Best States for Public Schools in 2026: A Complete Ranking
All 50 states ranked for public school quality using test scores, graduation rates, class sizes, and more. Data from 114,000+ schools.
Which states have the best public schools? Depends on what you’re measuring. A state can lead the country in test scores and still lag in class size. It can graduate almost everyone and still have a proficiency problem.
We ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C. using data from 114,968 public schools across several dimensions: academic proficiency in math and reading, student-teacher ratios, graduation rates, and enrollment. Instead of collapsing all of that into one number, we show how each state performs on every metric, so you can weigh what matters most for your own family.
How we ranked the states
The ranking is a weighted composite of four metrics, sourced from federal NCES data and state-reported test scores in School Scout’s database:
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Academic proficiency (50% of score): the average share of students scoring proficient or above in math and English Language Arts (ELA). That is the most direct read on whether students are meeting grade-level standards.
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Student-teacher ratio (20% of score): lower is better. It’s a proxy for how well-staffed schools are, and research shows matters most in early grades.
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Graduation rate (20% of score): the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, the standard federal measure.
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School coverage (10% of score): the number of schools with complete data, used as a quality signal. States with more thorough reporting produce more reliable averages.
We left U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, CNMI) out of the main ranking; their data coverage isn’t complete enough to compare fairly.
The top 10 states for public schools
1. Virginia
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 70.1% | #1 |
| ELA Proficiency | 71.8% | #1 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 13.4:1 | #26 |
| Graduation Rate | 88.4% | not ranked |
| Schools Analyzed | 2,519 | not ranked |
Virginia tops the list. Its students post the highest average proficiency in both math and reading of any state in our database: 70.1% in math and 71.8% in ELA, ahead of everyone else by a wide margin. The student-teacher ratio is middle-of-the-pack at 13.4:1, which holds the state back on that part of the score. The proficiency numbers more than make it up.
2. Maine
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 66.1% | #3 |
| ELA Proficiency | 74.4% | #1 (ELA) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 10.4:1 | #1 |
| Graduation Rate | 80.7% | not ranked |
| Schools Analyzed | 661 | not ranked |
Maine pairs the best student-teacher ratio in the country, 10.4:1, with the best reading scores anywhere: 74.4% ELA proficiency. The one soft spot is the graduation rate, 80.7%. Small, well-staffed schools still add up to strong results.
3. Iowa
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 66.4% | #2 |
| ELA Proficiency | 68.1% | #3 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 14.4:1 | #31 |
| Graduation Rate | 91.7% | not ranked |
| Schools Analyzed | 1,471 | not ranked |
Iowa is the quiet one on this list. Second-highest math proficiency in the country at 66.4%, third-highest ELA at 68.1%, and a graduation rate above 91%. The student-teacher ratio, 14.4:1, sits slightly below the national average, yet Iowa’s schools deliver more than that modest per-pupil spending would suggest.
4. Ohio
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 53.2% | #4 |
| ELA Proficiency | 57.5% | #4 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 16.7:1 | #43 |
| Graduation Rate | 83.5% | not ranked |
| Schools Analyzed | 4,414 | not ranked |
Ohio ranks fourth despite a high student-teacher ratio, 16.7:1. More than half its students hit proficiency in both subjects, which is solid for a large state running 4,400+ schools. Teacher quality and curriculum, apparently, can make up some ground that class size gives away.
5. Florida
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 53.0% | #5 |
| ELA Proficiency | 51.2% | #8 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 16.9:1 | #45 |
| Graduation Rate | 87.1% | not ranked |
| Schools Analyzed | 5,663 | not ranked |
Florida’s two decades of education reform show up in the numbers. Across 5,663 schools and a genuinely diverse student population, the state posts above-average proficiency and an 87.1% graduation rate. The student-teacher ratio runs high, 16.9:1, but Florida’s charter schools and magnet programs give families real room to maneuver inside the public system.
6-10: the next five
| Rank | State | Math Prof. | ELA Prof. | STR | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | New York | 47.1% | 56.8% | 11.3:1 | 85.3% |
| 7 | Washington | 47.3% | 55.9% | 16.8:1 | 70.0% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 42.2% | 52.8% | 10.6:1 | 83.3% |
| 9 | Connecticut | 42.1% | 52.9% | 11.5:1 | 88.7% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 49.2% | 53.6% | 11.2:1 | 76.6% |
New York and New Hampshire both benefit from excellent student-teacher ratios, 11.3:1 and 10.6:1. Connecticut pairs strong ELA scores with the best graduation rate in the top 10, 88.7%. Wyoming’s small schools and low ratios earn it a top-10 spot despite a lower graduation rate.
The complete rankings: all 50 states + D.C.
We combined each state’s math proficiency, ELA proficiency, student-teacher ratio (inverted, so lower is better), and graduation rate into a composite score. Here’s every state, ranked.
Tier 1: above average across all metrics (ranks 1-15)
| Rank | State | Avg. Proficiency | STR | Grad Rate | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 71.0% | 13.4:1 | 88.4% | 2,519 |
| 2 | Maine | 70.3% | 10.4:1 | 80.7% | 661 |
| 3 | Iowa | 67.3% | 14.4:1 | 91.7% | 1,471 |
| 4 | Ohio | 55.4% | 16.7:1 | 83.5% | 4,414 |
| 5 | Florida | 52.1% | 16.9:1 | 87.1% | 5,663 |
| 6 | New York | 52.0% | 11.3:1 | 85.3% | 5,912 |
| 7 | Washington | 51.6% | 16.8:1 | 70.0% | 2,730 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 47.5% | 10.6:1 | 83.3% | 635 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 47.5% | 11.5:1 | 88.7% | 1,248 |
| 10 | Wyoming | 51.4% | 11.2:1 | 76.6% | 363 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 50.1% | 14.4:1 | 84.7% | 3,217 |
| 12 | Nebraska | 49.4% | 13.2:1 | 86.0% | 1,172 |
| 13 | South Dakota | 46.9% | 13.4:1 | 77.9% | 745 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 46.8% | 13.1:1 | 87.6% | 4,450 |
| 15 | South Carolina | 45.2% | 13.0:1 | 84.8% | 1,483 |
Tier 2: mixed strengths (ranks 16-30)
| Rank | State | Avg. Proficiency | STR | Grad Rate | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Idaho | 46.0% | 16.4:1 | 81.3% | 879 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 45.6% | 11.0:1 | 88.1% | 2,315 |
| 18 | Minnesota | 45.3% | 14.4:1 | 82.5% | 2,564 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 44.4% | 14.9:1 | 77.3% | 1,572 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 44.6% | 14.3:1 | 85.8% | 2,859 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 44.1% | 11.0:1 | 88.8% | 3,253 |
| 22 | Hawaii | 43.4% | 13.3:1 | 82.5% | 400 |
| 23 | Utah | 43.0% | 20.9:1 | 83.9% | 1,158 |
| 24 | Indiana | 42.0% | 15.1:1 | 82.3% | 2,429 |
| 25 | Texas | 42.0% | 13.8:1 | 94.0% | 10,020 |
| 26 | North Dakota | 41.8% | 12.0:1 | 84.9% | 535 |
| 27 | Oregon | 41.3% | 17.0:1 | 77.2% | 1,501 |
| 28 | Missouri | 40.3% | 12.3:1 | 88.5% | 2,784 |
| 29 | Montana | 40.3% | 12.0:1 | 84.1% | 923 |
| 30 | Vermont | 39.7% | 10.6:1 | 82.2% | 378 |
Surprises in Tier 2:
- Massachusetts (#17) posts the best student-teacher ratio of any large state, 11.0:1, and the highest graduation rate in the country for a state its size, 88.1%. Its proficiency scores land in the mid-40s, though, and that’s what drags the composite down.
- Texas (#25) has the highest graduation rate of any state, 94.0%, and a respectable 13.8:1 ratio. Proficiency scores of 42% are what keep it stuck in the middle of the pack.
- New Jersey (#21) looks a lot like Massachusetts: excellent class sizes at 11.0:1, an 88.8% graduation rate, and only moderate proficiency.
Tier 3: below average in key metrics (ranks 31-40)
| Rank | State | Avg. Proficiency | STR | Grad Rate | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | California | 39.8% | 19.4:1 | 84.5% | 12,316 |
| 32 | Kentucky | 39.5% | 14.7:1 | 87.9% | 1,638 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 38.8% | 13.1:1 | 85.2% | 1,166 |
| 34 | Michigan | 37.7% | 17.1:1 | 79.2% | 3,842 |
| 35 | Mississippi | 37.6% | 13.2:1 | 83.3% | 1,023 |
| 36 | Georgia | 36.9% | 13.2:1 | 81.2% | 2,914 |
| 37 | West Virginia | 36.7% | 12.6:1 | 91.1% | 733 |
| 38 | Colorado | 36.9% | 16.0:1 | 80.5% | 2,141 |
| 39 | Arizona | 36.5% | 16.4:1 | 77.6% | 1,770 |
| 40 | Alabama | 36.0% | 16.1:1 | 85.6% | 1,620 |
California’s problem is scale. The nation’s largest school system, 12,316 schools, combines below-average proficiency (39.8%) with the third-worst student-teacher ratio in the country (19.4:1). Because of that size, these averages touch more students than any other state’s numbers do.
West Virginia’s paradox: the second-highest graduation rate in the country, 91.1%, paired with below-average proficiency, 36.7%. Finishing school and mastering the material aren’t the same thing.
Tier 4: significant challenges (ranks 41-51)
| Rank | State | Avg. Proficiency | STR | Grad Rate | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Delaware | 36.0% | 13.3:1 | 85.8% | 296 |
| 42 | Nevada | 35.7% | 22.8:1 | 74.5% | 796 |
| 43 | Tennessee | 33.3% | 15.4:1 | 87.4% | 2,226 |
| 44 | Maryland | 33.2% | 12.8:1 | 85.2% | 1,891 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 33.2% | 12.8:1 | 84.3% | 389 |
| 46 | Kansas | 32.8% | 13.6:1 | 85.5% | 1,448 |
| 47 | Alaska | 29.8% | 19.0:1 | 73.7% | 508 |
| 48 | New Mexico | 29.5% | 14.3:1 | 69.5% | 1,026 |
| 49 | Illinois | 27.9% | 13.4:1 | 85.3% | 4,778 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | 26.4% | 15.7:1 | 83.4% | 1,892 |
| 51 | Washington, D.C. | 25.9% | 10.8:1 | 71.3% | 302 |
The bottom five: Nevada combines the worst student-teacher ratio in the country, 22.8:1, with a low graduation rate, 74.5%. New Mexico has the lowest graduation rate of any state, 69.5%. D.C. has the best student-teacher ratio of any jurisdiction, 10.8:1, and the worst proficiency scores, 25.9%. Small classes alone don’t decide outcomes.
What these rankings don’t tell you
State averages are useful for the big picture, but they have real limits.
1. Test score comparisons across states are imperfect. Each state sets its own proficiency bar. A “proficient” student in Virginia may be clearing a different hurdle than a “proficient” student in Mississippi. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) offers a common cross-state standard, but it doesn’t test every school.
2. Averages hide enormous variation within a state. The best school in Oklahoma may well outperform the worst school in Virginia. A state ranking tells you about the system as a whole, not about the one school your child will actually attend.
3. Demographics and poverty matter. States with higher poverty rates face structural headwinds that show up in school performance. A state near the bottom of this ranking may still have schools doing remarkable work given what they’re up against.
4. This covers public schools only. States with large private school systems, several Northeastern states among them, may see their public numbers shift from selection effects alone.
How to use these rankings
If you’re weighing a move, state rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. They tell you about the general educational climate and funding priorities. But your child will attend one specific school, not a state average.
Here’s the practical workflow:
- Start here: use this ranking to get a feel for how states compare
- Go deeper: visit the state page to see how districts and cities compare within your target state
- Get specific: look at individual school profiles to find the right fit for your child
- Compare: put 2-3 finalist schools side by side using our ratings
Every state has excellent schools. Even the states at the bottom of this ranking have pockets of genuinely exceptional education. The data just tells you where to start looking.
Methodology
Data sources: all data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and state-reported standardized test scores, compiled in School Scout’s database of 114,968 public schools.
Composite ranking formula:
- Academic proficiency (average of math and ELA % proficient): 50%
- Student-teacher ratio (inverted scale, lower ratio = higher score): 20%
- 4-year graduation rate: 20%
- Data completeness (% of schools with full reporting): 10%
Exclusions: U.S. territories are excluded for incomplete federal reporting. Schools flagged as “insufficient data” in our system are excluded from state averages.
Update schedule: we’ll update this ranking annually as new NCES data comes in. Bookmark this page to track how your state moves over time.
Explore every state: Browse all 50 state profiles →
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data and state test score databases via MySchoolScout. Based on 2023-24 school year data, the most recent available. Last updated March 2026.
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