Sycamore High School landed in the top 3% of public high schools nationwide in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings, earning a 97.12 out of 100 on the publication's scorecard.

The ranking, announced by the district on Tuesday, Aug. 18, places the Cornell Road school at No. 516 out of nearly 18,000 public high schools evaluated across the country. In Ohio, Sycamore ranked 18th. Among Cincinnati metro area high schools, it came in eighth.

The school also earned a No. 290 spot among STEM high schools nationally.

What the score measures

U.S. News bases its rankings on three pillars: performance on state-required tests, graduation rates and college readiness. Individual sub-scores were not available on the school's profile page, but the 97.12 composite places Sycamore well above the vast majority of schools evaluated.

The school's U.S. News profile offers additional context. Fifty-seven percent of Sycamore students take Advanced Placement courses. The 12th-grade class enrolls 440 students, and 20% of the student body is economically disadvantaged.

Sycamore High is the only high school in the Sycamore Community Schools district, meaning every student in the district feeds into one building.

College pipeline

The ranking arrives as Sycamore expands its college-credit offerings. The district covers tuition and books for students enrolled in College Credit Plus courses through the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State and Sinclair College. Subjects available for the 2026-27 year include biology, calculus, engineering foundations and physics, according to the school's CCP page.

Regional picture

Cincinnati's east side again placed multiple schools in the state's top tier. Four of Ohio's top 10 high schools are in the Cincinnati area, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Sycamore's district also earned an overall five-star rating on the 2023 Ohio School Report Card, though that assessment is now nearly three years old.

Superintendent Chad Lewis attributed the ranking to the district's educators, students and community, saying it reflects a culture of academic excellence across the district.

The 2026-27 school year at Sycamore began Thursday, Aug. 13.