Best Schools in St. Joseph, Missouri
33 schools · 18 Elementary · 5 Middle · 6 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in St. Joseph?
Use this page to compare every school in St. Joseph 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.
Bishop Leblond
High. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Edison Elem.
Elementary · St. Joseph. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Field Elem.
Elementary · St. Joseph. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in St. Joseph for 2026 are Bishop Leblond (9.1/10), Edison Elem. (8.6/10), and Field Elem. (8.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 30 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
33
23 public · 10 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$147,750
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Schools
33
23 public · 10 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$147,750
home value · ACS
Districts
4
serving the city
Rates 8.6/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.5 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 St. Joseph schools.
Top-Rated Schools in St. Joseph
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (30 of 33). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Leblond | 9.1 / 10 |
| 2 | Edison Elem. | 8.6 / 10 |
| 3 | Field Elem. | 8.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Pershing Elem. | 8.3 / 10 |
| 5 | John Glenn Elem. | 8.2 / 10 |
| 6 | Bishop Leblond High School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Ellison Elem. | 7.4 / 10 |
| 8 | Coleman Elem. | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Skaith Elem. | 7.2 / 10 |
| 10 | Carden Park Elem | 7.2 / 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
- 6.3/10
- Median household income
- $57,622
- Median home value
- $147,750
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 22%
- Avg commute
- 17 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 64%
43% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How St. Joseph compares
Missouri rank
#125 of 258
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above Missouri avg (6.3)
Median household income
$58k
88% of Missouri median
Schools in this city
30
About Schools in St. Joseph, Missouri
St. Joseph's public school landscape spans 22 ranked schools with a citywide average score of 6.1 out of 10. The distribution skews toward the middle tier — just 4 schools, or 18% of the ranked pool, clear the 7-point threshold. That concentration in the middle means school assignment is a meaningful variable for families moving to the area. Notably, the city's strongest performers cluster at the elementary level, leaving parents of older students with a narrower set of high-scoring options.
Ellison Elementary anchors the top of the rankings at 8.3 out of 10, the highest score in the city. Skaith Elementary (8.0) and Oak Grove Elementary (7.7) follow closely, with Edison Elementary (7.5) and Hyde Elementary (6.7) rounding out the top five. Every school in this group beats the 6.1 city average by a meaningful margin. For parents with children in elementary grades, these five schools define the high end of what St. Joseph's public system offers.
The gap between the top and the middle is real. With 82% of ranked schools scoring below 7.0 and the citywide average sitting at 6.1, performance varies considerably across St. Joseph's neighborhoods. The city isn't a uniformly strong or uniformly weak district — it's one where the specific building assigned to a child's address makes a material difference in what they get.
For parents using school quality as a factor in housing decisions, St. Joseph rewards upfront research. The top elementary schools are concentrated in specific buildings, not distributed evenly across zones. Families with elementary-age children have the clearest high-quality options to pursue; those targeting middle or high school grades should map scores directly to address options before committing to a neighborhood. Cross-referencing school boundaries with MySchoolScout ratings is the fastest way to find where strong schools and available housing overlap.
Elementary Schools
18 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 388 students · Pre-K–6th | 8.6 |
| 2 | 267 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.5 |
| 3 | 283 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 243 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.2 |
| 5 | 360 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.4 |
| 6 | 394 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.2 |
| 7 | 424 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.2 |
| 8 | 604 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.2 |
| 9 | 506 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.1 |
| 10 | 277 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.8 |
Show all 18 elementary schools in St. Joseph
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 | 443 students · 6th–8th | 6.4 | ||
| 2 | 474 students · 7th–8th | 4.0 | ||
| 3 | 398 students · 6th–8th | 3.4 | ||
| 4 | 478 students · 7th–8th | 3.1 | ||
| 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 | Prescott Sda School
Private
10 students · 1st–6th | — | ||
High Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,720 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 | ||
| 2 | 680 students · 9th–12th | 5.1 | ||
| 3 | 702 students · 9th–12th | 3.8 | ||
| 4 | 20 students · 6th–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Bishop Leblond
Private
172 students · 9th–12th | 9.1 | ||
| 2 | Bishop Leblond High School
Private
174 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 | ||
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42 students · Kindergarten–12th | 3.5 | ||
| Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | South Park Christian Academy
Private
39 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | St Joseph Christian School
Private
385 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 3 | Hosanna Christian School
Private
24 students · Kindergarten–10th | — | ||
Schools in St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Missouri · 33 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 6 ZIP codes
Median Income
$57,622
Median Home Value
$147,750
Median Rent
$907/mo
Population
82,702
College Educated
22%
Homeownership
64%
Avg Commute
17 min
Poverty Rate
17.8%
Community Profile
St. Joseph has a median household income of $57,622. It is a community where 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $147,750, with a median rent of $907/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.8%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 17 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Missouri
- Elementary
- 18
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 6
- Other
- 4
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Missouri
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 St. Joseph, Missouri
How many schools are in St. Joseph, Missouri?
St. Joseph has 33 schools, including 23 public and 10 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in St. Joseph is 6.3 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 St. Joseph, Missouri?
The top-ranked school in St. Joseph on MySchoolScout is Bishop Leblond with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The top-ranked elementary school in St. Joseph on MySchoolScout is Edison Elem. with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best middle school in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The top-ranked middle school in St. Joseph on MySchoolScout is Spring Garden Middle with a composite score of 6.4/10.
What is the best high school in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The top-ranked high school in St. Joseph on MySchoolScout is Bishop Leblond with a composite score of 9.1/10.
How many school districts serve St. Joseph, Missouri?
St. Joseph is served by 4 school districts: Division of Youth Service, Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled, St. Joseph, Savannah R-iii.
What is the education level in St. Joseph, Missouri?
According to Census data, 22% of adults in St. Joseph have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The median household income in St. Joseph is approximately $57,622 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in St. Joseph, Missouri?
Yes, St. Joseph has 10 private schools alongside 23 public schools. The top-rated private school is Bishop Leblond with a score of 9.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in St. Joseph, Missouri?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in St. Joseph is 12.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in St. Joseph, Missouri?
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, Missouri Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.