What are the best private and public high schools in the Wichita area? See new ranking
High schools in the greater Wichita area continue to offer strong academics, according to a new educational ranking.
Education review website Niche recently released its rankings for 2024, and schools in the Maize, Andover and Wichita districts were among the top five best public high schools in the Wichita metro area.
Two Wichita-area private schools also ranked second and third best in the entire state of Kansas.
Niche compiles the rankings by grading schools on academics, teachers, culture, diversity and the overall school district. It also gathers data through parent and student surveys.
To find rankings on the website, you can directly search for your school, school district or the area you live. You can also filter your search by type of school, grades offered and more. Here’s what to know about how Niche scored Wichita-area high schools in 2024.
The best school districts in Kansas
Looking at all Kansas school districts, Andover was ranked No. 3, with an overall Niche grade of A.
Maize was fifth, with the same grade, and also ranked first for districts in Sedgwick County. Here are Niche’s top five school districts in Sedgwick County:
Maize Unified School District
Goddard Unified School District (Niche grade: A-)
Cheney Unified School District (Niche grade: A-)
Renwick Unified School District (Niche grade: A-)
Valley Center Public Schools (Niche grade: B+)
The Wichita School District has recently garnered attention for a new proposal that would permanently close four elementary and two middle schools. The closings would save $16 million of a $42 million budget shortfall, officials say.
Clark, Park, Payne and Cleaveland Traditional Magnet elementary schools and Hadley and Jardine Magnet middle schools would close under the proposal announced this month. No high schools in the district are proposed to close.
Best public high schools in Wichita area
No. 1: Andover Central High School
Andover School District; 603 E. Central Ave., Andover, KS
Overall Niche grade: A
Teacher to student ratio: 19 to 1
Average graduation rate: 96%
Average ACT score: 26
No. 2: Andover High School
Andover School District; 1744 N. Andover Road, Andover, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 18 to 1
Average graduation rate: 95%
Average ACT score: 27
No. 3: Maize South High School
Maize School District; 3701 N. Tyler Road, Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 17 to 1
Average graduation rate: 96%
Average ACT score: 25
No. 4: Northeast Magnet High School
Wichita School District; 5550 N Lycee St., Bel Aire, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 12 to 1
Average graduation rate: 95%
Average ACT score: 24
No. 5: Maize Senior High School
Maize School District; 11600 W. 45th St. N., Maize, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 14 to 1
Average graduation rate: 93%
Average ACT score: 26
Wichita High School East appeared in the top five ranking last year, but did not place as high for 2024.
Best private high schools in Wichita area
No. 1: Wichita Collegiate School (Also ranked No. 2 in Kansas)
9115 E 13th St. N., Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A+
Teacher to student ratio: 8 to 1
Average graduation rate: 100%
Average ACT score: 30
No. 2: The Independent School (Also ranked No. 3 in Kansas)
8313 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A+
Teacher to student ratio: 8 to 1
Average graduation rate: 100%
Average ACT score: 27
No. 3: Trinity Academy
12345 E. 21st St. N., Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 12 to 1
Average graduation rate: 100%
Average ACT score: 27
No. 4: Classical School of Wichita
6355 Willowbrook St., Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 16 to 1
Average graduation rate: Not reported to Niche
Average ACT score: 28
No. 5: Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School
8506 E. Central Ave., Wichita, KS
Overall Niche grade: A-
Teacher to student ratio: 13 to 1
Average graduation rate: 100%
Average ACT score: 27
