5.9 avg / 10

Best Schools in St. Louis, Missouri

290 schools · 176 Elementary · 36 Middle · 55 High · 23 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 203

Private: 87

Districts: 32

Avg Rating: 5.9/10

Estimated Scores: 4%

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in St. Louis?

Use this page to compare every school in St. Louis by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Webster Groves. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

High · St. Louis City. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in St. Louis for 2026 are Avery Elem. (9.5/10), Collegiate School of Med/bio (9.1/10), and The St Michael School of Clayton (9.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 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.

Best value · beats the odds

Collegiate School of Med/bio

Rates 9.1/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 4.2 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. Louis schools.

Top-Rated Schools in St. Louis

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 290). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Avery Elem.	9.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.9	100th
2	Collegiate School of Med/bio	9.1 / 10	High	+4.2	98th
3	The St Michael School of Clayton	9.1 / 10	Elementary	—	99th
4	Reed Elementary	9.0 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	98th
5	Ladue Fifth Grade Center	9.0 / 10	Middle	+1.4	98th
6	The Soulard School	8.9 / 10	Elementary	+1.1	97th
7	Metro High	8.8 / 10	High	+3.9	96th
8	Edgar Road Elem.	8.8 / 10	Elementary	+1.0	96th
9	Thomas Jefferson School	8.8 / 10	High	—	98th
10	Forsyth School	8.8 / 10	Elementary	—	98th

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: 5.9/10
Median household income: $72,686
Median home value: $261,438
Bachelor's degree or higher: 42%
Avg commute: 23 min
Owner-occupied homes: 56%

How St. Louis compares

Missouri rank

#172 of 258

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below Missouri avg (6.3)

Median household income

$73k

110% of Missouri median

Schools in this city

267

Education Snapshot

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis distributes 290 schools across 32 separate school districts serving roughly 97,327 students. The average MySchoolScout composite rating lands at 6.0/10 across 267 scored schools, below Missouri's state average of 6.3/10 — a gap that persists despite a median household income of $75,013, which sits 4% above the state median of $72,114. The city's 35 charter schools reflect sustained demand for alternatives to traditional district placements. Elementary schools dominate the level mix at 176 of 290 total schools, followed by 55 high schools and 36 middle schools. Adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher account for 44% of the city's population. For parents, the clearest signal is a composite rating that trails the state average even as household income exceeds it — a divergence that makes school-by-school comparison more valuable than any single-district reputation here.

About Schools in St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis puts 192 ranked public schools in front of parents — a large, varied field spanning the city proper and surrounding districts. Scores range widely, with the citywide average sitting at 5.8 out of 10. That midpoint reflects a genuine performance split: a cluster of high-performing schools at the top, a long middle tier, and a lower band that families will want to screen out early in their search.

The top of the distribution is real and reachable. Forty-one schools — 21% of the ranked total — score 7 or above, giving parents a meaningful shortlist to work from. Conway Elementary leads the city with a 9.5, the highest score in St. Louis. Metro High (9.2) and Avery Elementary (9.2) sit just behind it, followed by Clark Elementary at 9.1 and Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience at 9.0. The presence of two strong high schools in that top five matters: Collegiate's specialized medical and bioscience focus gives college-bound students a rigorous, career-aligned track, while Metro High offers a broader college-prep path.

Elementary options in the top tier are particularly strong. Three of the five highest-rated schools are elementary, which means families with young children have more access points to high-performing seats than the overall average suggests. Parents of high schoolers face a narrower field — the drop-off after Collegiate and Metro is steeper — so secondary options warrant closer scrutiny before committing to a neighborhood.

Practically, St. Louis rewards early research. With nearly 200 schools and nearly four points separating the city average from the top performers, the difference between a neighborhood default and a targeted choice is significant. Parents should determine upfront whether target schools use open enrollment, magnet assignment, or address-based zoning — that distinction controls how much of the top 21% is actually accessible. Filter to 7 and above first, then layer in commute, program fit, and grade level. The top schools here compete with high performers in any major metro; the work is finding them before seats fill.

Filter by Level: All Levels (290) Elementary (176) Middle (36) High (55)

Filter by Type: All Types (290) Public (203) Private (87)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (290) Academics (195) Growth (179) Diversity (182) Resources (195)

Filter by ZIP: 63104 (16) 63110 (16) 63119 (15) 63118 (14) 63139 (13) 63106 (12) 63123 (11) 63125 (11) 63114 (10) 63129 (10) 63137 (10) 63141 (10)

Elementary Schools

176 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Avery Elem. 350 students · Kindergarten–5th	350	Kindergarten–5th	9.5
2	Reed Elementary 384 students · Kindergarten–4th	384	Kindergarten–4th	9.0
3	The Soulard School 137 students · Kindergarten–5th	137	Kindergarten–5th	8.9
4	Edgar Road Elem. 382 students · Kindergarten–5th	382	Kindergarten–5th	8.8
5	Beasley Elem. 286 students · Kindergarten–5th	286	Kindergarten–5th	8.5
6	Mosaic Elementary 251 students · Kindergarten–5th	251	Kindergarten–5th	8.5
7	Bristol Elem. 393 students · Kindergarten–5th	393	Kindergarten–5th	8.5
8	Clark Elem. 288 students · Kindergarten–5th	288	Kindergarten–5th	8.4
9	Spoede Elementary 381 students · Kindergarten–4th	381	Kindergarten–4th	8.3
10	Buder Elem. 383 students · Pre-K–5th	383	Pre-K–5th	8.3

Show all 176 elementary schools in St. Louis

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

Conway Elementary Old Bonhomme Elementary Hudson Elem. Long Elem. Bayless Elementary Dressel Elementary School Point Elem. Mason Elem. Ross Elem. The Biome Oakville Elem. Betty Wheeler Classical Jr. Ac Mallinckrodt A.b.i. Elem. Gotsch Intermediate Sch. Concord Elem. School Hagemann Elem. Lafayette Preparatory Academy Blades Elem. Wohlwend Elem. St Louis Lang Immersion School Kennerly Elem. Sappington Elem. Trautwein Elem. Marvin Elem. North Side Community School Forder Elem. Mckelvey Primary Bierbaum Elem. Dewey Sch.-internat'l. Studies Wilkinson Early Childhood Ctr. City Garden Montessori Ecec Kipp Wisdom Academy Stix Early Childhood Ctr. Oak Hill Elem. Shaw Visual/perf. Arts Ctr. Old North Academy Gateway Science Acad/st Louis Momentum Acad Tower Grve South Atlas Elementary Momentum Acad Gravois Park Mullanphy Botanical Gardens Mann Elem. City Garden Montessori Eaec Rogers Elem. Meramec Elem. Ames Visual/perf. Arts George Washington Carver Elem Hamilton Elem. Community Ed. Sigel Elem. Comm. Ed. Ctr. Earl Nance Sr. Elem. Momentum Acad Tower Grove East Woerner Elem Walbridge Elem. Community Ed. Washington Montessori Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elem. Crestwood Elem. Shenandoah Elem. Adams Elem. Nahed Chapman New American Aca Aspire Academy Craig Elem. Lemasters Elem. Hodgen Elem. Bel-nor Premier Charter School Jefferson Elem. Woodward Elem. Humboldt Acad of Higher Lrning Mesnier Primary Sch. Ashland Elem. and Br. Peabody Elem. Normandy Early Learning Center Moline Elem. Bryan Hill Elem. Henry Elem. Laclede Elem. Lift for Life Academy Elem. Marion Elem. Lyon at Blow Elem. Jefferson Elem. Iveland Elem. Lewis and Clark Elem. Meadows Elem. Columbia Elem. Comm. Ed. Ctr. Monroe Elem. South City Momentum Fox Park Froebel Elem. Hickey Elem. Bermuda Elementary Washington Elem. Grannemann Elem. Cole Elem. Arrowpoint Elem. Glasgow Elem. Gateway Elem. Kratz Elem. Lexington Elem. Larimore Elem. Highland Elem. Gibson Elem. Wyland Elem. Koch Elem. Herzog Elem. Twillman Elem. Kipp Victory Academy Gateway Science Acad-south Ele Danforth Elem. Elias Michael Elem. Keeven Elem. Barack Obama Elementary School Kipp Wonder Academy Mo School for the Blind - Elem The St Michael School of Clayton Private Forsyth School Private St Mark School Private Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School Private Community School Private Abiding Savior Lutheran School Private Word of Life Lutheran Private Tower Grove Christian Academy Private St Roch School Private Rossman School Private Rohan Woods School Private The College School Private St Ann Catholic School Private Christ the King Catholic School Private The Freedom School Private St Cecilia School Private Little Flower Catholic School Private Word of Life Lutheran School Private Immacolata School Private Queen of All Saints School Private The Waldorf School of St Louis Private Torah Prep School Private Queen of the Holy Rosary Academy Private Holy Cross Academy Private St Simon the Apostle Private St Ambrose School Private St Margaret of Scotland School Private St Raphael the Archangel School Private St Stephen Protomartyr School Private International Schoolhouse Private Storman Lions Leadership Academy Private Holy Cross Academy Private Ste Genevieve Du Bois School Private Our Lady of Guadalupe School Private South City Community School Private Grace Chapel Lutheran School Private River Roads Lutheran School Private Assumption Parish School Private St Gabriel the Archangel School Private Green Park Lutheran School Private St Justin Martyr School Private St Louis Catholic Academy Private St Margaret Mary Alacoque School Private St Catherine Laboure School Private Agape Academy & Child Development Center Private Central Institute for the Deaf Private Forest Park Montessori School Private Janan Academy Private Faith Academy Private A Growing Place Montessori School Private St Louis Unified School of Sda Private The Moog Center for Deaf Education Private Countryside Montessori School Private

Middle Schools

36 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Ladue Fifth Grade Center 322 students · 5th–5th	322	5th–5th	9.0
2	Hixson Middle 967 students · 6th–8th	967	6th–8th	8.6
3	Washington Middle 449 students · 6th–8th	449	6th–8th	8.5
4	Oakville Middle 642 students · 6th–8th	642	6th–8th	8.1
5	Bernard Middle 595 students · 6th–8th	595	6th–8th	7.9
6	Ladue Middle 1,033 students · 6th–8th	1,033	6th–8th	7.7
7	Robert H. Sperreng Middle 962 students · 6th–8th	962	6th–8th	7.7
8	Bayless Junior High 408 students · 6th–8th	408	6th–8th	7.3
9	Truman Middle School 754 students · 6th–8th	754	6th–8th	7.2
10	Rogers Middle 579 students · 6th–8th	579	6th–8th	7.0

Show all 36 middle schools in St. Louis

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

High Schools

55 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Collegiate School of Med/bio 335 students · 9th–12th	335	9th–12th	9.1
2	Metro High 333 students · 9th–12th	333	9th–12th	8.8
3	Mckinley Class. Leadership Ac. 580 students · 6th–12th	580	6th–12th	8.4
4	Webster Groves High 1,310 students · 9th–12th	1,310	9th–12th	8.2
5	Ladue Horton Watkins High 1,325 students · 9th–12th	1,325	9th–12th	7.8
6	Lindbergh Sr. High 2,266 students · 9th–12th	2,266	9th–12th	7.5
7	Gateway Science Academy High 423 students · 9th–12th	423	9th–12th	7.4
8	North High 1,013 students · 9th–12th	1,013	9th–12th	7.1
9	Hancock Sr. High 375 students · 9th–12th	375	9th–12th	7.0
10	Mehlville High School 1,414 students · 9th–12th	1,414	9th–12th	6.9

Show all 55 high schools in St. Louis

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

Bayless Senior High Carnahan Sch. of the Future Lift for Life Academy High Sch Grand Center Arts Academy High The Innovation School at Cv Bissell Hall Central Visual/perf. Arts High Oakville Sr. High Gateway High Hazelwood East High Mo School for the Blind - HS Confluence Preparatory Academy Miller Career Academy Affton High Soldan International Studies Normandy High Riverview Gardens Sr. High Community Access Job Training Roosevelt High Sumner High Kipp St. Louis High Vashon High Ritenour Sr. High Beaumont Cte High School Hogan St Regional Youth Ctr. Twin Rivers Lewis and Clark Hall Griscom Juvenile Detention Ctr Thomas Jefferson School Private St Louis Priory School Private Crossroads College Preparatory School Private Incarnate Word Academy Private St Mary's High School Private Miriam Academy Private Whitfield School Private Chaminade College Prep School Private Rosati-kain High School Private Ursuline Academy Private Map St. Louis Private De Smet Jesuit High School Private St Joseph's Academy Private Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School Private Cor Jesu Academy Private St Louis University High School Private Esther Miller Bais Yaakov Private

Other Schools

23 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Kairos High 234 students · 9th–10th	234	9th–10th	7.0
2	John Cary Early Childhood Ctr. 298 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	298	Pre-K–Pre-K	3.6
3	Ritenour Early Childhood Ctr 111 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	111	Pre-K–Pre-K	3.5
4	Early Child. Education 213 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	213	Pre-K–Pre-K	3.2
5	Ladue Early Childhood Center 232 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	232	Pre-K–Pre-K	3.0
6	Walter Ambrose Family Center 200 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	200	Pre-K–Pre-K	2.9
7	Early Childhood Ed Center West 377 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	377	Pre-K–Pre-K	2.8
8	Gateway/hubert Wheeler School 7 students · Kindergarten–12th	7	Kindergarten–12th	—
9	At Home Academy 77 students · Kindergarten–12th	77	Kindergarten–12th	—
10	Pattonville Early Chol 212 students · Pre-K–Pre-K	212	Pre-K–Pre-K	—

Show all 23 other schools in St. Louis

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

St. Louis Children's Hospital Providence Classical Christian Academy Private Villa Duchesne & Oak Hill School Private Christian Academy of Greater St Louis Private Great Circle Edgewood Children's Center Private H F Epstein Hebrew Academy Private H.f. Epstein Hebrew Academy Private Visitation Academy Private Mary Institute & St Louis Country Day School Private Ech School at Every Childs Hope Private Hw Kia Private Principia School Private Annunziata School Private

Schools in St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri · 290 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 40 ZIP codes

Median Income

$72,686

Median Home Value

$261,438

Median Rent

$1,108/mo

Population

863,843

College Educated

42%

Homeownership

56%

Avg Commute

23 min

Poverty Rate

16.2%

Community Profile

St. Louis has a median household income of $72,686. It is a well-educated community where 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $261,438, with a median rent of $1,108/month. The area has a poverty rate of 16.2%. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Missouri
Elementary: 176
Middle: 36
High: 55
Other: 23

Resources

🔍 Google "St. Louis schools" 🏫 GreatSchools St. Louis 📊 Niche St. Louis Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (32)

DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE

41 schools · 570 students

MO SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

2 schools · 46 students

MO SCHLS FOR THE SEV DISABLED

35 schools · 692 students

LIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY

3 schools · 816 students

PREMIER CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 904 students

CONFLUENCE ACADEMIES

6 schools · 2,274 students

CITY GARDEN MONTESSORI

2 schools · 573 students

ST. LOUIS LANG IMMERSION SCH

1 school · 419 students

NORTH SIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

2 schools · 69 students

KIPP ST LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

6 schools · 2,368 students

GATEWAY SCIENCE ACAD/ST LOUIS

4 schools · 1,631 students

MOMENTUM ACADEMY

4 schools · 659 students

LAFAYETTE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

1 school · 406 students

THE BIOME

1 school · 161 students

KAIROS ACADEMIES

2 schools · 491 students

THE SOULARD SCHOOL

1 school · 137 students

ATLAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

1 school · 307 students

AFFTON 101

4 schools · 2,582 students

BAYLESS

3 schools · 1,836 students

FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II

23 schools · 9,336 students

HANCOCK PLACE

3 schools · 1,244 students

HAZELWOOD

32 schools · 16,262 students

LADUE

8 schools · 4,482 students

LINDBERGH SCHOOLS

10 schools · 7,497 students

MEHLVILLE R-IX

19 schools · 10,162 students

NORMANDY SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE

7 schools · 2,883 students

PARKWAY C-2

29 schools · 16,924 students

PATTONVILLE R-III

11 schools · 6,128 students

RITENOUR

10 schools · 6,414 students

RIVERVIEW GARDENS

13 schools · 5,100 students

ST. LOUIS CITY

68 schools · 18,284 students

WEBSTER GROVES

9 schools · 4,366 students

Nearby Cities

Richmond Heights (1 school)

1 mi

Maplewood (4 schools)

University City (7 schools)

3 mi

Brentwood (6 schools)

Webster Groves (4 schools)

Crestwood (2 schools)

7 mi

Berkeley (2 schools)

8 mi

Other Major Cities in Missouri

Top metros statewide by school count.

Kansas City 197 schools Springfield 82 schools Columbia 47 schools St. Charles 41 schools Independence 39 schools

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in St. Louis, Missouri

How many schools are in St. Louis, Missouri?

St. Louis has 290 schools, including 203 public and 87 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in St. Louis, Missouri?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in St. Louis is 5.9 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. Louis, Missouri?

The top-ranked school in St. Louis on MySchoolScout is Avery Elem. with a composite score of 9.5/10.

What is the best elementary school in St. Louis, Missouri?

The top-ranked elementary school in St. Louis on MySchoolScout is Avery Elem. with a composite score of 9.5/10.

What is the best middle school in St. Louis, Missouri?

The top-ranked middle school in St. Louis on MySchoolScout is Ladue Fifth Grade Center with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best high school in St. Louis, Missouri?

The top-ranked high school in St. Louis on MySchoolScout is Collegiate School of Med/bio with a composite score of 9.1/10.

How many school districts serve St. Louis, Missouri?

St. Louis is served by 32 school districts: Division of Youth Service, Mo School for the Blind, Mo Schls for the Sev Disabled, Lift for Life Academy, Premier Charter School, Confluence Academies, City Garden Montessori, St. Louis Lang Immersion Sch, North Side Community School, Kipp St Louis Public Schools, Gateway Science Acad/st Louis, Momentum Academy, Lafayette Preparatory Academy, The Biome, Kairos Academies, The Soulard School, Atlas Public Schools, Affton 101, Bayless, Ferguson-florissant R-ii, Hancock Place, Hazelwood, Ladue, Lindbergh Schools, Mehlville R-ix, Normandy Schools Collaborative, Parkway C-2, Pattonville R-iii, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, St. Louis City, Webster Groves.

What is the education level in St. Louis, Missouri?

According to Census data, 42% of adults in St. Louis have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in St. Louis, Missouri?

The median household income in St. Louis is approximately $72,686 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in St. Louis, Missouri?

Yes, St. Louis has 87 private schools alongside 203 public schools. The top-rated private school is The St Michael School of Clayton with a score of 9.1/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in St. Louis, Missouri?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in St. Louis is 12.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in St. Louis, 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.

Best Schools in St. Louis, Missouri

Choosing a school in St. Louis?

Avery Elem.

Collegiate School of Med/bio

The St Michael School of Clayton

The short answer

Top-Rated Schools in St. Louis

Family Snapshot

How St. Louis compares

Education Snapshot

About Schools in St. Louis, Missouri

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

Other Schools

Schools in St. Louis

Community Demographics

Community Profile

Schools by Level

Resources

Nearby Cities

Other Major Cities in Missouri

How we rate schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Related reading

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