6.6 avg / 10

Best Schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico

50 schools · 30 Elementary · 9 Middle · 9 High · 2 Other

Last updated: May 2026

Public: 46

Private: 4

Districts: 9

Avg Rating: 6.6/10

Estimated Scores: 8%

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 6.6/10
Median household income: $58,379
Median home value: $227,000
Bachelor's degree or higher: 30%
Avg commute: 20 min
Owner-occupied homes: 64%

How Las Cruces compares

New Mexico rank

#21 of 79

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.3

above New Mexico avg (6.3)

Median household income

$58k

101% of New Mexico median

Schools in this city

About Schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Las Cruces is one of New Mexico's largest cities and home to 45 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school. The district average sits at 6.7 out of 10 — a solid starting point for research, though performance varies considerably across the city. Eighteen schools, or 40% of the total, score 7.0 or higher, meaning parents have a real range of strong options to explore rather than a handful of outliers.

Elementary school is where Las Cruces stands out most. J Paul Taylor Academy and Mesilla Elementary both earn a 9.0 out of 10, putting them among the top performers in the region. Sonoma Elementary (8.8) and White Sands Elementary (8.6) round out a cluster of high-scoring primary schools that give families with younger children several strong choices. The concentration of high-rated elementaries suggests the city does particularly well in its early grades pipeline.

At the middle school level, Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy matches the top elementary tier with a 9.0 score — a notable result for a grade band where performance more often dips relative to elementary schools. Parents planning ahead for the middle school transition have at least one clear standout option.

The practical takeaway for families: Las Cruces is a city where school address matters. With 40% of schools scoring 7.0 or above but an overall average of 6.7, there's meaningful variation between neighborhoods and school zones. The highest-performing schools tend to be smaller academies and elementary programs, so families prioritizing the early grades have the most options to choose from. For those entering middle school or high school, drilling into individual school pages to compare ratings, enrollment, and specific academic programs will matter more than relying on the city-wide average. Start with the top-rated schools on this list, map their attendance zones to your address, and use the individual school profiles to compare growth scores and specific program offerings before narrowing your search.

Filter by Level: All Levels (50) Elementary (30) Middle (9) High (9)

Filter by Type: All Types (50) Public (46) Private (4)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (50) Academics (50) Growth (42) Resources (45)

Filter by ZIP: 88001 (37) 88005 (6) 88011 (3) 88012 (2)

Elementary Schools

30 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	MESILLA ELEMENTARY 317 students · Pre-K–5th	317	Pre-K–5th	8.6
2	SONOMA ELEMENTARY 735 students · Pre-K–5th	735	Pre-K–5th	8.5
3	WHITE SANDS ELEMENTARY 283 students · Pre-K–8th	283	Pre-K–8th	8.4
4	J PAUL TAYLOR ACADEMY 200 students · Kindergarten–8th	200	Kindergarten–8th	8.3
5	UNIVERSITY HILLS ELEMENTARY 341 students · Pre-K–5th	341	Pre-K–5th	8.2
6	EAST PICACHO ELEMENTARY 482 students · Pre-K–5th	482	Pre-K–5th	7.9
7	CONLEE ELEMENTARY 411 students · Pre-K–5th	411	Pre-K–5th	7.7
8	LOMA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY 479 students · Pre-K–5th	479	Pre-K–5th	7.6
9	DONA ANA ELEMENTARY 377 students · Pre-K–5th	377	Pre-K–5th	7.5
10	MESILLA PARK ELEMENTARY 330 students · Pre-K–5th	330	Pre-K–5th	7.4
11	MAC ARTHUR ELEMENTARY 352 students · Pre-K–5th	352	Pre-K–5th	7.1
12	HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY 724 students · Pre-K–5th	724	Pre-K–5th	7.1
13	JORNADA ELEMENTARY 453 students · Pre-K–5th	453	Pre-K–5th	7.0
14	CENTRAL ELEMENTARY 186 students · Pre-K–5th	186	Pre-K–5th	6.9
15	SUNRISE ELEMENTARY 351 students · 3rd–5th	351	3rd–5th	6.7
16	CESAR CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY 517 students · Pre-K–2nd	517	Pre-K–2nd	6.7
17	MONTE VISTA ELEMENTARY 723 students · Pre-K–5th	723	Pre-K–5th	6.4
18	VALLEY VIEW ELEMENTARY 377 students · Pre-K–5th	377	Pre-K–5th	6.3
19	TOMBAUGH ELEMENTARY 584 students · Pre-K–5th	584	Pre-K–5th	6.3
20	DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY 539 students · Pre-K–5th	539	Pre-K–5th	5.9
21	COLUMBIA ELEMENTARY 198 students · Pre-K–5th	198	Pre-K–5th	5.9
22	HERMOSA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY 406 students · Pre-K–5th	406	Pre-K–5th	5.8
23	RAICES DEL SABER XINACHTLI COMMUNITY 133 students · Kindergarten–5th	133	Kindergarten–5th	5.5
24	HILLRISE ELEMENTARY 431 students · Pre-K–5th	431	Pre-K–5th	5.5
25	BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 392 students · Pre-K–5th	392	Pre-K–5th	5.2

Show 5 more elementary schools

26	ALAMEDA ELEMENTARY 336 students · Pre-K–5th	336	Pre-K–5th	5.1
27	FAIRACRES ELEMENTARY 407 students · Pre-K–5th	407	Pre-K–5th	3.9
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	LAS CRUCES CATHOLIC SCHOOL Private 255 students · Pre-K–8th	255	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
2	COLLEGE HEIGHTS KINDERGARTEN Private 32 students · Pre-K–TK	32	Pre-K–TK	Not Rated
3	MISSION LUTHERAN SCHOOL Private 28 students · Pre-K–5th	28	Pre-K–5th	Not Rated

Middle Schools

9 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	MESILLA VALLEY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 99 students · 6th–8th	99	6th–8th	8.2
2	LA ACADEMIA DOLORES HUERTA 68 students · 6th–8th	68	6th–8th	7.7
3	SIERRA MIDDLE 752 students · 6th–8th	752	6th–8th	6.7
4	CAMINO REAL MIDDLE 928 students · 6th–8th	928	6th–8th	6.6
5	MESA MIDDLE 718 students · 6th–8th	718	6th–8th	6.6
6	LYNN MIDDLE 513 students · 6th–8th	513	6th–8th	6.3
7	VISTA MIDDLE 581 students · 6th–8th	581	6th–8th	5.3
8	ZIA MIDDLE 626 students · 6th–8th	626	6th–8th	5.2
9	PICACHO MIDDLE 684 students · 6th–8th	684	6th–8th	5.0

High Schools

9 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	LAS MONTANAS CHARTER 172 students · 9th–12th	172	9th–12th	7.9
2	ALMA D'ARTE CHARTER 137 students · 9th–12th	137	9th–12th	6.8
3	CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL 1,664 students · 9th–12th	1,664	9th–12th	6.8
4	MAYFIELD HIGH 1,401 students · 9th–12th	1,401	9th–12th	6.2
5	ARROWHEAD PARK EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 554 students · 9th–12th	554	9th–12th	5.5
6	ORGAN MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL 2,063 students · 9th–12th	2,063	9th–12th	4.9
7	LAS CRUCES HIGH 1,806 students · 9th–12th	1,806	9th–12th	4.7
8	NEW AMERICA SCHOOL - LAS CRUCES 178 students · 9th–12th	178	9th–12th	4.6
9	SOUTHERN NM CORRECTIONS 1 students · 8th–12th	1	8th–12th	—

Other Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	EXPLORE ACADEMY LAS CRUCES 343 students · 4th–10th	343	4th–10th	8.2
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	MESILLA VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Private 392 students · Kindergarten–12th	392	Kindergarten–12th	Not Rated

Schools in Las Cruces

Las Cruces, New Mexico · 50 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 6 ZIP codes

Median Income

$58,379

Median Home Value

$227,000

Median Rent

$951/mo

Population

156,744

College Educated

30%

Homeownership

64%

Avg Commute

20 min

Poverty Rate

19.8%

Community Profile

Las Cruces has a median household income of $58,379. It is an area where 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $227,000, with a median rent of $951/month. The area has a poverty rate of 19.8%. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

State: New Mexico
Total Schools: 50
Elementary: 30
Middle: 9
High: 9
Districts: 9
Avg Rating: 6.6/10

Resources

🔍 Google "Las Cruces schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Las Cruces 📊 Niche Las Cruces Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (9)

NM CORRECTIONS

11 schools · 14 students

ALMA D'ARTE CHARTER

1 school · 137 students

J PAUL TAYLOR ACADEMY

1 school · 200 students

NEW AMERICA SCHOOL - LAS CRUCES

1 school · 178 students

LA ACADEMIA DOLORES HUERTA

1 school · 68 students

LAS MONTANAS CHARTER

1 school · 172 students

RAICES DEL SABER XINACHTLI COMMUNITY

1 school · 133 students

EXPLORE ACADEMY LAS CRUCES

1 school · 343 students

LAS CRUCES

39 schools · 23,404 students

Nearby Cities

Las Curces (1 school)

1 mi

Mesilla (2 schools)

4 mi

San Miguel (1 school)

12 mi

Albuquerque (1 school)

Sunland Park (2 schools)

28 mi

Chaparral (5 schools)

29 mi

Santa Teresa (3 schools)

33 mi

Hatch (4 schools)

33 mi

Other Major Cities in New Mexico

Top metros statewide by school count.

Santa Fe 60 schools Farmington 29 schools Roswell 25 schools Rio Rancho 25 schools Gallup 22 schools

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 Las Cruces, New Mexico

How many schools are in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

Las Cruces has 50 schools, including 46 public and 4 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Las Cruces is 6.6 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The top-ranked school in Las Cruces on MySchoolScout is Mesilla Elementary with a composite score of 8.6/10.

What is the best elementary school in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The top-ranked elementary school in Las Cruces on MySchoolScout is Mesilla Elementary with a composite score of 8.6/10.

What is the best middle school in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The top-ranked middle school in Las Cruces on MySchoolScout is Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy with a composite score of 8.2/10.

What is the best high school in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The top-ranked high school in Las Cruces on MySchoolScout is Las Montanas Charter with a composite score of 7.9/10.

How many school districts serve Las Cruces, New Mexico?

Las Cruces is served by 9 school districts: Nm Corrections, Alma D'arte Charter, J Paul Taylor Academy, New America School - Las Cruces, La Academia Dolores Huerta, Las Montanas Charter, Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community, Explore Academy Las Cruces, Las Cruces.

What is the education level in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

According to Census data, 30% of adults in Las Cruces have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The median household income in Las Cruces is approximately $58,379 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

Yes, Las Cruces has 4 private schools alongside 46 public schools. The top-rated private school is Las Cruces Catholic School with a score of 8.3/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Las Cruces is 13.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico?

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, New Mexico Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.