The brief
The top-rated middle schools in Milwaukee for 2026 are Bayside Middle (9.6/10), United Community Center Acosta Middle School (7.6/10), and Andrew S Douglas Middle (7.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 10 middle schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Milwaukee's middle school landscape spans a wide performance range across 10 ranked schools, with scores running from the mid-fives to a high of 9.3 out of 10. Bayside Middle leads the field by a significant margin, sitting more than half a point above the next-closest school. Only two schools — 20% of the ranked group — clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold, which puts the average composite score of 6.0 in sharper relief. That gap between top and middle matters for families weighing options across the metro. Carmen Middle School South and Roosevelt Middle represent the next tier down, while United Community Center Acosta Middle School and Wedgewood Park round out the lower half of the rankings. Use the table below to sort by the metrics that matter most to you — whether that's academic performance, school type, or location — and compare schools side by side.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.6
- 27.6
- 37.1
- 46.6
- 56.2
- 65.7
- 74.9
- 84.1
- 93.5
- 103.0
All 10 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.All 10
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Bayside MiddleFox Point J2 School Districtstudents 341student-teacher ratio 11.0:1grades 5th–8th
- 2United Community Center Acosta Middle SchoolcharterUnited Community Center Incstudents 180student-teacher ratio 11.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 3Andrew S Douglas MiddleMilwaukee School Districtstudents 106student-teacher ratio 11.8:1grades 6th–8th
- 4King International Baccalaureate MiddleMilwaukee School Districtstudents 210student-teacher ratio 13.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 5Carmen Middle School SouthcharterCarmen High School of Science and Technology Incstudents 206student-teacher ratio 13.7:1grades 6th–8th
- 6Roosevelt MiddleMilwaukee School Districtstudents 225student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 7Lincoln MiddleMilwaukee School Districtstudents 308student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades 6th–8th
- 8Wedgewood Park SchoolMilwaukee School Districtstudents 552student-teacher ratio 13.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 9Audubon Technology and Communication MiddleMilwaukee School Districtstudents 368student-teacher ratio 13.6:1grades 6th–8th
- 10Morse MidMilwaukee School Districtstudents 416student-teacher ratio 24.5:1grades 6th–8th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Wisconsin education department. Rankings are relative to all public middle schools in Wisconsin. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 10 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Bayside Middle
Fox Point J2 School District
341 students · 11.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 5th–8th
Top 1% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 9.8
- Growth
- 9.3
- Environment
- 9.8
- 2
United Community Center Acosta Middle School
United Community Center Inc
180 students · 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 27% in Wisconsin · charter
- Academics
- 5.1
- Growth
- 9.7
- Environment
- 7.9
- 3
Andrew S Douglas Middle
Milwaukee School District
106 students · 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 39% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 2.3
- Growth
- 9.6
- Environment
- 9.8
- 4
King International Baccalaureate Middle
Milwaukee School District
210 students · 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 48% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 2.7
- Growth
- 8.2
- Environment
- 9.4
- 5
Carmen Middle School South
Carmen High School of Science and Technology Inc
206 students · 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 54% in Wisconsin · charter
- Academics
- 7.0
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- 5.0
- 6
Roosevelt Middle
Milwaukee School District
225 students · 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 64% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 3.6
- Growth
- 5.2
- Environment
- 9.4
- 7
Lincoln Middle
Milwaukee School District
308 students · 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 80% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 2.9
- Growth
- 4.8
- Environment
- 7.9
- 8
Wedgewood Park School
Milwaukee School District
552 students · 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 94% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 4.1
- Growth
- 4.7
- Environment
- 3.1
- 9
Audubon Technology and Communication Middle
Milwaukee School District
368 students · 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 98% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 3.2
- Growth
- 4.3
- Environment
- 2.5
- 10
Morse Mid
Milwaukee School District
416 students · 24.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 99% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 3.6
- Growth
- 3.1
- Environment
- 2.2
Questions
What is the best middle school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Bayside Middle is the top-rated middle school in Milwaukee with a composite score of 9.6/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many middle schools are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
Milwaukee has 12 middle schools, including 2 charter schools. Of these, 11 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average middle school rating in Milwaukee?
Among 11 Milwaukee middle schools with a composite score, the average is 5.8/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Wisconsin).
How does MySchoolScout rate middle schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Wisconsin, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Wisconsin, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Milwaukee middle school rankings?
Milwaukee has 2 charter middle schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Milwaukee2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in Milwaukee2026 rankings and ratings
- All 259 schools in MilwaukeeElementary, middle and high
- Wisconsin schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings