For the second year in a row, Madison Central High School in Madison County ranked within the top 10 on the U.S. News Best High Schools list for the state of Mississippi.

The list studied data from nearly 18,000 public high schools in the nation, including traditional, magnet and charter public schools. The rankings are based on six different factors including graduation rate, college readiness and state assessment scores.

Nationally, the highest ranked Mississippi school is Ocean Springs High School, which earned a No. 682 national ranking.

Ocean Springs High School is the only Mississippi school in 2024 to break 1,000 on the rankings list. The next highest school, Lewisburg High School in Olive Branch, ranked 1,464.

Several other southern states broke the top 100 nationally. Alabama had one school at No. 21 nationally; Louisiana had one school at No. 49 and one school at No. 89; Tennessee had one school at No. 19 and one school at No. 48; Georgia had one school at No. 9.

The Mississippi coastal schools won out this year, earning five spots out of the state’s top 10.

Madison Central High makes top 10

Madison Central High ranked 10 on the 2024 list, the only Jackson Metro area school to break the top 10 in best high schools in Mississippi.

This ranking falls short of last year’s ranking by one; Madison Central held ninth place on the 2023 list.

In comparison to neighboring public schools, Madison Central earned first place in the Jackson Metro area.

Overall, Madison Central High School ranked No. 2,926 in the nation out of the nearly 18,000 ranked.

No Jackson Public Schools broke the top 10 for the Jackson Metro area.

The top 10 public high schools in Mississippi for the U.S. News 2024 list, in order from first place to 10th, are as follows:

1. Ocean Springs High School, Ocean Springs School District, No. 682 nationally
2. Lewisburg High School, Desoto County School District, No. 1,464 nationally
3. Hernando High School, Desoto County School District, No. 1,964 nationally
4. Pass Christian High School, Pass Christian Public School District, No. 2,028 nationally
5. Raleigh High School, Smith County School District, No. 2,034 nationally
6. Petal High School, Petal School District, No. 2,346 nationally
7. West Harrison High School, Harrison County School District, No. 2,678 nationally
8. Biloxi High School, Biloxi Public School District, No. 2,789 nationally
9. Long Beach Senior High School, Long Beach School District, No. 2,906 nationally
10. Madison Central High School, Madison County School District, No. 2,926 nationally

Compare to last year: See how Jackson area and state schools ranked in U.S. News and World Report rankings

Top 10 high schools in the Jackson Metro

The Jackson Metro area refers to the capital city and its surrounding counties, including Hinds, Madison, Rankin and Copiah among others.

Here are the top 10 schools in the Jackson Metro area, according to the U.S. News 2024 list, in order from first place to 10th:

1. Madison Central High School, Madison County School District, No. 10 in state, No. 2,926 nationally
2. Germantown High School, Madison County School District, No. 14 in state, No. 3,658 nationally
3. Brandon High School, Rankin County School District, No. 30 in state, No. 5,140 nationally
4. Clinton High School, Clinton Public School District, No. 32 in state, No. 5,337 nationally
5. Raymond High School, Hinds County School District, No. 37 in state, No. 5,885 nationally
6. Pearl High School, Pearl Public School District, No. 38 in state, No. 5,923 nationally
7. Northwest Rankin High School, Rankin County School District, No. 45 in state, No. 6,385 nationally
8. Terry High School, Hinds County School District, No. 72 in state, No. 8,527 nationally
9. McLaurin Attendance Center, Rankin County School District, No. 77 in state, No. 8,759 nationally
10. Wesson Attendance Center, Copiah County School District, No. 79 in state, No. 8,779 nationally

More in education news: Belhaven is first MS university to pair with Amazon for new curriculum. Read details here

Top high schools by district

Here are some top public schools in Jackson and Madison County by school district.

Jackson Public School District:

Some schools within the Jackson Public School District received a ranking between two values rather than a specific number placing.

1. Murrah High School, No. 104 in state, No. 10,321 nationally
2. Callaway High School, No. 106 in state, No. 10,354 nationally
3. Jim Hill High School, No. 118 in state, No. 10,854 nationally
4. Forest Hill High School, No. 142-229 in state, No. 13,242-17655 nationally
5. Lanier High School, No. 142-229 in state, No. 13,242-17655 nationally
6. Provine High School, No. 142-229 in state, No. 13,242-17655 nationally
7. Wingfield High School, No. 142-229 in state, No. 13,242-17655 nationally

In Dec. 2023, the Jackson Public School District voted to permanently close Wingfield High School, along with 10 other schools, when the current school year concludes.

More on Wingfield’s closure: Wingfield football coach, players describe the pain of learning of their school’s closing

Madison County School District:

1. Madison Central High School, No. 10 in state, No. 2,926 nationally
2. Germantown High School, No. 14 in state, No. 3,658 nationally
3. Ridgeland High School, No. 83 in state, No. 9,043 nationally
4. Velma Jackson High School, No. 117 in state, No. 10,847 nationally

Hattiesburg and its surrounding districts:

Lamar County School District, which covers schools in Hattiesburg and surrounding cities, had four schools ranked as follows:

• Oak Grove High School, No. 15 in state, No. 3,667 nationally
• Sumrall High School, No. 46 in state, No. 6,427 nationally
• Lumberton High School, No. 99 in state, No. 9,959 nationally
• Purvis High School, No. 109 in state, No. 10,491 nationally

The only Hattiesburg Public School District school ranked by the U.S. News for 2024 is Hattiesburg High School, which came in at No. 53 in the state and No. 6,828 nationally.

Forrest County School District also had one school ranked. North Forrest High School ranked No. 66 in the state and No. 7,949 nationally.

Neighboring district Petal School District also had only one school ranked, Petal High School, which earned 6th place in the state’s top 10 and ranked No. 2,346 nationally.

Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com