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5.9 avg / 10

Best Schools in Sacramento, California

273 schools · 155 Elementary · 21 Middle · 71 High · 26 Other

Public: 200
Private: 73
Districts: 32
Avg Rating: 5.9/10
Estimated Scores: 14%

Family Snapshot

At a glance
Avg school rating
5.9/10

24% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$84,364

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$514,307

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
35%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
26 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
51%

Of occupied housing units

How Sacramento compares

California rank

#409 of 596

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$84k

85% of California median

Schools in this city

227

About Schools in Sacramento, California

Sacramento's public school system spans 196 ranked schools, giving families a wide field to navigate. The city average sits at 5.8 out of 10, which places most schools in the middle tier — but the range is broad, and where a child lands in the district matters significantly. Forty-six schools, or 23% of the total, score 7 or higher, meaning roughly one in four public schools clears a strong performance threshold. That's a meaningful concentration of quality options for parents willing to research boundaries and enrollment rules.

At the top of the rankings, William Land Elementary leads the city with a 9.0 out of 10, the highest score among all 196 ranked schools. Foothill Oaks Elementary, Sol Aureus College Preparatory, Genevieve Didion, and Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Elementary each earn an 8.7, forming a tight cluster just behind the leader. All five top-rated schools are elementary level, which signals that parents of younger children have strong options — but also prompts the practical question of which middle and high schools those pipelines feed into.

Sacramento's school landscape reflects the city's geographic sprawl. Different charter operators, traditional district schools, and magnet programs serve distinct neighborhoods, and school quality doesn't track neatly with zip code alone. Sol Aureus College Preparatory, a charter school among the top five, illustrates that non-district options can compete at the highest performance levels. Families near the Natomas area have multiple high-scoring elementary choices within a compact zone, while other parts of the city require more deliberate searching to find schools above the 5.8 city average.

For parents starting their search, the 5.8 average is a useful baseline: schools scoring 7 or above represent the top quarter of the city and are worth prioritizing for tours and waitlist research. With 196 ranked schools, Sacramento offers genuine choice — but that scale also makes filtering essential. Start with the top-rated schools in your attendance zone, then expand to charters and open-enrollment options if geography limits your first-choice picks. School scores, enrollment deadlines, and boundary maps change annually, so verify current data directly with Sacramento City Unified and any relevant charter operators before making decisions.

Elementary Schools

155 schools
# School Rating
1 331 students · Kindergarten–6th 9.0
2 498 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.7
3 324 students · Kindergarten–8th 8.7
4 615 students · Kindergarten–8th 8.7
5 485 students · Kindergarten–5th 8.6
6 341 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.4
7 437 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.2
8 497 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.1
9 314 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.1
10 655 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.0
11 455 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.0
12 406 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.0
13 581 students · Kindergarten–5th 7.9
14 189 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.8
15 260 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.8
16 334 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.8
17 1,133 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.7
18 333 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.7
19 447 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.7
20 389 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.6
21 252 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.6
22 964 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.5
23 551 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.5
24 893 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.5
25 715 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.4
Show 130 more elementary schools
26 616 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.3
27 357 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.3
28 369 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.2
29 367 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.2
30 863 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.2
31 344 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.1
32 220 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.1
33 829 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.1
34 771 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.0
35 636 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.0
36 872 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.9
37 430 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.9
38 901 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.8
39 734 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.8
40 374 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.7
41 511 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.7
42 357 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.6
43 758 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.6
44 198 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.5
45 702 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.5
46 1,045 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.4
47 590 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.4
48 687 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.3
49 283 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.3
50 657 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.2
51 643 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.1
52 635 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.1
53 481 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.1
54 166 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
55 765 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.0
56 381 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.0
57 319 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.0
58 667 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
59 469 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.8
60 464 students · Kindergarten–3rd 5.8
61 616 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.8
62 449 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.8
63 808 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.7
64 327 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.7
65 1,026 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.6
66 474 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.6
67 302 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.6
68 329 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
69 801 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
70 417 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
71 755 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
72 432 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
73 477 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.4
74 439 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.4
75 618 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.3
76 703 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.3
77 592 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.2
78 803 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.2
79 276 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.2
80 370 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.2
81 710 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.2
82 517 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.1
83 359 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.1
84 744 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.1
85 247 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.1
86 389 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.1
87 718 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.1
88 428 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.0
89 533 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.0
90 221 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.0
91 282 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.9
92 203 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.8
93 620 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.6
94 742 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.5
95 471 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.5
96 649 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.4
97 449 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.4
98 911 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.3
99 398 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.3
100 406 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.3
101 708 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.3
102 363 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.2
103 271 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.1
104 731 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.0
105 324 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.0
106 329 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.8
107 638 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.8
108 401 students · Kindergarten–5th 3.8
109 804 students · Kindergarten–5th 3.6
110 558 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.6
111 278 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.6
112 334 students · Kindergarten–5th 3.5
113 528 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.4
114 362 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.4
115 857 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.3
116 235 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.2
117 517 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.1
118 449 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.1
119 619 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.1
120 490 students · Kindergarten–5th 2.9
121 16 students · Kindergarten–8th
Private Schools 34 schools

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

1 186 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
2 169 students · Kindergarten–7th Not Rated
3 93 students · Pre-K–6th Not Rated
4 188 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
5 327 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
6 70 students · Pre-K–6th Not Rated
7 135 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
8 291 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
9 171 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
10 239 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
11 188 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
12 238 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
13 288 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
14 370 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
15 30 students · Kindergarten–T1 Not Rated
16 49 students · Kindergarten–4th Not Rated
17 74 students · Kindergarten–5th Not Rated
18 8 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
19 72 students · Kindergarten–6th Not Rated
20 105 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
21 155 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
22 166 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
23 181 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
24 168 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
25 48 students · Kindergarten–6th Not Rated
26 265 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
27 316 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
28 130 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
29 6 students · 1st–8th Not Rated
30 11 students · 1st–6th Not Rated
31 15 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
32
LIGHTHOUSE Private
8 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten
Not Rated
33 13 students · Pre-K–TK Not Rated
34 11 students · Kindergarten–7th Not Rated

Middle Schools

21 schools
# School Rating
1 512 students · 6th–8th 7.4
2 666 students · 7th–8th 7.4
3 1,184 students · 7th–8th 7.3
4 753 students · 7th–8th 7.0
5 845 students · 7th–8th 6.4
6 458 students · 7th–8th 6.3
7 647 students · 7th–8th 6.3
8 1,046 students · 7th–8th 5.5
9 609 students · 6th–8th 5.2
10 303 students · 7th–8th 5.2
11 956 students · 6th–8th 5.2
12 493 students · 7th–8th 5.0
13 377 students · 7th–8th 4.7
14 514 students · 7th–8th 4.6
15 380 students · 4th–6th 4.6
16 849 students · 7th–8th 4.5
17 609 students · 7th–8th 3.9
18 391 students · 6th–8th 3.8
19 616 students · 6th–8th 3.6
20 7 students · 4th–8th
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 38 students · 1st–7th Not Rated

High Schools

71 schools
# School Rating
1 881 students · 9th–12th 8.4
2 490 students · 7th–12th 7.4
3 1,574 students · 9th–12th 7.3
4 1,632 students · 9th–12th 7.3
5 155 students · 12th–12th 7.1
6 155 students · 9th–12th 6.9
7 1,206 students · 9th–12th 6.8
8 31 students · 7th–12th 6.8
9 2,242 students · 9th–12th 6.6
10 701 students · 7th–12th 6.5
11 152 students · 9th–12th 6.5
12 149 students · 9th–12th 6.4
13 185 students · 9th–12th 6.4
14 221 students · 9th–12th 6.4
15 623 students · 9th–12th 6.3
16 277 students · 6th–12th 6.3
17 130 students · 7th–12th 6.3
18 268 students · 7th–12th 6.2
19 1,888 students · 9th–12th 6.1
20 1,867 students · 9th–12th 6.1
21 159 students · 9th–12th 6.0
22 128 students · 9th–12th 5.7
23 2,016 students · 9th–12th 5.6
24 134 students · 9th–12th 5.6
25 196 students · 7th–12th 5.6
Show 46 more high schools
26 127 students · 9th–12th 5.6
27 1,629 students · 9th–12th 5.6
28 1,663 students · 9th–12th 5.6
29 96 students · 5th–12th 5.6
30 740 students · 6th–12th 5.5
31 628 students · 9th–12th 5.3
32 2,415 students · 9th–12th 5.0
33 532 students · 7th–12th 5.0
34 237 students · 7th–12th 5.0
35 1,627 students · 9th–12th 4.9
36 1,289 students · 9th–12th 4.8
37 1,296 students · 9th–12th 4.8
38 2,481 students · 9th–12th 4.7
39 355 students · 9th–12th 4.6
40 115 students · 9th–12th 4.4
41 178 students · 9th–12th 4.3
42 1,515 students · 9th–12th 3.9
43 475 students · 7th–12th 3.2
Private Schools 28 schools

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

1 65 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
2 36 students · 7th–12th Not Rated
3 964 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
4 323 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
5 1,127 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
6 260 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
7 22 students · 1st–12th Not Rated
8 523 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
9 692 students · 6th–12th Not Rated
10 76 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
11 351 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
12 34 students · 6th–12th Not Rated
13 7 students · 2nd–12th Not Rated
14 13 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
15 530 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
16 1,132 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
17 143 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
18 60 students · 7th–12th Not Rated
19 33 students · 1st–12th Not Rated
20 6 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
21 54 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
22 565 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
23 6 students · 1st–12th Not Rated
24 58 students · 2nd–12th Not Rated
25 14 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
26 27 students · 6th–12th Not Rated
27 6 students · 10th–11th Not Rated
28 16 students · 8th–12th Not Rated

Other Schools

26 schools
# School Rating
1 1,126 students · Kindergarten–12th 7.3
2 170 students · Kindergarten–12th 7.2
3 669 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.9
4 356 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.9
5 411 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.7
6 642 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.6
7 582 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.5
8 596 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.2
9 1,382 students · Kindergarten–12th 5.8
10 1,747 students · Kindergarten–12th 5.2
11 731 students · Kindergarten–12th 5.0
12 1,863 students · Kindergarten–12th 4.8
13 539 students · Kindergarten–12th 4.5
14 2,562 students · Kindergarten–12th 4.3
15 9,069 students · 1st–12th
16 3,180 students · 1st–12th
Private Schools 10 schools

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

1 79 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
2 521 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
3 457 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
4 677 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
5 37 students · 3rd–12th Not Rated
6 232 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
7 60 students · 2nd–12th Not Rated
8 195 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
9 110 students · Pre-K–12th Not Rated
Show 1 more other schools
10 26 students · 4th–9th Not Rated

Schools in Sacramento

Sacramento, California · 273 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 27 ZIP codes

Median Income

$84,364

Median Home Value

$514,307

Median Rent

$1,714/mo

Population

881,884

College Educated

35%

Homeownership

51%

Avg Commute

26 min

Poverty Rate

15.4%

Community Profile

Sacramento has a median household income of $84,364. It is an area where 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $514,307, with a median rent of $1,714/month. The area has a poverty rate of 15.4%. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

Total Schools
273
Elementary
155
Middle
21
High
71
Districts
32
Avg Rating
5.9/10
School Districts (32)

Natomas Unified

20 schools · 14,950 students

Twin Rivers Unified

43 schools · 24,386 students

Sol Aureus College Preparatory District

1 school · 324 students

Sutter Peak Charter Academy District

1 school · 642 students

Rio Valley Charter District

1 school · 731 students

Yav Pem Suab Acad - Preparing for the Future Charter DIST

1 school · 471 students

Futures High District

1 school · 475 students

The Language Academy of Sacramento District

1 school · 616 students

Higher Learning Academy District

1 school · 539 students

Natomas Charter District

1 school · 1,863 students

Gateway International District

1 school · 592 students

St. HOPE Public School 7 District

1 school · 517 students

Growth Public District

1 school · 282 students

SAVA - Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy District

1 school · 196 students

Sacramento Charter High District

1 school · 355 students

California Montessori Project - Capitol Campus District

1 school · 357 students

SAVA - Sacramento ACAD and Vocational Acad - SCUSD DIST

1 school · 701 students

Heritage Peak Charter District

1 school · 1,126 students

Marconi Learning Academy District

1 school · 411 students

Feather River Charter District

1 school · 2,562 students

Hardy Brown College Prep District

1 school · 329 students

Fortune District

1 school · 1,747 students

Highlands Community Charter District

1 school · 9,069 students

Capitol Collegiate Academy District

1 school · 449 students

Valley View Charter Prep District

1 school · 669 students

California Innovative Career Academy District

1 school · 3,180 students

New Hope Charter District

1 school · 166 students

Elk Grove Unified

67 schools · 62,603 students

Robla Elementary

6 schools · 1,919 students

Sacramento City Unified

73 schools · 38,268 students

San Juan Unified

68 schools · 38,488 students

Sacramento County Office of Education

6 schools · 932 students

Featured Rankings

See our in-depth rankings with interactive maps, score breakdowns, and school spotlights.

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Sacramento, California

How many schools are in Sacramento, California?

Sacramento has 273 schools, including 200 public and 73 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Sacramento, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Sacramento is 5.9 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Sacramento, California?

The top-ranked school in Sacramento on MySchoolScout is William Land Elementary with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best elementary school in Sacramento, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Sacramento on MySchoolScout is William Land Elementary with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best middle school in Sacramento, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Sacramento on MySchoolScout is Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle with a composite score of 7.4/10.

What is the best high school in Sacramento, California?

The top-ranked high school in Sacramento on MySchoolScout is West Campus with a composite score of 8.4/10.

How many school districts serve Sacramento, California?

Sacramento is served by 32 school districts: Natomas Unified, Twin Rivers Unified, Sol Aureus College Preparatory District, Sutter Peak Charter Academy District, Rio Valley Charter District, Yav Pem Suab Acad - Preparing for the Future Charter Dist, Futures High District, The Language Academy of Sacramento District, Higher Learning Academy District, Natomas Charter District, Gateway International District, St. Hope Public School 7 District, Growth Public District, Sava - Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy District, Sacramento Charter High District, California Montessori Project - Capitol Campus District, Sava - Sacramento Acad and Vocational Acad - Scusd Dist, Heritage Peak Charter District, Marconi Learning Academy District, Feather River Charter District, Hardy Brown College Prep District, Fortune District, Highlands Community Charter District, Capitol Collegiate Academy District, Valley View Charter Prep District, California Innovative Career Academy District, New Hope Charter District, Elk Grove Unified, Robla Elementary, Sacramento City Unified, San Juan Unified, Sacramento County Office of Education.

What is the education level in Sacramento, California?

According to Census data, 35% of adults in Sacramento have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Sacramento, California?

The median household income in Sacramento is approximately $84,364 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Sacramento, California?

Yes, Sacramento has 73 private schools alongside 200 public schools. The top-rated private school is Brookfield School with a score of 8.3/10.

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

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Sacramento is 20.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Sacramento, 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 based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.

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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.