Washoe County's top-rated high schools include a nationally recognized school for gifted students and a strong set of career-technical programs. Here is what the 2024-25 NSPF data shows.
Best High Schools in Reno and Washoe County (2025)
Washoe County School District serves Reno-Sparks and surrounding communities, from Incline Village on Lake Tahoe to the high desert north of Reno. Despite being Nevada's second-largest district — far behind Clark County — Washoe punches above its weight in academic performance.
Our Methodology
Every school featured holds a 5-star or 4-star NSPF rating in 2024-25. Data sourced from the Nevada Department of Education. No school has paid for placement.
Davidson Academy of Nevada
Reno | Public Magnet (UNR campus) | Grades 5-12
Davidson Academy is Niche.com's #1 public high school in America (2024 rankings). U.S. News consistently places it in the national top 10. Average ACT scores are the highest of any public high school in the country.
Davidson serves profoundly gifted students — roughly the top 1 in 10,000 cognitively — housed on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. Students take university-level coursework and graduate with a substantial college transcript already complete. Approximately 170-180 students total, 7:1 student-teacher ratio. Davidson accepts students from across Nevada.
Academy of Arts, Careers & Technology (AACT)
Reno | Magnet | Grades 9-12
Washoe County's flagship career and technical magnet. 5-star NSPF rating, consistently in the top 5 Nevada high schools by Niche. Pathways in culinary arts, digital media, engineering, and healthcare. Dual-credit access and some of the highest College and Career Readiness scores in the county.
Galena High School
South Reno | Traditional Public | Grades 9-12
Consistently among the top traditional public high schools in Nevada. Serves south Reno near Double Diamond and Damonte Ranch. Strong AP offerings, high graduation rates. The benchmark for families wanting a strong zone school without an application process.
Reno High School
Midtown Reno | Traditional Public | Grades 9-12
Nevada's oldest public high school (est. 1902). Top 15 in Nevada by Niche. Strong AP participation and above-average selective university placement. The highest-quality zone option for families in central and north Reno.
Incline High School
Incline Village | Traditional Public | Grades 9-12
A small mountain school on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Small class sizes, high teacher retention, consistently strong performance. An excellent assigned school for Incline Village families.
How Washoe Compares to Clark
Washoe generally posts higher average metrics, reflecting demographic differences. But Clark County nearly doubled its 5-star school count in 2024-25 and is closing the gap fast. The evaluation process is identical either way.