TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — University High School in midtown Tucson has added another national accolade to its long list of academic achievements, ranking No. 50 in the country in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings.
The 2026-27 rankings, released Aug. 18, evaluated nearly 18,000 public high schools nationwide. University High, part of the Tucson Unified School District, ranked No. 6 among Arizona schools and was the highest-ranked public high school in the Tucson area.
The school had been ranked No. 92 nationally in the previous U.S. News rankings, making this year's No. 50 placement a significant jump.
University High Principal Beto Ranjel said the school's reputation starts with the students who choose to attend.
“University High School is special because of the kids who come here,” Ranjel said.
The school has about 1,000 students enrolled this semester. According to U.S. News data, University High has a 98% graduation rate and a college-readiness score of 94.
Admission is competitive, with prospective students required to meet academic standards and take an entrance test.
“We have entrance requirements with a test and with GPA,” Ranjel said. “But you still have to choose to come here. Nobody’s assigned to us, and the fact that we have over one thousand students who choose to come here, speaks volumes to it.”
U.S. News bases its rankings on six measures, including college readiness, curriculum breadth, state assessment performance and proficiency, performance among underserved students and graduation rates.
Ranjel said academics are only part of what the school offers.
“We don’t just offer an incredible curriculum program, but we also have a complete fine arts program, we have a complete competitive athletics program and we have over 100 special interest clubs for students,” he said.
And while students compete for admission, Ranjel said the culture changes once they arrive.
“We don’t have a valedictorian, there’s no top 10, no national honor society,” he said. “If you get into UHS, you’re presumed to be an honor student and the students help each other to succeed instead of competing against each other for success.”
That spirit is evident to math instructor Rogelio Lara, who has taught at University High for six years.
“I love the students, they’re fantastic,” Lara said. “You can see around me they’re already working on the board. They have a tendency of supporting each other, which makes it great for all of us.”
The latest ranking places University High among a group of 13 Arizona public and charter schools that made the national top 100. BASIS Oro Valley ranked No. 15 nationally, while University High was sixth among Arizona schools.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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