

• The national graduation rate for the 2021-2022 school year was 87%, an all-time high.
• The average state graduation rate across 46 US states and Washington, D.C. was 86.4% for the 2023-2024 academic year, up 0.7% from the year prior.
• In 2025, the US will see approximately 3.9 million high school graduates, the highest number on record.
• After 2025, the number of graduates is projected to decline steadily through 2041, reaching approximately 3.4 million.
• Virginia had the highest graduation rate at approximately 92.9% in 2024.
• West Virginia had the second-highest graduation rate at 92.6% in 2024.
• Washington, D.C. had the lowest average high school graduation rate at 76.1% for 2023-2024.
• 81% of Black students, 83% of Hispanic students, and 90% of White students graduated on time in 2021-22.
• 94% of Asian/Pacific Islander students graduated on time in 2021-22, the highest of any demographic group.
• Black students’ graduation rates have increased significantly but are still 9 percentage points below White students.
• Hispanic students’ graduation rates have increased but are still below the national average.
• The graduation rate for students with disabilities was 71% in 2021-22.
• The graduation rate for English learners was 72% in 2021-22.
• The graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students was 81% in 2021-22.

High School Dropout Rates

High school dropout rates can be equally as revealing as graduation rates. Experts need to pay attention to the students that are getting left behind. Dropout rates can have a major impact on employment rates, individual earnings, and crime rates.

• In 2022, the overall status dropout rate was 5.3%, down from 7.0% in 2012.
• There were 2.1 million status dropouts between the ages of 16 and 24 in 2022.
• The dropout rate for American Indian/Alaska Native youth was 9.9% in 2022.
• The dropout rate for Pacific Islander youth was 9.1% in 2022.
• The dropout rate for Hispanic youth was 7.9% in 2022.
• The dropout rate for Black youth was approximately 6% in 2022.
• The dropout rate for White youth was approximately 5% in 2022.
• The dropout rate for Asian students was 1.9% in 2022, the lowest of any demographic group.
• Foreign-born 16- to 24-year-olds had a higher status dropout rate (11.6%) than US-born peers (4.8%) in 2022.
• Between October 2023 and October 2024, 606,000 young people dropped out of high school.

Future Trends and Projections

Looking ahead, several demographic and enrollment trends are shaping the future of American high schools.

• High school enrollment is expected to remain relatively stable through 2025 before beginning a gradual decline.
• The number of high school graduates will peak in 2025 at 3.9 million, then decline to 3.4 million by 2041.
• California is projected to experience the largest numerical decline in graduates, losing more than 138,000 between 2023 and 2041.
• Texas is projected to overtake California as the state with the most high school graduates by 2033.
• Only 10 states are projected to see enrollment growth through 2031, with Idaho leading at 11% growth.
• The South region will continue to grow initially, defying broader national decline trends, before experiencing slight declines at the end of the projection period.
• The Midwest and Northeast have already experienced declines in total number of graduates and this trend is expected to continue.

The American education system is improving over time. There are more students graduating and fewer students dropping out than ever before in US history.

In addition, American students seem to be equally as literate as students in many other countries around the world.

On the other hand, there is considerable room for improvement in the American education system in the areas of gender and race equality.

This is especially true for Advanced Placement and STEM courses that can be indicative of tertiary education success. Additionally, the structure must also work to help individuals with disabilities and boost the graduation rates across the board. These improvements will lead to an educational system that embraces equality and educational success.

Sources

[1] Education Data, How Many Public Schools Are There in the US?
[2] High-Schools.com, Research & Compare High Schools
[3] Statista, High School Enrollment for Public and Private Schools in the U.S. From 1965 to 2031
[4] World Bank Data, School Enrollment, Primary and Secondary (Gross), Gender Parity Index (GPI) – United States
[5] National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics: 2024
[6] America’s Promise Alliance, High School Graduation Facts: Ending the Dropout Crisis
[7] The United States Census Bureau, School Enrollment in the United States 2018
[8] National Science Board, Science & Engineering Indicators 2018, 2018 Report
[9] U.S. Department of Education, Characteristics of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States: Results From the 2015–16 National Teacher and Principal Survey
[10] The Condition of Education 2020, Characteristics of Public School Teachers
[11] U.S. News, U.S. News High School Rankings
[12] National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education 2024, High School Graduation Rates
[13] National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Facts: Dropout rates (16)
[14] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, High School Teachers: Occupational Outlook Handbook
[15] U.S. News, See High School Graduation Rates By State
[16] National Center for Education Statistics, NCES Data Show Public School Enrollment Held Steady Overall From Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, December 2024
[17] Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, 11th Edition, 2024
[18] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates, 2024
[19] National Center for Education Statistics, Projections of Education Statistics to 2030, 2024