Is High School One Word or Two? Correct Spelling and Examples

High school is written as two words. The closed spelling highschool is incorrect in standard English. In most writing, the phrase also remains unhyphenated before another noun, as in high school student, high school teacher, and high school diploma.

Is High School One Word or Two?

When it is used as a noun, high school is an open compound. This means the two words work together as a single term but are separated by a space.

She starts high school next year.
They met in high school.
He graduated from high school in June.

The plural form is high schools. Only the word school becomes plural.

For example:

The city has four public high schools.

Is “Highschool” Correct?

Highschool is not the standard spelling. Although it sometimes appears in informal messages and social media posts, it should be avoided in school assignments, professional writing, and other edited content.

Correct: high school
Incorrect: highschool

The mistake may happen because some compounds containing school are written as one word, including schoolwork, schoolhouse, and schoolyard. However, compound spellings must be learned individually, and high school remains two words.

Should “High School” Be Hyphenated?

Do not hyphenate high school when it is used as a noun:

She attends high school.
The new high school opens in August.

When the phrase comes before another noun, it is also usually left open:

high school student
high school teacher
high school football
high school education

Some publications use a hyphen in phrases such as high-school student. That form is understandable, but the hyphen is generally unnecessary because high school is already a familiar compound.

For most everyday and professional writing, use:

She is a high school student.

Do not write:

She is a highschool student.

Does “High School” Need Capital Letters?

Use lowercase letters when referring to high school generally:

My sister is still in high school.
He works as a high school teacher.
They attended the same high school.

Capitalize High School when it is part of an official school name:

Lincoln High School
Central Valley High School
Roosevelt High School

Compare these examples:

She teaches at a high school in Boston.
She teaches at Boston Latin High School.

The first sentence refers to a school in general, while the second uses an official name.

Is It “High Schooler” or “Highschooler”?

High schooler is normally written as two words. It refers to someone who attends high school.

Correct: high schooler
Incorrect: highschooler

The plural form is high schoolers.

The summer program is open to high schoolers.
She began writing for the local newspaper as a high schooler.

High school student is often preferred in formal writing, while high schooler sounds slightly more conversational.

Examples of “High School” in Sentences

Use	Example
General noun	She will finish high school next spring.
Before another noun	He is a high school basketball coach.
Plural	Several high schools offer evening classes.
Official name	She attends Jefferson High School.
Person	The course was created for high schoolers.

Final Answer

High school is two words. The spelling highschool is incorrect.

High school: Correct
High-school: Occasionally used before another noun
Highschool: Incorrect
High schooler: Correct

In most writing, use open forms such as high school student, high school diploma, and high school education. Capitalize the words only when they appear in an official name, such as Washington High School.