5.2 avg / 10

Best Schools in Ridgecrest, California

23 schools · 13 Elementary · 3 Middle · 6 High · 1 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 10

Private: 13

Districts: 2

Avg Rating: 5.2/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Ridgecrest?

Use this page to compare every school in Ridgecrest by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Other. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

High · Sierra Sands Unified. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Ridgecrest for 2026 are St Ann School (7.2/10), Immanuel Christian School (7.0/10), and Burroughs High (6.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 13 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.

Best value · beats the odds

Burroughs High

Rates 6.3/10 despite 48% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.1 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 Ridgecrest schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Richmond Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +9.9 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Ridgecrest schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Ridgecrest

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (13 of 23). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	St Ann School	7.2 / 10	Elementary	—	80th
2	Immanuel Christian School	7.0 / 10	Other	—	73th
3	Burroughs High	6.3 / 10	High	+1.1	48th
4	Richmond Elementary	5.9 / 10	Elementary	+0.8	40th
5	Heritage Montessori School	5.9 / 10	Elementary	—	36th
6	Las Flores Elementary	5.0 / 10	Elementary	-0.5	23th
7	Mesquite Continuation High	4.8 / 10	High	+1.0	20th
8	Murray Middle	4.8 / 10	Middle	-0.3	20th
9	Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci	4.7 / 10	Elementary	-0.1	20th
10	Gateway Elementary	4.5 / 10	Elementary	-0.2	16th

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: 5.2/10
Median household income: $84,141
Median home value: $235,400
Bachelor's degree or higher: 31%
Avg commute: 16 min
Owner-occupied homes: 63%

How Ridgecrest compares

California rank

#525 of 597

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-1.1

below California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$84k

84% of California median

Schools in this city

13

About Schools in Ridgecrest, California

Ridgecrest, California is home to 23 schools, including 10 public schools and 13 private schools. The city's schools span 13 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 6 high schools.

With an average rating of 5.2 out of 10, schools in Ridgecrest show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Ridgecrest is St Ann School with a composite score of 7.2/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Ridgecrest is served by 2 school districts: Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci District, Sierra Sands Unified. These districts collectively serve 5,346 students.

Ridgecrest's community shows 31% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $84,141. The poverty rate in the area is 12.1%.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (23) Elementary (13) Middle (3) High (6)

Filter by Type: All Types (23) Public (10) Private (13)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (23) Academics (10) Growth (10) Diversity (10) Resources (10)

Filter by ZIP: 93555 (22)

Elementary Schools

13 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Richmond Elementary 377 students · Kindergarten–5th	377	Kindergarten–5th	5.9
2	Las Flores Elementary 550 students · Kindergarten–5th	550	Kindergarten–5th	5.0
3	Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci 224 students · Kindergarten–6th	224	Kindergarten–6th	4.7
4	Gateway Elementary 371 students · Kindergarten–5th	371	Kindergarten–5th	4.5
5	Faller Elementary 504 students · Kindergarten–5th	504	Kindergarten–5th	4.2
6	Pierce Elementary 318 students · Kindergarten–5th	318	Kindergarten–5th	3.1
Private Schools 7 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	St Ann School Private 141 students · Kindergarten–8th	141	Kindergarten–8th	7.2
2	Heritage Montessori School Private 37 students · Pre-K–5th	37	Pre-K–5th	5.9
3	Balas Montessori Home School Private 6 students · Kindergarten–1st	6	Kindergarten–1st	—
4	Ridgecrest Montessori Children's House Private 36 students · Kindergarten–6th	36	Kindergarten–6th	Not Rated

Show all 13 elementary schools in Ridgecrest

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Ridgecrest Adventist Elementary Private St. Ann Private Ridgecrest Adventist Elementary Private

Middle Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Murray Middle 686 students · 6th–8th	686	6th–8th	4.8
2	James Monroe Middle 542 students · 6th–8th	542	6th–8th	4.3
Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Heritage Montessori Elementary School Private 27 students · 1st–5th	27	1st–5th	—

High Schools

6 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Burroughs High 1,518 students · 9th–12th	1,518	9th–12th	6.3
2	Mesquite Continuation High 103 students · 9th–12th	103	9th–12th	4.8
Private Schools 4 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Panamint Christian School Private 13 students · 9th–12th	13	9th–12th	—
2	Long Point Academy Private 7 students · Kindergarten–12th	7	Kindergarten–12th	—
3	St. Thomas Private 8 students · Kindergarten–12th	8	Kindergarten–12th	—
4	Calvary Christian School Private 11 students · Kindergarten–12th	11	Kindergarten–12th	—

Other Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Immanuel Christian School Private 82 students · Kindergarten–11th	82	Kindergarten–11th	7.0

Schools in Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest, California · 23 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$84,141

Median Home Value

$235,400

Median Rent

$1,180/mo

Population

33,629

College Educated

31%

Homeownership

63%

Avg Commute

16 min

Poverty Rate

12.1%

Community Profile

Ridgecrest has a median household income of $84,141. It is an area where 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $235,400, with a median rent of $1,180/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.1%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 16 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: California
Elementary: 13
Middle: 3
High: 6
Other: 1

Resources

🔍 Google "Ridgecrest schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Ridgecrest 📊 Niche Ridgecrest Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (2)

Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci District

1 school · 224 students

Sierra Sands Unified

11 schools · 5,122 students

Nearby Cities

California City (1 school)

38 mi

Other Major Cities in California

Top metros statewide by school count.

Los Angeles 928 schools San Diego 412 schools San Jose 335 schools San Francisco 297 schools Sacramento 273 schools

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Ridgecrest, California

How many schools are in Ridgecrest, California?

Ridgecrest has 23 schools, including 10 public and 13 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Ridgecrest, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Ridgecrest is 5.2 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 Ridgecrest, California?

The top-ranked school in Ridgecrest on MySchoolScout is St Ann School with a composite score of 7.2/10.

What is the best elementary school in Ridgecrest, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Ridgecrest on MySchoolScout is St Ann School with a composite score of 7.2/10.

What is the best middle school in Ridgecrest, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Ridgecrest on MySchoolScout is Murray Middle with a composite score of 4.8/10.

What is the best high school in Ridgecrest, California?

The top-ranked high school in Ridgecrest on MySchoolScout is Burroughs High with a composite score of 6.3/10.

How many school districts serve Ridgecrest, California?

Ridgecrest is served by 2 school districts: Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci District, Sierra Sands Unified.

What is the education level in Ridgecrest, California?

According to Census data, 31% of adults in Ridgecrest have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Ridgecrest, California?

The median household income in Ridgecrest is approximately $84,141 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Ridgecrest, California?

Yes, Ridgecrest has 13 private schools alongside 10 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Ann School with a score of 7.2/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Ridgecrest, California?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Ridgecrest is 14.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Ridgecrest, California?

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.