Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) high schools earned eight of the top 25 spots in Niche’s 2026 Best Public High Schools in Virginia rankings, including three of the top four schools statewide.

Independence High School ranked No. 2, followed by Lightridge High School at No. 3 and Rock Ridge High School at No. 4. John Champe High School also placed among the top 10 at No. 6.

Overall, LCPS schools accounted for nearly a third of Virginia’s top 25 public high schools in the Niche rankings, which included 344 high schools statewide.

The eight LCPS high schools ranked in the top 25 are:

• No. 2 Independence High School

• No. 3 Lightridge High School

• No. 4 Rock Ridge High School

• No. 6 John Champe High School

• No. 11 Riverside High School

• No. 20 Freedom High School

• No. 21 Briar Woods High School

• No. 22 Stone Bridge High School

LCPS schools also ranked among Virginia’s top public middle and elementary schools.

Four LCPS middle schools ranked among the top 25 out of 413 public middle schools included in the Niche rankings. Brambleton Middle School led LCPS at No. 9, followed by Stone Hill Middle School at No. 13, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School at No. 16 and Eagle Ridge Middle School at No. 20.

Among the 1,170 public elementary schools included in the rankings, Waxpool Elementary School ranked No. 2 in Virginia. Goshen Post Elementary ranked No. 19 and Madison’s Trust Elementary School ranked No. 20.

Niche develops its annual school rankings using data from sources including the U.S. Department of Education, along with student and parent surveys. The rankings consider factors including academics, teachers, school culture and diversity and overall student and parent experiences. Learn more about Niche’s methodology for its 2026 school rankings.

In all, 15 LCPS schools ranked among the top 25 in their respective categories in Niche’s 2026 rankings.