Elkhorn South High School in Omaha is the best public high school in Nebraska, ranked #1 in the state and #223 nationally by U.S. News for 2026-2027, with a 98% graduation rate. Elkhorn North (#2 in Nebraska) and Elkhorn High School (#3) follow.
U.S. News rank: #1 in Nebraska, #223 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Omaha, Nebraska (Elkhorn Public Schools)Graduation rate: 98%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 1,434 studentsCollege readiness index: 62.8
Elkhorn South High School in Omaha, part of Elkhorn Public Schools, is #1 in Nebraska and #223 nationally, with a 98% graduation rate and a college readiness index of 62.8.
Go ifThe top-ranked public high school in Nebraska
Skip ifYou want a school with fewer than 1,000 students
Why #1 over #2: Its #223 national rank beats Elkhorn North’s #355.
2
Elkhorn North High School
Answrs VerdictThe runner-up in the same district.
U.S. News rank: #2 in Nebraska, #355 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Omaha, Nebraska (Elkhorn Public Schools)Graduation rate: 97%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 1,050 studentsCollege readiness index: 58.1
Elkhorn North High School in Omaha has 1,050 students in grades 9-12, a 97% graduation rate and a college readiness index of 58.1.
Go ifA mid-sized school with a 97% graduation rate
Skip ifYou want the single highest-ranked school in the state
Why #2 over #3: Its #355 national rank beats Elkhorn High School’s #830.
3
Elkhorn High School
Answrs VerdictThe Elkhorn original.
U.S. News rank: #3 in Nebraska, #830 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska (Elkhorn Public Schools)Graduation rate: 96%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 769 studentsCollege readiness index: 52.9
Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn is #3 in Nebraska and #830 nationally, with 769 students in grades 9-12 and a 96% graduation rate.
Go ifThe smallest school on this list, with 769 students in grades 9-12
Skip ifYou want a school with more than 1,000 students
Why #3 over #4: Its #830 national rank beats Millard North’s #1,456.
4
Millard North High School
Answrs VerdictThe big Millard school.
U.S. News rank: #4 in Nebraska, #1,456 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Omaha, Nebraska (Millard Public Schools)Graduation rate: 91%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 2,572 studentsCollege readiness index: 47.5
Millard North High School in Omaha is #4 in Nebraska and #1,456 nationally, with 2,572 students in grades 9-12 and a college readiness index of 47.5.
Go ifA large school with a college readiness index of 47.5
Skip ifYou want a small campus
Why #4 over #5: Its #1,456 national rank edges Bennington’s #1,567.
5
Bennington High School
Answrs VerdictU.S. News lists it as Bennington Secondary School.
U.S. News rank: #5 in Nebraska, #1,567 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Bennington, Nebraska (Bennington Public Schools)Graduation rate: 94%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 1,068 studentsCollege readiness index: 33.6
Bennington High School in Bennington, which U.S. News lists as Bennington Secondary School, is #5 in Nebraska and #1,567 nationally, with a 94% graduation rate.
Go ifA school north of Omaha with a 94% graduation rate
Skip ifYou want the highest college readiness index on the list
Why #5 over #6: Its #1,567 national rank beats Lincoln East’s #2,529.
6
Lincoln East High School
Photo: Jared Winkler / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictLincoln’s highest-ranked.
U.S. News rank: #6 in Nebraska, #2,529 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Public Schools)Graduation rate: 92%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 1,982 studentsCollege readiness index: 30.3
Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, part of Lincoln Public Schools, is #6 in Nebraska and #2,529 nationally, with a 92% graduation rate.
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Skip ifYou want a school outside Lincoln Public Schools
Why #6 over #7: Its #2,529 national rank edges Millard West’s #2,555.
7
Millard West High School
Answrs VerdictMillard’s second school on the list.
U.S. News rank: #7 in Nebraska, #2,555 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Omaha, Nebraska (Millard Public Schools)Graduation rate: 93%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 2,344 studentsCollege readiness index: 31.2
Millard West High School in Omaha is #7 in Nebraska and #2,555 nationally, with 2,344 students in grades 9-12 and a 93% graduation rate.
Go ifA 93% graduation rate in a large Omaha school
Skip ifYou want a smaller student body
Why #7 over #8: Its #2,555 national rank beats Papillion-La Vista South’s #3,456.
U.S. News rank: #9 in Nebraska, #3,456 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Papillion, Nebraska (Papillion La Vista Community Schools)Graduation rate: 98%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 2,038 studentsCollege readiness index: 21.3
Papillion-La Vista South High School in Papillion is #9 in Nebraska and #3,456 nationally, with a 98% graduation rate and 2,038 students in grades 9-12.
Go ifA 98% graduation rate matching Elkhorn South
Skip ifYou want the highest college readiness index
Why #8 over #9: Its #3,456 national rank beats Lincoln Southeast’s #3,958.
9
Lincoln Southeast High School
Answrs VerdictLincoln’s second-ranked school here.
U.S. News rank: #11 in Nebraska, #3,958 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Public Schools)Graduation rate: 88%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 1,848 studentsCollege readiness index: 20.1
Lincoln Southeast High School in Lincoln is #11 in Nebraska and #3,958 nationally, with 1,848 students in grades 9-12 and an 88% graduation rate.
Go ifAnother Lincoln Public Schools option
Skip ifYou want a graduation rate above 90%
Why #9 over #10: Its #3,958 national rank beats Lincoln Southwest’s #4,121.
10
Lincoln Southwest High School
Photo: Joshua Srery / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictU.S. News lists it as Southwest High School.
U.S. News rank: #12 in Nebraska, #4,121 nationally (2026-2027)Location: Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Public Schools)Graduation rate: 92%Enrollment, grades 9-12: 2,110 studentsCollege readiness index: 25.7
Lincoln Southwest High School in Lincoln, listed by U.S. News as Southwest High School, is #12 in Nebraska and #4,121 nationally, with 2,110 students in grades 9-12 and a 92% graduation rate.
Go ifA 92% graduation rate in southwest Lincoln
Skip ifYou want a smaller school
How we ranked these
We ranked public high schools by their U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools 2026-2027 rank for Nebraska, lowest rank first. We counted only schools with at least 500 students in grades 9-12, which leaves out two very small schools, Summerland High School and High School at Johnson. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
What is the best public high school in Nebraska?
Elkhorn South High School in Omaha is #1 in Nebraska and #223 nationally in the U.S. News 2026-2027 Best High Schools ranking.
Why are some higher-ranked Nebraska schools missing from this list?
We counted only schools with at least 500 students in grades 9-12. Summerland High School (144 students) and High School at Johnson (118) rank #8 and #10 in Nebraska on U.S. News but are very small.
Which Nebraska high school has the highest graduation rate on this list?
Elkhorn South High School and Papillion-La Vista South High School both show 98%, per U.S. News.
How many Nebraska high schools does U.S. News rank?
U.S. News ranks 329 high schools in Nebraska for 2026-2027.
Graduation rate (U.S. News, 2026-2027) at a glance
Lincoln Southeast High School88 %
Millard North High School91 %
Lincoln East High School92 %
Lincoln Southwest High School92 %
Millard West High School93 %
Bennington High School94 %
Elkhorn High School96 %
Elkhorn North High School97 %
Elkhorn South High School98 %
Papillion-La Vista South High School98 %
Graduation rate (U.S. News, 2026-2027), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
