Education South Shore Family Massachusetts

The Best Public High Schools on the South Shore, Ranked

Cohasset leads, Hingham follows, and Duxbury and Norwell sit side by side. Here is how South Shore high schools rank, and what the numbers miss.

By NEP Staff · Oct 13, 2026

The Best Public High Schools on the South Shore, Ranked

Families shopping for a South Shore town often start with one question: how are the schools? Here is a fast, sourced look at how the region's public high schools show up in the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings, plus what those numbers do and don't tell you.

The 30-second version

Cohasset is the South Shore's top-ranked public high school, No. 21 in Massachusetts (U.S. News).
Hingham follows at No. 39 statewide (U.S. News).
Duxbury and Norwell sit side by side in the low 50s, with Scituate and Marshfield also earning "Award Winning" badges.
Rankings are one input. Visit, ask questions, and check state data before you buy.

1. Cohasset High School, Cohasset

Small and strong. U.S. News ranks Cohasset 21st in Massachusetts and #495 nationally, with an overall score of 97.24 out of 100. It enrolls about 406 students in grades 9 to 12, has a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, and an AP participation rate of 81%, the highest in this group (U.S. News).

Good fit if: you want a tight-knit school where teachers know every student.

2. Hingham High School, Hingham

Ranked 39th in Massachusetts and #882 nationally (score 95.07). About 1,095 students, a 12:1 ratio, and 56% AP participation (U.S. News). That puts Hingham among the Boston Globe's 40 best public high schools in the state list built from the same rankings.

Good fit if: you want a bigger school with more course and activity options.

3. Duxbury High School, Duxbury

U.S. News lists Duxbury 52nd in Massachusetts (score 92.69), with roughly 924 students, a 12:1 ratio, and 68% AP participation (U.S. News). Note: the page we reviewed was labeled with an earlier ranking edition, so check the live page for the latest number.

4. Norwell High School, Norwell

Ranked 53rd in Massachusetts and #1,239 nationally (score 93.08). About 596 students, a 12:1 ratio, and a strong 76% AP participation rate (U.S. News).

Good fit if: you want a mid-size school with a lot of students taking advanced classes.

5. Scituate High School, Scituate

Ranked 88th in Massachusetts and #2,067 nationally (score 88.45). Around 748 students, 12:1 ratio, 62% AP participation (U.S. News).

6. Marshfield High School, Marshfield

Listed 113th in Massachusetts (score 84.94), with about 1,117 students, an 11:1 ratio, and 54% AP participation (U.S. News).

How the rankings work

U.S. News scores schools on six measures: college readiness (30%), state test proficiency (20%), state test performance relative to expectations (20%), college curriculum breadth (10%), underserved student performance (10%), and graduation rate (10%) (Boston 25 News). Massachusetts is a tough grading curve: it had the largest share of schools in the national top 25% of any state (Boston Globe). A school ranked 100th here would be a standout in many states.

Before you pick a town

Look past the number. Rankings lean heavily on test scores and AP data. They say little about arts, special education, sports, or school culture.
Check state data. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publishes school report cards with MCAS results, class sizes, and spending.
Visit. Ask about counseling, class sizes, and support for kids who learn differently.
Rankings move. U.S. News updates every year, and figures on its pages may reflect different editions. Confirm the current rank before quoting it.

Sources

Cover image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of any specific school.