Best Schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
432 schools · 276 Elementary · 23 Middle · 92 High · 41 Other
Choosing a school in Philadelphia?
Use this page to compare every school in Philadelphia 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.
Penn Alexander Sch
Elementary · Philadelphia City Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Jenks Abram Sch
Elementary · Philadelphia City Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Meredith William M Sch
Elementary · Philadelphia City Sd. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Philadelphia for 2026 are Penn Alexander Sch (9.2/10), Jenks Abram Sch (9.0/10), and Meredith William M Sch (9.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 297 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
432
300 public · 132 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$271,768
home value · ACS
Districts
83
serving the city
Schools
432
300 public · 132 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$271,768
home value · ACS
Districts
83
serving the city
Rates 9.2/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.7 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 Philadelphia schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +20.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Philadelphia schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Philadelphia
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 297 rated schools; 432 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penn Alexander Sch | 9.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Jenks Abram Sch | 9.0 / 10 |
| 3 | Meredith William M Sch | 9.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Fanny Jackson Coppin Sch | 8.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Powel Samuel Sch | 8.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Adaire Alexander Sch | 8.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Bache-Martin Sch | 8.6 / 10 |
| 8 | John Story Jenks Academy for the Arts and Sciences | 8.5 / 10 |
| 9 | HS of Engineering & Science | 8.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Cook-Wissahickon Sch | 8.5 / 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
- 5.8/10
- Median household income
- $66,502
- Median home value
- $271,768
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 37%
- Avg commute
- 32 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 54%
22% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Philadelphia compares
Pennsylvania rank
#305 of 424
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.4
below Pennsylvania avg (6.3)
Median household income
$67k
84% of Pennsylvania median
Schools in this city
410
Education Snapshot
Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia's 421 schools across 83 districts enroll approximately 201,041 students. The average MySchoolScout composite rating of 5.2/10, measured across 395 scored schools, trails the Pennsylvania state average of 6.3/10 by 1.1 points. Charter schools account for 82 of the 421 buildings — roughly one in five schools — giving families a substantial charter sector to navigate alongside traditional district options. The level mix skews toward the early grades: 269 elementary schools against 21 middle schools and 89 high schools, with 42 other or combined-grade programs filling out the inventory. Philadelphia's median household income of $62,901 runs 24% below the Pennsylvania state median of $83,223, and 35% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. That income gap ties directly to per-pupil resource disparities that help explain why city-average ratings fall below the state benchmark.
Philadelphia City SD runs 73% of Philadelphia's public schools
Philadelphia touches 83 districts, but Philadelphia City SD is the one most addresses actually attend.
Philadelphia City SD accounts for 218 of 300 public schools (73%). The other 82 districts hold the remaining 82.
Among 297 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.6 to 9.2 — the spread is inside Philadelphia, not a citywide average.
82 of the 300 public schools are charters (27%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Philadelphia City SD218 public · 73%
- Ad Prima Cs1 public · 0%
- Alliance For Progress Cs1 public · 0%
- Antonia Pantoja Community Cs1 public · 0%
- Aspira Bilingual Cyber Cs1 public · 0%
About Schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia's public school system is one of the largest in the country, with 300 ranked public schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels across the city's many distinct neighborhoods. The system serves a wide range of students and families, and performance varies considerably from school to school — making research essential before committing to a neighborhood or enrollment decision.
The citywide average sits at 6.0 out of 10, which means roughly half the district's ranked schools fall below that midpoint. However, strong options do exist: 79 schools, representing 26% of all ranked public schools, score 7 or higher. That's a meaningful share of above-average performers for families willing to explore options across different parts of the city. At the top of the ratings, Dobson James School and Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy both earn an 8.9, the highest scores in Philadelphia's public system. Hackett Horatio B School (8.8), Penn Alexander School (8.7), and Fanny Jackson Coppin School (8.7) round out the top five, all at the elementary level. The concentration of high scorers among elementary schools signals that younger students may have stronger local options than older students in some parts of the city.
Philadelphia operates a mix of traditional neighborhood schools and schools that accept students from across the district, so a family's assigned school isn't always their only option. Enrollment policies and application timelines differ by school type, and waitlists at higher-rated schools can be competitive. Parents should verify current enrollment procedures directly with the School District of Philadelphia, as policies can shift year to year.
Practically speaking, families researching Philadelphia should use school ratings as a starting point, not a final answer. Visit schools, review test score trends, and factor in commute time and program fit alongside the ratings. With 26% of schools scoring 7 or above, good public options are reachable for many families — but they require active searching rather than relying on geography alone. Prioritize your search in areas where top-rated elementary schools cluster, and plan ahead for middle and high school transitions, where the ratings landscape broadens considerably.
Elementary Schools
276 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 583 students · Kindergarten–8th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 255 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.0 |
| 3 | 515 students · Kindergarten–8th | 9.0 |
| 4 | 537 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.8 |
| 5 | 306 students · Kindergarten–4th | 8.8 |
| 6 | 416 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.7 |
| 7 | 567 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.6 |
| 8 | 385 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.5 |
| 9 | 412 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.5 |
| 10 | 224 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.2 |
Show all 276 elementary schools in Philadelphia
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
23 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 134 students · 6th–8th | 7.4 |
| 2 | 1,515 students · 6th–8th | 6.9 |
| 3 | 352 students · 5th–8th | 6.6 |
| 4 | 155 students · 5th–8th | 5.4 |
| 5 | 208 students · 6th–8th | 5.4 |
| 6 | 554 students · 6th–8th | 5.2 |
| 7 | 1,269 students · 6th–8th | 4.8 |
| 8 | 278 students · 5th–8th | 4.5 |
| 9 | 251 students · 5th–8th | 4.2 |
| 10 | 428 students · 5th–8th | 4.2 |
Show all 23 middle schools in Philadelphia
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
High Schools
92 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 843 students · 7th–12th | 8.5 |
| 2 | 654 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 577 students · 5th–12th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 1,188 students · 9th–12th | 7.5 |
| 5 | 1,199 students · 5th–12th | 7.4 |
| 6 | 572 students · 6th–12th | 7.2 |
| 7 | 583 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 |
| 8 | 500 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 9 | 464 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 10 | 722 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 |
Show all 92 high schools in Philadelphia
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
41 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,486 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.7 |
| 2 | 1,074 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.7 |
| 3 | 1,508 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.5 |
| 4 | 2,600 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.3 |
| 5 | 1,361 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.2 |
| 6 | 1,895 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.0 |
| 7 | 1,171 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.9 |
| 8 | 1,641 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.9 |
| 9 | 822 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.6 |
| 10 | 1,190 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.5 |
Show all 41 other schools in Philadelphia
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Schools in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · 432 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 44 ZIP codes
Median Income
$66,502
Median Home Value
$271,768
Median Rent
$1,354/mo
Population
1,561,250
College Educated
37%
Homeownership
54%
Avg Commute
32 min
Poverty Rate
20.2%
Community Profile
Philadelphia has a median household income of $66,502. It is an area where 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $271,768, with a median rent of $1,354/month. The area has a poverty rate of 20.2%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 32 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Pennsylvania
- Elementary
- 276
- Middle
- 23
- High
- 92
- Other
- 41
Resources
School Districts (83)
Community Academy of Philadelphia CS
1 school · 1,242 students
Harambee Institute of Science and Technology CS
1 school · 569 students
Youth Build Phila CS
1 school · 256 students
Preparatory CS of Mathematics Science Tech and Careers
1 school · 559 students
Imhotep Institute CHS
1 school · 618 students
Alliance for Progress CS
1 school · 638 students
Multicultural Academy CS
1 school · 244 students
West Oak Lane CS
1 school · 985 students
Inquiry CS
1 school · 268 students
Eugenio Maria De Hostos CS
1 school · 486 students
Laboratory CS
1 school · 406 students
Mathematics Science & Technology Community CS
1 school · 1,494 students
Christopher Columbus CS
1 school · 835 students
Universal Institute CS
1 school · 563 students
Math Civics and Sciences CS
1 school · 896 students
Young Scholars CS
1 school · 251 students
Freire CS
1 school · 953 students
Philadelphia Academy CS
1 school · 1,175 students
Mastery CS-Hardy Williams
1 school · 1,190 students
Global Leadership Academy CS
1 school · 668 students
Philadelphia Performing Arts CS
1 school · 2,638 students
New Foundations CS
1 school · 1,508 students
Esperanza Academy CS
1 school · 1,645 students
Franklin Towne CHS
1 school · 1,314 students
Mariana Bracetti Academy CS
1 school · 1,510 students
Mastery CHS-Lenfest Campus
1 school · 634 students
People for People CS
1 school · 576 students
Richard Allen Preparatory CS
1 school · 368 students
Independence CS
1 school · 800 students
Russell Byers CS
1 school · 668 students
First Philadelphia Preparatory CS
1 school · 1,859 students
Tacony Academy CS
1 school · 1,075 students
Mastery CS-Harrity Campus
1 school · 782 students
Mastery CS-Smedley Campus
1 school · 776 students
Frederick Douglass Mastery CS
1 school · 556 students
ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber CS
1 school · 957 students
Mastery CS-Clymer Elementary
1 school · 451 students
Lindley Academy CS at Birney
1 school · 737 students
Universal Vare CS
1 school · 150 students
Universal Audenried CS
1 school · 582 students
Esperanza Cyber CS
1 school · 1,116 students
Mastery CS-Cleveland Elementary
1 school · 755 students
The Philadelphia CS for Arts and Sciences at HR Edmunds
1 school · 931 students
Universal Creighton CS
1 school · 673 students
Memphis Street Academy CS @ JP Jones
1 school · 544 students
Universal Alcorn CS
1 school · 422 students
Mastery CS-Francis D. Pastorius Elementary
1 school · 648 students
KIPP DuBois CS
1 school · 523 students
Green Woods CS
1 school · 702 students
West Phila. Achievement CES
1 school · 658 students
Wissahickon CS
1 school · 946 students
Philadelphia Electrical & Technology CHS
1 school · 620 students
Belmont CS
1 school · 945 students
Discovery CS
1 school · 621 students
KIPP Philadelphia CS
1 school · 864 students
Maritime Academy CS
1 school · 822 students
Ad Prima CS
1 school · 578 students
Philadelphia Montessori CS
1 school · 262 students
Northwood Academy CS
1 school · 705 students
Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures CS
1 school · 494 students
Mastery CS-Thomas Campus
1 school · 1,361 students
Mastery CS-Shoemaker Campus
1 school · 742 students
Southwest Leadership Academy CS
1 school · 594 students
Boys' Latin of Philadelphia CS
1 school · 773 students
Mastery CS-Pickett Campus
1 school · 905 students
Keystone Academy CS
1 school · 663 students
Pan American Academy CS
1 school · 762 students
Antonia Pantoja Community CS
1 school · 710 students
Sankofa Freedom Academy CS
1 school · 662 students
Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School
1 school · 957 students
KIPP West Philadelphia CS
1 school · 849 students
Mastery CS John Wister Elementary
1 school · 497 students
MaST Community CS II
1 school · 1,899 students
Global Leadership Academy CS Southwest at Huey
1 school · 598 students
Independence CS West
1 school · 845 students
TECH Freire CS
1 school · 489 students
Deep Roots CS
1 school · 296 students
Mastery Prep Elementary CS
1 school · 600 students
KIPP North Philadelphia CS
1 school · 670 students
Philadelphia Hebrew Public CS
1 school · 489 students
MaST Community CS III
1 school · 1,310 students
Philadelphia City SD
220 schools · 117,907 students
KIPP Philadelphia Octavius Catto CS
1 school · 302 students
Other Major Cities in Pennsylvania
Top metros statewide by school count.
Featured Rankings
See our in-depth rankings with interactive maps, score breakdowns, and school spotlights.
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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
How many schools are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia has 432 schools, including 300 public and 132 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Philadelphia is 5.8 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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked school in Philadelphia on MySchoolScout is Penn Alexander Sch with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked elementary school in Philadelphia on MySchoolScout is Penn Alexander Sch with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked middle school in Philadelphia on MySchoolScout is Amy Nw with a composite score of 7.4/10.
What is the best high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The top-ranked high school in Philadelphia on MySchoolScout is HS of Engineering & Science with a composite score of 8.5/10.
How many school districts serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia is served by 83 school districts: Community Academy of Philadelphia Cs, Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Cs, Youth Build Phila Cs, Preparatory Cs of Mathematics Science Tech and Careers, Imhotep Institute Chs, Alliance for Progress Cs, Multicultural Academy Cs, West Oak Lane Cs, Inquiry Cs, Eugenio Maria De Hostos Cs, Laboratory Cs, Mathematics Science & Technology Community Cs, Christopher Columbus Cs, Universal Institute Cs, Math Civics and Sciences Cs, Young Scholars Cs, Freire Cs, Philadelphia Academy Cs, Mastery Cs-Hardy Williams, Global Leadership Academy Cs, Philadelphia Performing Arts Cs, New Foundations Cs, Esperanza Academy Cs, Franklin Towne Chs, Mariana Bracetti Academy Cs, Mastery Chs-Lenfest Campus, People for People Cs, Richard Allen Preparatory Cs, Independence Cs, Russell Byers Cs, First Philadelphia Preparatory Cs, Tacony Academy Cs, Mastery Cs-Harrity Campus, Mastery Cs-Smedley Campus, Frederick Douglass Mastery Cs, Aspira Bilingual Cyber Cs, Mastery Cs-Clymer Elementary, Lindley Academy Cs at Birney, Universal Vare Cs, Universal Audenried Cs, Esperanza Cyber Cs, Mastery Cs-Cleveland Elementary, The Philadelphia Cs for Arts and Sciences at Hr Edmunds, Universal Creighton Cs, Memphis Street Academy Cs @ Jp Jones, Universal Alcorn Cs, Mastery Cs-Francis D. Pastorius Elementary, Kipp Dubois Cs, Green Woods Cs, West Phila. Achievement Ces, Wissahickon Cs, Philadelphia Electrical & Technology Chs, Belmont Cs, Discovery Cs, Kipp Philadelphia Cs, Maritime Academy Cs, Ad Prima Cs, Philadelphia Montessori Cs, Northwood Academy Cs, Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Cs, Mastery Cs-Thomas Campus, Mastery Cs-Shoemaker Campus, Southwest Leadership Academy Cs, Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Cs, Mastery Cs-Pickett Campus, Keystone Academy Cs, Pan American Academy Cs, Antonia Pantoja Community Cs, Sankofa Freedom Academy Cs, Franklin Towne Charter Elementary School, Kipp West Philadelphia Cs, Mastery Cs John Wister Elementary, Mast Community Cs II, Global Leadership Academy Cs Southwest at Huey, Independence Cs West, Tech Freire Cs, Deep Roots Cs, Mastery Prep Elementary Cs, Kipp North Philadelphia Cs, Philadelphia Hebrew Public Cs, Mast Community Cs III, Philadelphia City Sd, Kipp Philadelphia Octavius Catto Cs.
What is the education level in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
According to Census data, 37% of adults in Philadelphia have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The median household income in Philadelphia is approximately $66,502 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
Yes, Philadelphia has 132 private schools alongside 300 public schools. The top-rated private school is Pennsylvania School for the Deaf with a score of 9.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Philadelphia is 13.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
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, Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.