Best Schools in Grand Junction, Colorado
40 schools · 24 Elementary · 5 Middle · 5 High · 6 Other
Choosing a school in Grand Junction?
Use this page to compare every school in Grand Junction 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.
Wingate Elementary School
Elementary · Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Scenic Elementary School
Elementary · Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
New Emerson School at Columbus
Elementary · Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Grand Junction for 2026 are Wingate Elementary School (8.8/10), Scenic Elementary School (8.0/10), and New Emerson School at Columbus (8.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 37 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
40
33 public · 7 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$372,883
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
40
33 public · 7 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$372,883
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 6.8/10 despite 76% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.8 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 Grand Junction schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Grand Junction
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (37 of 40). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wingate Elementary School | 8.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Scenic Elementary School | 8.0 / 10 |
| 3 | New Emerson School at Columbus | 8.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Redlands Middle School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Broadway Elementary School | 7.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Pomona Elementary School | 7.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Tope Elementary School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Mesa View Elementary School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Chatfield Elementary School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Mesa Valley Community School | 7.0 / 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
- 6.0/10
- Median household income
- $76,378
- Median home value
- $372,883
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 35%
- Avg commute
- 18 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 71%
26% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Grand Junction compares
Colorado rank
#63 of 125
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.2
below Colorado avg (6.2)
Median household income
$76k
88% of Colorado median
Schools in this city
38
About Schools in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction's public school landscape spans 32 ranked schools, with an average score of 6.8 out of 10. That average reflects genuine breadth at the top: 18 of those 32 schools — 56% — score 7 or higher, meaning a clear majority of campuses here clear the bar most parents set as a minimum.
The rankings skew heavily toward elementary schools at the top. Wingate Elementary leads the city at 9.2 out of 10, the highest score among all 32 ranked schools. Broadway Elementary and Scenic Elementary both land at 9.1, putting three elite elementary options within reach across the same metro. Chatfield Elementary (8.2) gives families a fourth strong choice at the elementary level. At the middle school level, Redlands Middle School scores 8.6 — the city's top-ranked middle school and a result that would place it near the top even against elementary competition.
For parents with children in elementary school, the depth here is real. Three schools above 9.0 is unusual for a city this size and signals that top-tier options aren't concentrated in a single corner of town. The middle school tier is thinner at the high end, with Redlands as the clear outlier. Families planning for the full K–8 arc should research attendance zones and feeder patterns between the top elementary schools and Redlands early.
The bottom line: Grand Junction isn't a city where you roll the dice on school quality. With 56% of schools scoring 7 or above and a city-high score of 9.2 at Wingate, the upper half of the market is genuinely strong. The 1.4-point gap between the top school and the city average reflects a high ceiling, not a cratered floor. Parents who do their zone research will find solid options across most of the city.
Elementary Schools
24 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 392 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.8 |
| 2 | 215 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.0 |
| 3 | 140 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.0 |
| 4 | 289 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 5 | 393 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.3 |
| 6 | 361 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.2 |
| 7 | 364 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.1 |
| 8 | 372 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.0 |
| 9 | 363 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.8 |
| 10 | 392 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.8 |
Show all 24 elementary schools in Grand Junction
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 594 students · 6th–8th | 7.8 |
| 2 | 460 students · 6th–8th | 6.0 |
| 3 | 581 students · 6th–8th | 5.4 |
| 4 | 565 students · 6th–8th | 4.1 |
| 5 | 525 students · 6th–8th | 3.7 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 170 students · 6th–12th | 7.0 |
| 2 | 1,590 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 |
| 3 | 1,443 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 |
| 4 | 218 students · 9th–12th | 4.7 |
| 5 | 10 students · 5th–12th | — |
Other Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 895 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 2 | 516 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.4 | ||
| 3 | 31 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 3.6 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Life AcademyPrivate 85 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Landmark Baptist SchoolPrivate 91 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Pear Park Baptist SchoolPrivate 10 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Grand Junction
Grand Junction, Colorado · 40 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 6 ZIP codes
Median Income
$76,378
Median Home Value
$372,883
Median Rent
$1,270/mo
Population
112,115
College Educated
35%
Homeownership
71%
Avg Commute
18 min
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Community Profile
Grand Junction has a median household income of $76,378. It is an area where 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $372,883, with a median rent of $1,270/month. The area has a poverty rate of 10.9%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 18 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Colorado
- Elementary
- 24
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 5
- Other
- 6
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Colorado
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 Grand Junction, Colorado
How many schools are in Grand Junction, Colorado?
Grand Junction has 40 schools, including 33 public and 7 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Grand Junction is 6.0 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 Grand Junction, Colorado?
The top-ranked school in Grand Junction on MySchoolScout is Wingate Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The top-ranked elementary school in Grand Junction on MySchoolScout is Wingate Elementary School with a composite score of 8.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The top-ranked middle school in Grand Junction on MySchoolScout is Redlands Middle School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best high school in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The top-ranked high school in Grand Junction on MySchoolScout is Mesa Valley Community School with a composite score of 7.0/10.
How many school districts serve Grand Junction, Colorado?
Grand Junction is served by 2 school districts: State Charter School Institute, Mesa County Valley School District No. 51.
What is the education level in Grand Junction, Colorado?
According to Census data, 35% of adults in Grand Junction have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The median household income in Grand Junction is approximately $76,378 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Grand Junction, Colorado?
Yes, Grand Junction has 7 private schools alongside 33 public schools. The top-rated private school is Life Academy with a score of 6.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Grand Junction, Colorado?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Grand Junction is 15.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Grand Junction, 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 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, Colorado Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.