Best Schools in Fort Collins, Colorado
53 schools · 32 Elementary · 7 Middle · 9 High · 5 Other
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.8/10
- Median household income
- $88,340
- Median home value
- $561,360
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 59%
- Avg commute
- 20 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 57%
47% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Fort Collins compares
Colorado rank
#41 of 125
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.4
above Colorado avg (6.3)
Median household income
$88k
102% of Colorado median
Schools in this city
49
About Schools in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins runs 45 ranked public schools with an average score of 6.8 out of 10 — a solid baseline for a mid-sized Colorado city. Nearly half the schools clear the 7-point mark: 21 of 45, or 47%, score 7 or above. That means parents have a genuine spread of strong options here, not one standout school propping up a weak district.
The elementary tier leads the performance rankings. Shepardson Elementary School scores a 9.5 out of 10 — the highest in the city. O'Dea and Coyote Ridge both land at 9.2, followed by Riffenburgh at 8.6 and Putnam at 8.4. All five of the city's top-ranked schools are elementary. The gap between Shepardson's 9.5 and the city average of 6.8 spans nearly three points — a wide spread that signals real variation within the district, not just marginal differences.
That spread matters when choosing where to enroll. Families with younger children have a particularly strong set of targets. Attendance boundaries will determine access, so verifying your address against each school's zone is a required first step before committing to a neighborhood.
For any grade level, the practical move is to check individual school pages rather than rely on city-wide averages. The 47% above-7 rate suggests the district holds up broadly, but the top performers are concentrated at the elementary level. Parents researching middle or high school placements should sort by score within their grade range and cross-reference boundary maps. Fort Collins rewards parents who go school by school rather than district by district — the nearly three-point gap between the top school and the city average makes that effort worthwhile.
Elementary Schools
32 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 424 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 432 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.0 |
| 3 | 264 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 4 | 261 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.9 |
| 5 | 431 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.4 |
| 6 | 451 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.3 |
| 7 | 457 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.0 |
| 8 | 355 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.0 |
| 9 | 383 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 10 | 334 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.8 |
| 11 | 381 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 12 | 511 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 13 | 393 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 14 | 470 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.2 |
| 15 | 285 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.2 |
| 16 | 340 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 |
| 17 | 433 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.7 |
| 18 | 493 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.6 |
| 19 | 308 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.4 |
| 20 | 350 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.4 |
| 21 | 257 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.0 |
| 22 | 352 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.9 |
| 23 | 415 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.3 |
| 24 | 261 students · Pre-K–6th | 5.2 |
| 25 | 309 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.1 |
Show 7 more elementary schools
| 26 | 307 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.9 | ||
| 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 | 107 students · Pre-K–5th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Private
189 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | CHRISTIAN CORE ACADEMY
Private
70 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | 14 students · Pre-K–TK | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | DISCOVERY MONTESSORI
Private
14 students · Pre-K–TK | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | FORT COLLINS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
15 students · Kindergarten–7th | Not Rated | ||
Middle Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 769 students · 6th–8th | 7.8 |
| 2 | 766 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 |
| 3 | 550 students · 6th–8th | 7.2 |
| 4 | 564 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 5 | 724 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 549 students · 6th–8th | 5.3 |
| 7 | 419 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
High Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 163 students · 6th–12th | 8.3 | ||
| 2 | 1,902 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 | ||
| 3 | 1,968 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 | ||
| 4 | 1,572 students · 9th–12th | 7.0 | ||
| 5 | 2,056 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 | ||
| 6 | 143 students · 9th–12th | 6.1 | ||
| 7 | 251 students · 6th–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 8 | 967 students · 6th–12th | 4.7 | ||
| 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 | 11 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 299 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 2 | 1,475 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 3 | 390 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 4 | 730 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.1 | ||
| 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 | FRONT RANGE BAPTIST ACADEMY
Private
126 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado · 53 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$88,340
Median Home Value
$561,360
Median Rent
$1,665/mo
Population
201,525
College Educated
59%
Homeownership
57%
Avg Commute
20 min
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Community Profile
Fort Collins has a median household income of $88,340. It is a well-educated community where 59% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $561,360, with a median rent of $1,665/month. The area has a poverty rate of 15.0%. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Quick Facts
- State
- Colorado
- Total Schools
- 53
- Elementary
- 32
- Middle
- 7
- High
- 9
- Districts
- 3
- Avg Rating
- 6.8/10
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Colorado
Top metros statewide by school count.
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 methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Fort Collins, Colorado
How many schools are in Fort Collins, Colorado?
Fort Collins has 53 schools, including 45 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Fort Collins is 6.8 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.
What is the top-ranked school in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The top-ranked school in Fort Collins on MySchoolScout is Shepardson Elementary School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The top-ranked elementary school in Fort Collins on MySchoolScout is Shepardson Elementary School with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The top-ranked middle school in Fort Collins on MySchoolScout is Lesher Middle School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best high school in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The top-ranked high school in Fort Collins on MySchoolScout is Compass Community Collaborative School with a composite score of 8.3/10.
How many school districts serve Fort Collins, Colorado?
Fort Collins is served by 3 school districts: State Charter School Institute, Poudre School District R-1, Thompson School District R-2j.
What is the education level in Fort Collins, Colorado?
According to Census data, 59% of adults in Fort Collins have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The median household income in Fort Collins is approximately $88,340 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Fort Collins, Colorado?
Yes, Fort Collins has 8 private schools alongside 45 public schools. The top-rated private school is Rivendell School of Northern Colorado with a score of 7.4/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins, Colorado?
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, Colorado Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.