| Rank
| Title
| Lifetime Gross | Max Theaters | Opening | Open Th | Release Date | Distributor
|
|---|
| 1 | The Karate Kid | $176,591,618 | 3,740 | $55,665,805 | 3,663 | Jun 11, 2010 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 2 | Bad Teacher | $100,292,856 | 3,049 | $31,603,106 | 3,049 | Jun 24, 2011 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 3 | Dead Poets Society | $95,860,116 | 1,109 | $340,456 | 8 | Jun 2, 1989 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 4 | The Karate Kid | $90,815,558 | 1,111 | $5,031,753 | 931 | Jun 22, 1984 | Columbia Pictures |
| 5 | Dangerous Minds | $84,919,401 | 1,783 | $14,931,503 | 1,348 | Aug 11, 1995 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 6 | Mr. Holland's Opus | $82,569,971 | 1,659 | $14,466 | 1 | Dec 29, 1995 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 7 | School of Rock | $81,261,177 | 2,951 | $19,622,714 | 2,614 | Oct 3, 2003 | Paramount Pictures |
| 8 | Coach Carter | $67,264,877 | 2,574 | $24,182,961 | 2,524 | Jan 14, 2005 | Paramount Pictures |
| 9 | Mona Lisa Smile | $63,860,942 | 2,714 | $11,528,498 | 2,677 | Dec 19, 2003 | Revolution Studios |
| 10 | In & Out | $63,856,929 | 2,452 | $15,019,821 | 1,992 | Sep 19, 1997 | Paramount Pictures |
| 11 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | $57,319,029 | 2,178 | $7,569,219 | 2,132 | Dec 10, 1993 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 12 | Finding Forrester | $51,804,714 | 2,002 | $701,207 | 200 | Dec 22, 2000 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 13 | Here Comes the Boom | $45,290,318 | 3,014 | $11,816,596 | 3,014 | Oct 12, 2012 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 14 | The Faculty | $40,283,321 | 2,365 | $11,633,495 | 2,365 | Dec 25, 1998 | Miramax |
| 15 | Anna and the King | $39,263,420 | 2,132 | $5,223,416 | 2,132 | Dec 17, 1999 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 16 | That's My Boy | $36,931,089 | 3,030 | $13,453,714 | 3,030 | Jun 15, 2012 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 17 | Freedom Writers | $36,605,602 | 2,286 | $9,405,582 | 1,360 | Jan 5, 2007 | Paramount Pictures |
| 18 | Summer School | $35,659,098 | 1,366 | $6,012,274 | 1,366 | Jul 24, 1987 | Paramount Pictures |
| 19 | Take the Lead | $34,742,066 | 3,009 | $12,775,000 | 3,009 | Apr 7, 2006 | New Line Cinema |
| 20 | Pay It Forward | $33,519,628 | 2,130 | $9,631,359 | 2,130 | Oct 20, 2000 | Warner Bros. |
| 21 | October Sky | $32,570,685 | 1,702 | $5,905,250 | 1,495 | Feb 19, 1999 | Universal Pictures |
| 22 | Fist Fight | $32,187,017 | 3,185 | $12,201,873 | 3,185 | Feb 17, 2017 | Warner Bros. |
| 23 | Lean on Me | $31,906,454 | 1,107 | $5,032,605 | 894 | Mar 3, 1989 | Warner Bros. |
| 24 | Children of a Lesser God | $31,853,080 | 544 | $1,909,084 | 215 | Oct 3, 1986 | Paramount Pictures |
| 25 | The Great Debaters | $30,236,407 | 1,290 | $6,005,180 | 1,171 | Dec 25, 2007 | - |
| 26 | Major Payne | $29,412,050 | 1,991 | $7,011,225 | 1,895 | Mar 24, 1995 | Universal Pictures |
| 27 | Teachers | $27,774,237 | 1,721 | $7,013,366 | 1,721 | Oct 5, 1984 | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 28 | The Man Without a Face | $24,760,338 | 1,332 | $4,026,775 | 865 | Aug 27, 1993 | Warner Bros. |
| 29 | Renaissance Man | $24,332,324 | 1,788 | $5,557,590 | 1,764 | Jun 3, 1994 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 30 | Billy Elliot | $21,995,263 | 510 | $215,681 | 10 | Oct 13, 2000 | Focus Features |
| 31 | High School High | $21,302,121 | 2,146 | $6,311,786 | 2,146 | Oct 25, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 32 | The Principal | $19,734,940 | 1,196 | $4,297,710 | 1,196 | Sep 18, 1987 | TriStar Pictures |
| 33 | Wonder Boys | $19,393,557 | 1,509 | $5,808,919 | 1,253 | Feb 23, 2000 | Paramount Pictures |
| 34 | Akeelah and the Bee | $18,848,430 | 2,195 | $6,011,585 | 2,195 | Apr 28, 2006 | Lionsgate |
| 35 | Election | $14,902,041 | 827 | $119,080 | 6 | Apr 23, 1999 | Paramount Pictures |
| 36 | Music of the Heart | $14,859,394 | 1,353 | $3,653,281 | 1,349 | Oct 29, 1999 | Miramax |
| 37 | The Substitute | $14,818,176 | 1,762 | $6,096,833 | 1,742 | Apr 19, 1996 | Orion Pictures |
| 38 | Educating Rita | $14,648,076 | 407 | $73,518 | 3 | Sep 23, 1983 | Columbia Pictures |
| 39 | The Emperor's Club | $14,118,751 | 811 | $3,846,780 | 809 | Nov 22, 2002 | Universal Pictures |
| 40 | Stand and Deliver | $13,994,920 | 472 | $411,884 | 30 | Mar 11, 1988 | Warner Bros. |
| 41 | Whiplash | $13,092,000 | 567 | $135,388 | 6 | Oct 10, 2014 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 42 | An Education | $12,574,914 | 763 | $159,017 | 4 | Oct 9, 2009 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 43 | Teaching Mrs. Tingle | $8,951,935 | 1,710 | $3,326,870 | 1,710 | Aug 20, 1999 | Miramax |
| 44 | One Eight Seven | $5,727,130 | 1,121 | $2,222,984 | 1,121 | Jul 30, 1997 | Warner Bros. |
| 45 | Won't Back Down | $5,310,554 | 2,517 | $2,603,370 | 2,515 | Sep 28, 2012 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 46 | Hamlet 2 | $4,886,216 | 1,597 | $439,925 | 103 | Aug 22, 2008 | Focus Features |
| 47 | Madame Sousatzka | $3,548,238 | 123 | $172,740 | 20 | Oct 14, 1988 | Universal Pictures |
| 48 | Only the Strong | $3,283,371 | 668 | $1,286,889 | 668 | Aug 27, 1993 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 49 | Half Nelson | $2,697,938 | 106 | $53,983 | 2 | Aug 11, 2006 | THINKFilm |
| 50 | Class of 1999 | $2,459,895 | 320 | $767,620 | 320 | May 11, 1990 | Taurus Entertainment Company |
| 51 | Words and Pictures | $2,171,257 | 216 | $87,879 | 10 | May 23, 2014 | Roadside Attractions |
| 52 | Footnote | $2,007,758 | 101 | $47,528 | 2 | Mar 9, 2012 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 53 | The Hunt | $613,308 | 47 | $43,045 | 4 | Jul 12, 2013 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 54 | The Browning Version | $487,391 | 24 | $48,719 | 12 | Oct 12, 1994 | Paramount Pictures |
| 55 | Blue Car | $465,310 | 28 | $30,087 | 6 | May 2, 2003 | Miramax |
| 56 | Beloved | $137,515 | 7 | $25,825 | 5 | Aug 17, 2012 | IFC Films |
| 57 | The English Teacher | $104,810 | 7 | $6,001 | 2 | May 17, 2013 | Cinedigm Entertainment Group |
| 58 | Breathe In | $89,661 | 41 | $15,324 | 18 | Mar 28, 2014 | Cohen Media Group |
| 59 | Mga munting tinig | $69,739 | 6 | $15,166 | 6 | Oct 10, 2003 | Small Island Films |
| 60 | American Teacher | $33,144 | 2 | $6,036 | 2 | Sep 30, 2011 | First Run |
| 61 | Hunky Dory | $20,296 | 11 | $7,443 | 11 | Mar 22, 2013 | Variance Films |
| 62 | Sophomore | $18,945 | 1 | $13,097 | 1 | Jan 13, 2012 | - |
| 63 | A Teacher | $8,348 | 6 | $4,684 | 2 | Sep 6, 2013 | Oscilloscope |
| 64 | Aliyah | $8,253 | 2 | $1,627 | 1 | Jun 14, 2013 | Film Movement |
| 65 | Miss Stevens | $4,611 | 2 | $2,451 | 2 | Sep 16, 2016 | The Orchard |
