Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor 

Several schools in Shelby County have achieved a high placement in Niche.com’s 2025 Best Public High Schools in Alabama and Best Private High Schools in Alabama rankings.

Spain Park High School took the honor of being the county’s highest ranking school at No. 10 for the Best Public High Schools in Alabama. Spain Park High School received an overall Niche grade of A-plus with an A in Academics, an A-minus in Teachers, an A in Clubs and Activities, an A-minus in Diversity, an A in College Prep and a B-plus in Administration. The school services 1,503 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. According to state test scores, 47 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 50 percent in reading.

SPHS also received the following rankings by Niche.com:

• No. 1 for Best Public High Schools in Shelby County
• No. 6 for Best College Prep Public High Schools in Alabama
• No. 11 for Best High Schools for STEM in Alabama

Oak Mountain High School was the next local school to follow at rank no. 17 for the Best Public High Schools in Alabama.

OMHS received an overall Niche grade of A with an A in Academics, a B in Teachers, a B-plus in Clubs and Activities, a B in Diversity, a B-plus in College Prep and a B-minus in Administration. Oak Mountain High services 1,561 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1. According to state test scores, 57 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 55 percent in reading.

OMHS also received the following rankings by Niche.com:

• No. 2 for Best Public High Schools in Shelby County
• No. 25 Best High Schools for Athletes in Alabama
• No. 28 Best College Prep Public High Schools in Alabama

Pelham High School followed OMHS at No. 19 for the Best Public High Schools in Alabama.

Pelham High received an overall Niche grade of A with a B-plus in Academics, an A-minus in Teachers, an A-minus in Clubs and Activities, an A in diversity, an A-minus in College Prep and a B-plus in Administration. PHS serves 1,058 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. According to state test scores, 32 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 37 percent in reading.

Pelham High also received the following rankings by Niche.com

• No. 3 for Best Public High Schools in Shelby County
• No. 11 for Most Diverse Public High Schools in Alabama
• No. 14 for Best College Prep Public High Schools in Alabama
• No. 19 Best Public High Schools in Alabama

Thompson High School was ranked at No. 37 for Best Public High Schools in Alabama.

Thompson received an overall Niche grade of A-minus with a B-plus in Academics, an A-minus in Teachers, an A in Clubs and Activities, an A in Diversity, an A-minus in College Prep and a B in Administration. According to Niche.com, THS has 2,203 students enrolled in Grades 9-12 with a 27 percent proficiency in reading and a 25 percent proficiency in math. THS has a graduation rate of 99 percent.

THS also received the follow rankings from Niche.com:

• No. 4 for Best Public High Schools in Shelby County
• No. 12 for Best High Schools for Athletes in Alabama
• No. 13 for Best College Prep Public High Schools in Alabama
• No. 33 for Most Diverse Public High Schools in Alabama

Helena High School followed at No. 38 for Best Public High Schools in Alabama.

Helena High received an overall Niche grade of A-minus with a B-plus in Academics, a B-plus in Teachers, an A in Clubs and Activities, a B-plus in Diversity, a B in College Prep and a B in Administration. Helena High services 1,418 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1. According to state test scores, 34 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 43 percent in reading.

Helena High also received the following rankings from Niche.com:

• No. 5 for Best Public High Schools in Shelby County
• No. 10 for Best High Schools for Athletes in Alabama
• No. 53 for Best College Prep Public High Schools in Alabama

Chelsea High School ranked at No. 118 for Best Public High Schools in Alabama with Shelby County at No. 131, Calera High School at No. 149 and Vincent Middle High School at No. 201.

Indian Springs School received the distinction of being ranked at the No. 1 Best Private High Schools in Alabama. Indian Springs received an overall Niche grade of A-plus with an A-plus in Academics, an A-plus in Teachers, an A-plus in Clubs and Activities, an A-plus in Diversity, an A-plus in College Prep and an A-minus in Sports. Niche.com calculated Indian Springs yearly tuition at $29,500.

Indian Springs School also received the following rankings from Niche.com:

• No. 1 for Best College Prep Private High Schools in Alabama
• No. 1 for Most Diverse Private High Schools in Alabama

The Westminster School at Oak Mountain followed at No. 225 for Best Private High Schools in Alabama. Westminster got an overall Niche grade of A with an A in Academics, a B-plus in Teachers, a B-plus in Clubs and Activities, a C-plus in Diversity, an A-minus in College Prep and an A-minus in Sports. The Westminster School at Oak Mountain has 599 students in grades K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1. Niche calculated yearly tuition at $10,781 for the highest grade offered and reported that 97 percent of students from Westminster go on to attend a 4-year college.

The Westminster School at Oak Mountain also received the following rankings from Niche.com:

• No. 9 for Best Christian High Schools in Alabama
• No. 20 for Best Private K-12 Schools in Alabama
• No. 24 for Best College Prep Private High Schools in Alabama

Briarwood Christian School ranked at No. 35 for Best Private High Schools in Alabama. Briarwood received an overall niche grade of A-minus with an A in Academics, a B in Teachers, a B-plus in Clubs and Activities, an A-minus in College Prep and an A-minus in Sports. Briarwood High has 1,850 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. Yearly tuition is calculated at $8,550 for the highest grade offered. After graduation, 97 percent of students from this school go on to attend a 4-year college.

Briarwood Christian School also received the following rankings from Niche.com:

• No. 15 for Best Christian High Schools in Alabama
• No. 28 for Best College Prep Private High Schools in Alabama
• No. 28 for Best Private K-12 Schools in Alabama

Evangel Classical Christian School ranked at No. 39 for Best Private High Schools in Alabama. Evangel Classical Christian received an overall Niche grade of A-minus with an A in Academics, a B-plus in Teachers, a C-plus in Clubs and Activities, a C-plus in Diversity and a B-plus in College Prep.