Best Schools in Fairbanks, Alaska
36 schools · 20 Elementary · 4 Middle · 6 High · 6 Other
Choosing a school in Fairbanks?
Use this page to compare every school in Fairbanks by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Ladd Elementary
Elementary · Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Pearl Creek Elementary
Elementary · Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Salcha Elementary
Elementary · Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Fairbanks for 2026 are Ladd Elementary (8.7/10), Pearl Creek Elementary (8.4/10), and Salcha Elementary (8.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 27 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
36
28 public · 8 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$274,700
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
36
28 public · 8 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$274,700
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 8.7/10 despite 40% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Fairbanks schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +21.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Fairbanks schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Fairbanks
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 27 rated schools; 36 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ladd Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Pearl Creek Elementary | 8.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Salcha Elementary | 8.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Woodriver Elementary | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Weller Elementary | 8.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Denali Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 7 | University Park Elementary | 7.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Boreal Sun Charter School | 7.5 / 10 |
| 9 | Barnette Magnet School | 7.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Chinook Montessori Charter School | 7.2 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.4/10
- Median household income
- $86,679
- Median home value
- $274,700
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 35%
- Avg commute
- 25 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 65%
44% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Fairbanks compares
Alaska rank
#19 of 28
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.0
below Alaska avg (6.4)
Median household income
$87k
129% of Alaska median
Schools in this city
32
Fairbanks North Star Borough School District runs Fairbanks's public schools
28 public schools. Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is the dominant district on the page.
Every assigned public school in Fairbanks is a Fairbanks North Star Borough School District school (26 of 28).
Among 27 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.9 to 8.7 — the spread is inside Fairbanks, not a citywide average.
4 of the 28 public schools are charters (14%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Fairbanks North Star Borough School District26 public · 93%
- Galena City School District1 public · 4%
- Yukon-Koyukuk School District1 public · 4%
About Schools in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks runs 27 ranked public schools spread across a wide Interior Alaska geography. The city average lands at 5.7 out of 10 — a mid-range baseline that hides real separation between the top and the rest. Only five schools, or 19% of the ranked pool, clear the 7-point mark. That means most families in Fairbanks are choosing between average and strong, and where you live largely determines which side of that line your child ends up on.
The strongest performers concentrate at the elementary level. Two Rivers School tops the city with a 7.3, the highest score among all ranked Fairbanks schools. Pearl Creek Elementary (7.2) and Woodriver Elementary (7.1) round out a top-three elementary cluster sitting well above the city average. Watershed Charter School also clears 7.0, giving families a charter path within the top tier for parents who want an alternative to the standard district track.
Middle school is where academic momentum often stalls in smaller markets. Fairbanks partially breaks that pattern. Tanana Middle School earns a 7.2 — matching Pearl Creek Elementary and outscoring most schools in the city regardless of grade level. For families already in a high-performing elementary, Tanana represents a credible continuation rather than a step down. That kind of cross-grade consistency matters when parents are thinking beyond a single school year.
The practical takeaway is simple: do the school-zone research before committing to a neighborhood. With 81% of Fairbanks schools scoring below 7 and the top five carrying most of the load, the gap between a strategically chosen address and a convenient one is substantial. Families with any flexibility on housing should confirm attendance zone eligibility for the top-rated schools before signing a lease or making a purchase. The 1.6-point spread between the city's highest-rated school (7.3) and the city average (5.7) is wide enough to make address the most consequential school-choice variable in this market.
Elementary Schools
20 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 392 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.7 |
| 2 | 394 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.4 |
| 3 | 73 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 347 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 |
| 5 | 459 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 6 | 286 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 7 | 371 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 8 | 189 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.5 |
| 9 | 423 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.3 |
| 10 | 155 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.2 |
Show all 20 elementary schools in Fairbanks
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 480 students · 6th–8th | 5.9 | ||
| 2 | 407 students · 6th–8th | 5.9 | ||
| 3 | 544 students · 6th–8th | 4.9 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 19 students · 1st–7th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 818 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 | ||
| 2 | 376 students · 9th–12th | 5.4 | ||
| 3 | 143 students · 7th–12th | 5.2 | ||
| 4 | 855 students · 9th–12th | 4.5 | ||
| 5 | 15 students · 5th–12th | — | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 65 students · 5th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7,486 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.6 | ||
| 2 | 193 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.6 | ||
| 3 | 3,273 students · Pre-K–12th | 5.2 | ||
| 4 | 940 students · Pre-K–12th | 3.9 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 327 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Immaculate Conception SchoolPrivate 317 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska · 36 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$86,679
Median Home Value
$274,700
Median Rent
$1,169/mo
Population
59,368
College Educated
35%
Homeownership
65%
Avg Commute
25 min
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Community Profile
Fairbanks has a median household income of $86,679. It is an area where 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $274,700, with a median rent of $1,169/month. The local poverty rate of 6.7% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 25 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Alaska
- Elementary
- 20
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 6
- Other
- 6
Resources
Other Major Cities in Alaska
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Fairbanks, Alaska
How many schools are in Fairbanks, Alaska?
Fairbanks has 36 schools, including 28 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Fairbanks is 6.4 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The top-ranked school in Fairbanks on MySchoolScout is Ladd Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The top-ranked elementary school in Fairbanks on MySchoolScout is Ladd Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The top-ranked middle school in Fairbanks on MySchoolScout is Ryan Middle School with a composite score of 5.9/10.
What is the best high school in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The top-ranked high school in Fairbanks on MySchoolScout is West Valley High School with a composite score of 5.5/10.
How many school districts serve Fairbanks, Alaska?
Fairbanks is served by 3 school districts: Galena City School District, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Yukon-Koyukuk School District.
What is the education level in Fairbanks, Alaska?
According to Census data, 35% of adults in Fairbanks have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The median household income in Fairbanks is approximately $86,679 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Fairbanks, Alaska?
Yes, Fairbanks has 8 private schools alongside 28 public schools. The top-rated private school is Sprucetree Montessori School with a score of 7.7/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Fairbanks, Alaska?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Fairbanks is 33.8:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Fairbanks, Alaska?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Alaska Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.