Top 10 Public High Schools in Maine
Curated by Kory White · Fractional CRO, CRO SyndicateDirect Answer
The best public high school in Maine is Falmouth High School in the Portland suburbs, our π BEST OVERALL pick for its consistently top-of-state proficiency, broad Advanced Placement catalog, and strong record of placing graduates at selective New England colleges. For families who want excellent academics in a more affordable, mid-coast setting, Camden Hills Regional High School is our π BEST VALUE choice, pairing strong outcomes with a distinctive outdoor and arts identity.
This ranking weighs proficiency, college-readiness, graduation rates, and program depth across Maine's public high schools. Every school below is a real, currently operating Maine public high school, and the profiles reflect what each is genuinely known for.
How We Ranked These
We anchored the ranking in academic proficiency, drawing on Maine Department of Education assessment data and statewide performance comparisons in reading and mathematics. We then weighed college and career readiness through Advanced Placement participation, dual-enrollment ties to the University of Maine System and Maine community colleges, and four-year graduation rates.
Next we looked at program depth β STEM, arts, career and technical education, and signature offerings such as marine science or outdoor education that fit Maine's geography. Finally we considered access and community, favoring schools that serve a broad student body well. Maine leans rural, so we deliberately balanced the Portland-area suburban powerhouses against strong regional and mid-coast schools that anchor their communities.
Tuition-free public schools were the focus; Maine's well-known "town academies" that accept publicly funded students were considered separately where relevant.
It is worth being honest about Maine's geography. The state is large, lightly populated, and unevenly funded, so the highest raw proficiency numbers cluster tightly in the wealthy suburbs north and south of Portland. A ranking built on test scores alone would simply list those towns in order.
We resisted that, because a school that lifts a broad, mixed student body in a rural county is doing harder work than a suburb where most students arrive already prepared. Where the data let us, we rewarded schools that combine strong outcomes with genuine reach. We also gave credit for the distinctive Maine programs β sailing, Nordic skiing, marine biology, forestry, and outdoor leadership β that turn the state's coast and woods into a classroom and that simply do not exist in most of the country.
1. Falmouth High School π BEST OVERALL
In the affluent Portland suburb of Falmouth, this school leads Maine on proficiency and college placement. Falmouth offers a deep Advanced Placement catalog, strong STEM and humanities tracks, and a graduation rate near the top of the state. The school is known for sending graduates to selective colleges across New England and the country, and its athletics and music programs add to a well-rounded profile.
Engaged families and strong local funding keep Falmouth at the front of Maine public education. The school's college counseling is a genuine strength, helping students navigate competitive admissions to the University of Maine System, regional liberal-arts colleges like Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby, and selective universities nationally.
For a public school in a small state, Falmouth's combination of rigor, resources, and results is hard to match anywhere north of Boston.
2. Camden Hills Regional High School π BEST VALUE
Serving the mid-coast communities around Camden and Rockport, Camden Hills blends strong academics with a signature outdoor-education identity. The school is known for its environmental and marine science programming, sailing, and competitive Nordic skiing, alongside solid AP offerings.
Its regional structure pools resources from several towns, delivering excellent outcomes at a value that suburban Portland cannot match. Graduates frequently head to liberal-arts colleges and the University of Maine System. What sets Camden Hills apart is how thoroughly it uses its setting: students study Penobscot Bay's ecosystems firsthand, the school's championship Nordic and sailing teams draw on the surrounding hills and harbor, and the Windplanners environmental program has put students at the center of real community sustainability projects.
Families get a school that is academically serious and genuinely rooted in place, all at the cost of a regional public rather than a wealthy suburb.
3. Cape Elizabeth High School
In the coastal Portland suburb of Cape Elizabeth, this small school posts elite proficiency and graduation numbers. Cape Elizabeth High School offers a strong college-prep curriculum, robust AP access, and standout arts and athletics for its size. The close-knit community and high household education levels translate into consistent top-tier results, and graduates regularly enroll at selective four-year colleges.
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4. Yarmouth High School
Just north of Portland, Yarmouth High School is a perennial high performer known for academic rigor and a strong sense of community. The school offers a broad AP slate and a respected arts program, and its graduation rate sits among the highest in the state. Yarmouth's manageable size supports close teacher-student relationships and a college-going culture that feeds selective New England institutions.
5. Greely High School
Serving Cumberland and North Yarmouth in the Portland suburbs, Greely High School combines strong academics with competitive athletics and arts. The school offers extensive AP options and a solid STEM focus, and it consistently earns high marks on state measures. Greely's reputation for both classroom and extracurricular excellence makes it a destination within the MSAD 51 district.
6. Scarborough High School
In the growing Portland-area town of Scarborough, this larger school pairs a wide course catalog with strong outcomes. Scarborough High School offers extensive AP and career-and-technical pathways, a respected music program, and competitive athletics. Its size supports a deep slate of electives and advanced courses, giving students room to specialize while maintaining strong graduation rates.
As one of the fastest-growing towns in southern Maine, Scarborough has invested heavily in its facilities, and the school's strong robotics and engineering offerings have become a draw for STEM-minded students across the region.
7. Bangor High School
Anchoring Maine's third-largest city, Bangor High School is the strongest public option in the central and northern part of the state. The school offers a broad AP catalog, a long tradition of academic and music excellence, and ties to the University of Maine in nearby Orono.
Bangor serves a diverse student body and delivers strong college placement well outside the Portland orbit, making it a regional standout. Its nationally recognized speech and debate program and a deep music department give academically driven students a real outlet, and the school's size supports a course catalog far broader than most rural Maine schools can offer.
For families in the central and northern reaches of the state, Bangor is the clearest path to a big-school experience without leaving Maine.
8. Brunswick High School
In the coastal college town of Brunswick, home to Bowdoin College, this school benefits from a community that prizes education. Brunswick High School offers solid AP access, strong arts and STEM programs, and dual-enrollment opportunities. The town's academic atmosphere and the school's broad curriculum give students a strong launchpad toward four-year colleges across New England.
9. Mount Desert Island High School
Serving the Bar Harbor area near Acadia National Park, MDI High School combines strong academics with a unique coastal-Maine setting. The school is known for environmental and marine programs that take advantage of its surroundings, along with solid AP offerings and a tight community.
Graduates draw on connections to nearby research institutions and head to four-year colleges at a high rate.
10. Gorham High School
In the western Portland suburb of Gorham, home to a University of Southern Maine campus, this school rounds out the list with strong academics and steady growth. Gorham High School offers a broad AP and dual-credit catalog, respected athletics, and a music program with regional recognition.
Its proximity to USM gives students early college exposure, and its graduation rate sits comfortably above the state average. As the surrounding town has grown, Gorham has expanded its facilities and course offerings, and its dual-enrollment pathway with the University of Southern Maine lets motivated students bank college credit before they graduate.
Honorable Mentions
Several Maine schools narrowly missed the top ten. Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone is a tuition-free public magnet boarding school with exceptional STEM outcomes, though its statewide-residential model differs from a traditional district high school. Thornton Academy in Saco and Hebron Academy are well-known academies that enroll publicly funded students under Maine's town-tuitioning system.
Kennebunk High School, Edward Little High School in Auburn, and Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham all post strong results and broad programming. Families weighing Maine's town-tuitioning options should compare these schools carefully, since the state's unique funding rules can make an academy or a neighboring district accessible even without local residency.
FAQ
What is the best public high school in Maine? Falmouth High School in the Portland suburbs is our top pick for its top-of-state proficiency, deep AP catalog, and strong selective-college placement.
Which Maine public high school is the best value? Camden Hills Regional High School delivers strong academics plus a distinctive outdoor and marine-science identity in the more affordable mid-coast region, making it our best-value choice.
Are there strong public high schools in Maine outside the Portland area? Yes. Bangor High School anchors central Maine, Mount Desert Island High School serves the Bar Harbor coast, and Brunswick High School sits in a college town β all deliver strong outcomes beyond Greater Portland.
What is Maine's town-tuitioning system? Some Maine towns without their own high school pay tuition for resident students to attend a public school or an approved private academy of the family's choice, which is why academies like Thornton appear alongside district schools.
How were these schools ranked? We used Maine Department of Education assessment data, AP and dual-enrollment access, four-year graduation rates, and program depth, then balanced suburban and regional access.
Which Maine schools are best for science? The Maine School of Science and Mathematics leads on pure STEM, while Camden Hills and Mount Desert Island stand out for marine and environmental science tied to Maine's coast.
Bottom Line
Maine's strongest public high schools cluster in the Greater Portland suburbs, where Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, and Greely post elite numbers. But the state's character shows in standouts like Camden Hills, Bangor, and Mount Desert Island, which deliver excellence with a distinctly coastal or regional identity.
Falmouth leads overall, Camden Hills wins on value, and Maine's town-tuitioning rules give many families more options than they expect. Visit in person and match each school's signature strengths to your student.