Vienna's two public high schools both landed in the top 10 of Niche's 2027 Best Public High Schools in Virginia rankings, released Sept. 28.

Oakton High School placed fifth in the state, up from eighth a year ago. James Madison High School jumped to ninth, a 16-spot climb from 25th in the 2026 rankings.

The results, first reported by Patch, put both Fairfax County Public Schools among the top nine of 344 Virginia public high schools Niche evaluated. The platform analyzed 93,000 public schools nationwide for this year's list.

Madison's leap was the more dramatic. On its Niche profile, the school earned A grades across academics, college prep, clubs and activities, sports and teachers. Its graduation rate stands at 97%, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2026–2027 data, with enrollment at 2,090 students.

Oakton's profile showed A-plus marks in academics and college prep, with A grades in diversity and teachers. The school's graduation rate is 96%, with 2,621 students enrolled, according to U.S. News.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria held the No. 1 spot statewide.

Niche's methodology weighs state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality and parent and student reviews. For 2027, the platform dropped SAT and ACT scores as a ranking factor, citing a broader de-emphasis on standardized testing in college admissions.

Luke Skurman, Niche's founder and CEO, said the updated rankings give families "more ways to find the right fit, with updates designed to help them find schools where their children will thrive."

In a separate ranking system, U.S. News placed Oakton eighth and Madison 11th in Virginia for 2026–2027.

The full list of Virginia's 344 ranked public high schools is available on Niche's website.