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5.8 avg / 10

Best Schools in Stockton, California

131 schools · 86 Elementary · 7 Middle · 25 High · 13 Other

Public: 109
Private: 22
Districts: 20
Avg Rating: 5.8/10
Estimated Scores: 10%

Family Snapshot

At a glance
Avg school rating
5.8/10

17% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$74,195

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$394,209

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
19%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
33 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
52%

Of occupied housing units

How Stockton compares

California rank

#431 of 596

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.5

below California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$74k

74% of California median

Schools in this city

120

About Schools in Stockton, California

Stockton Unified and its neighboring districts cover 109 ranked public schools across the city, giving families a wide range of options at every grade level. The city's average school score sits at 5.7 out of 10, which reflects a landscape where quality varies significantly from one neighborhood to the next. That spread makes school selection one of the most consequential decisions a Stockton family will make.

The top performers are worth knowing. Pacific Law Academy leads the city with a score of 8.7 out of 10, the highest in Stockton, and offers a specialized focus that sets it apart at the high school level. Weber Institute also ranks among the city's strongest high schools at 8.0. On the elementary side, Sutherland Elementary scores 8.1 and Valentine Peyton Elementary earns an 8.0, both standing well above the city average. Across all grade levels, 17 schools — roughly 16% of ranked schools — score 7 or higher, meaning parents who prioritize academics have real options, but those options require active searching.

The majority of Stockton schools fall in the mid-range or below the city average, so geography alone should not drive enrollment decisions. Parents living in a lower-scoring attendance zone have practical routes to stronger schools through magnet programs, interdistrict transfers, and specialized academies like Pacific Law Academy, which draws students based on program interest rather than home address.

The practical takeaway: start with the 17 schools scoring 7 or above and work backward from there. Check each school's current enrollment policies and transfer deadlines early, since seats at higher-scoring schools fill fast. For elementary families, Sutherland and Valentine Peyton are strong anchors to research first. For high school, Pacific Law Academy's 8.7 rating makes it the clear benchmark — compare any other option against it. Stockton's school landscape rewards parents who dig into the data rather than defaulting to proximity, and MySchoolScout's ratings give you a direct way to do that comparison before committing to a neighborhood or enrollment decision.

Elementary Schools

86 schools
# School Rating
1 366 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.1
2 828 students · Kindergarten–8th 8.0
3 570 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.7
4 441 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.5
5 752 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.3
6 459 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.2
7 736 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.2
8 630 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.1
9 411 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.0
10 620 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.9
11 377 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.8
12 610 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.8
13 464 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.8
14 752 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.8
15 643 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.7
16 524 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.6
17 964 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.6
18 222 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.4
19 487 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.3
20 374 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.2
21 674 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.2
22 973 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.2
23 645 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.1
24 525 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
25 524 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
Show 61 more elementary schools
26 427 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
27 325 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
28 850 students · Kindergarten–8th 6.0
29 241 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
30 269 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
31 761 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
32 432 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
33 503 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
34 643 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.9
35 443 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.8
36 230 students · Kindergarten–5th 5.8
37 548 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.7
38 661 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.7
39 681 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.6
40 612 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.6
41 537 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.5
42 184 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.5
43 537 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.4
44 496 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.3
45 764 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.1
46 583 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.1
47 430 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.0
48 122 students · Kindergarten–8th 5.0
49 802 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.9
50 206 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.8
51 541 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.8
52 908 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.8
53 506 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.7
54 151 students · Kindergarten–5th 4.7
55 446 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.7
56 418 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.7
57 597 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.6
58 569 students · Kindergarten–6th 4.6
59 740 students · Kindergarten–8th 4.3
60 297 students · Kindergarten–5th 3.9
61 475 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.9
62 524 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.9
63 498 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.9
64 662 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.8
65 633 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.8
66 448 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.8
67 443 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.7
68 730 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.7
69 512 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.6
70 351 students · Kindergarten–6th 3.5
71 412 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.3
72 337 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.1
73 458 students · Kindergarten–8th 3.0
74 377 students · Kindergarten–5th 2.4
Private Schools 12 schools

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

1 235 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
2 222 students · Pre-K–8th Not Rated
3 101 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
4 247 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
5 99 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
6 234 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
7 28 students · Kindergarten–Kindergarten Not Rated
8 276 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
9 156 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
10 32 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
11 109 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated
12 225 students · Kindergarten–8th Not Rated

Middle Schools

7 schools
# School Rating
1 699 students · 7th–8th 7.4
2 333 students · 5th–8th 7.1
3 270 students · 4th–8th 7.1
4 172 students · 6th–8th 6.4
5 715 students · 7th–8th 6.2
6 582 students · 7th–8th 5.9
7 576 students · 7th–8th 5.8

High Schools

25 schools
# School Rating
1 198 students · 7th–12th 8.7
2 344 students · 9th–12th 8.0
3 216 students · 9th–12th 7.6
4 455 students · 6th–12th 6.7
5 2,188 students · 6th–12th 6.7
6 338 students · 9th–12th 6.5
7 424 students · 9th–12th 6.3
8 2,414 students · 9th–12th 6.1
9 1,758 students · 9th–12th 6.0
10 121 students · 9th–12th 5.7
11 204 students · 9th–12th 5.6
12 236 students · 6th–12th 5.5
13 146 students · 9th–12th 5.4
14 1,880 students · 9th–12th 5.4
15 404 students · 9th–12th 5.1
16 1,713 students · 9th–12th 5.0
17 2,018 students · 9th–12th 4.9
18 2,891 students · 9th–12th 4.5
19 205 students · 9th–12th 4.5
Private Schools 6 schools

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

1 785 students · 9th–12th Not Rated
2 32 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
3 7 students · 5th–12th Not Rated
4 9 students · 1st–11th Not Rated
5
K-12 Private
13 students · 3rd–12th
Not Rated
6 48 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated

Other Schools

13 schools
# School Rating
1 49 students · Kindergarten–12th 7.9
2 101 students · Kindergarten–12th 7.2
3 103 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.4
4 838 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.4
5 1,046 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.1
6 1,191 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.0
7 102 students · Kindergarten–12th 5.9
8 1,149 students · Kindergarten–12th 4.6
9 1,613 students · Kindergarten–12th 4.3
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 60 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
2 52 students · Pre-K–10th Not Rated
3 207 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
4 30 students · 1st–11th Not Rated

Schools in Stockton

Stockton, California · 131 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 11 ZIP codes

Median Income

$74,195

Median Home Value

$394,209

Median Rent

$1,498/mo

Population

387,093

College Educated

19%

Homeownership

52%

Avg Commute

33 min

Poverty Rate

17.2%

Community Profile

Stockton has a median household income of $74,195. It is a community where 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $394,209, with a median rent of $1,498/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.2%. The average commute for residents is 33 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

Total Schools
131
Elementary
86
Middle
7
High
25
Districts
20
Avg Rating
5.8/10

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 Stockton, California

How many schools are in Stockton, California?

Stockton has 131 schools, including 109 public and 22 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Stockton, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Stockton is 5.8 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

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

The top-ranked school in Stockton on MySchoolScout is Pacific Law Academy with a composite score of 8.7/10.

What is the best elementary school in Stockton, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Stockton on MySchoolScout is Sutherland Elementary with a composite score of 8.1/10.

What is the best middle school in Stockton, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Stockton on MySchoolScout is Christa Mcauliffe Middle with a composite score of 7.4/10.

What is the best high school in Stockton, California?

The top-ranked high school in Stockton on MySchoolScout is Pacific Law Academy with a composite score of 8.7/10.

How many school districts serve Stockton, California?

Stockton is served by 20 school districts: Able Charter District, Dr. Lewis Dolphin Stallworth Sr. Charter District, Stockton Collegiate International Secondary District, Team Charter District, Venture Academy District, One.charter District, Team Charter Academy District, Stockton Collegiate International Elementary District, Aspire Stockton 6-12 Secondary Academy District, Aspire Arts & Sciences Academy District, Kipp Stockton District, Kipp University Park District, Astronaut Jose' M. Hernandez Academy District, Escalon Unified, Lincoln Unified, Linden Unified, Lodi Unified, Manteca Unified, Stockton Unified, San Joaquin County Office of Education.

What is the education level in Stockton, California?

According to Census data, 19% of adults in Stockton have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Stockton, California?

The median household income in Stockton is approximately $74,195 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Stockton, California?

Yes, Stockton has 22 private schools alongside 109 public schools. The top-rated private school is Stockton Accelerated Institute with a score of 8.1/10.

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

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Stockton is 21.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Stockton, 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.