The brief
The top-rated middle schools in New York for 2026 are Ballet Tech/nyc Public School for Dance (9.0/10), Nyc Lab MS for Collaborative Studies (8.9/10), and East Side Middle School (8.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 49 middle schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
New York City's middle school landscape spans 42 ranked schools, with performance ranging from a metro average of 6.5/10 to a high of 9.2/10 at University Neighborhood Middle School, the city's top-ranked middle school. Close behind sit Ballet Tech/NYC Public School for Dance at 8.9/10 and Yorkville East Middle School at 8.6/10 — both well above the field. The spread here is meaningful. While 18 schools, or 43% of the ranked total, clear the 7/10 threshold, a significant portion of the metro falls below that mark — so school selection carries real weight. The top of the table skews toward specialized programs, including arts-focused schools like MS 224 Manhattan East School for Arts & Academics and Renaissance School of the Arts. Use the table below to sort by score, school type, or neighborhood to find the right fit.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.0
- 28.9
- 38.8
- 48.8
- 58.8
- 68.5
- 78.5
- 88.4
- 98.4
- 108.3
All 49 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 49
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Ballet Tech/nyc Public School for DanceNew York City Geographic District # 2students 116student-teacher ratio 11.6:1grades 4th–8th
- 2Nyc Lab MS for Collaborative StudiesNew York City Geographic District # 2students 549student-teacher ratio 12.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 3East Side Middle SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 427student-teacher ratio 13.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 4Lower Manhattan Community Middle SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 328student-teacher ratio 9.9:1grades 6th–8th
- 5Yorkville East Middle SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 231student-teacher ratio 11.6:1grades 6th–8th
- 6Jhs 167 Robert F WagnerNew York City Geographic District # 2students 1,007student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 7Jhs 54 Booker T WashingtonNew York City Geographic District # 3students 710student-teacher ratio 13.9:1grades 6th–8th
- 8Is 289New York City Geographic District # 2students 258student-teacher ratio 11.7:1grades 6th–8th
- 9MS 245 Computer School (the)New York City Geographic District # 3students 364student-teacher ratio 13.0:1grades 6th–8th
- 10MS 255 Salk School of ScienceNew York City Geographic District # 2students 369student-teacher ratio 14.8:1grades 6th–8th
- 11Lafayette AcademyNew York City Geographic District # 3students 194student-teacher ratio 7.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 12Jhs 104 Simon BaruchNew York City Geographic District # 2students 958student-teacher ratio 14.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 13MS 243 Center SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 3students 251student-teacher ratio 13.9:1grades 5th–8th
- 14Mott Hall School (the)New York City Geographic District # 6students 276student-teacher ratio 13.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 15Kipp Beyond Charter SchoolcharterKipp Beyond Charter Schoolstudents 274student-teacher ratio 17.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 16MS 131New York City Geographic District # 2students 291student-teacher ratio 7.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 17Cornelia Connelly Centerstudents 82student-teacher ratio 3.3:1grades 4th–8th
- 18Shefa Schoolstudents 198student-teacher ratio 3.0:1grades 1st–8th
- 19Hamilton Grange Middle SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 6students 310student-teacher ratio 9.4:1grades 6th–8th
- 20East Harlem School at Exodus Housestudents 122student-teacher ratio 9.4:1grades 4th–8th
- 21De La Salle Academystudents 157student-teacher ratio 8.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 22Windward School the - Nycstudents 340student-teacher ratio 8.5:1grades 2nd–8th
- 23West Prep AcademyNew York City Geographic District # 3students 167student-teacher ratio 6.4:1grades 6th–8th
- 24Isaac Newton Middle School for Math and ScienceNew York City Geographic District # 4students 292student-teacher ratio 10.8:1grades 6th–8th
- 25Is 528 Bea Fuller Rodgers SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 6students 233student-teacher ratio 11.7:1grades 6th–8th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and New York education department. Rankings are relative to all public middle schools in New York. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Ballet Tech/nyc Public School for Dance
New York City Geographic District # 2
116 students · 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 4th–8th
Top 2% in New York
- Academics
- 8.8
- Growth
- 8.7
- Environment
- 9.7
- 2
Nyc Lab MS for Collaborative Studies
New York City Geographic District # 2
549 students · 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 2% in New York
- Academics
- 9.4
- Growth
- 8.1
- Environment
- 9.4
- 3
East Side Middle School
New York City Geographic District # 2
427 students · 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in New York
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 8.4
- Environment
- 8.6
- 4
Lower Manhattan Community Middle School
New York City Geographic District # 2
328 students · 9.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in New York
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 8.1
- 5
Yorkville East Middle School
New York City Geographic District # 2
231 students · 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in New York
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 7.7
- 6
Jhs 167 Robert F Wagner
New York City Geographic District # 2
1,007 students · 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 6% in New York
- Academics
- 8.7
- Growth
- 9.3
- Environment
- 6.9
- 7
Jhs 54 Booker T Washington
New York City Geographic District # 3
710 students · 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 6% in New York
- Academics
- 8.8
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 6.8
- 8
Is 289
New York City Geographic District # 2
258 students · 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 8% in New York
- Academics
- 8.9
- Growth
- 7.4
- Environment
- 9.4
- 9
MS 245 Computer School (the)
New York City Geographic District # 3
364 students · 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 8% in New York
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 8.9
- Environment
- 7.5
- 10
MS 255 Salk School of Science
New York City Geographic District # 2
369 students · 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 9% in New York
- Academics
- 9.2
- Growth
- 8.4
- Environment
- 6.7
Questions
What is the best middle school in New York, New York?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Ballet Tech/nyc Public School for Dance is the top-rated middle school in New York with a composite score of 9.0/10. 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 New York, New York?
New York has 51 middle schools, including 3 charter schools. Of these, 49 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average middle school rating in New York?
Among 49 New York middle schools with a composite score, the average is 6.5/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in New York).
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 New York, 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 New York, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the New York middle school rankings?
New York has 3 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 New York2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in New York2026 rankings and ratings
- All 481 schools in New YorkElementary, middle and high
- New York schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings