6.5 avg / 10

Best Schools in Wausau, Wisconsin

27 schools · 18 Elementary · 3 Middle · 4 High · 2 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 20

Private: 7

Districts: 1

Avg Rating: 6.5/10

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Choosing a school in Wausau?

Use this page to compare every school in Wausau 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 · Wausau School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Wausau for 2026 are South Mountain Elementary (8.7/10), Thomas Jefferson Elementary (8.5/10), and Rib Mountain Elementary (8.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 24 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

South Mountain Elementary

Rates 8.7/10 despite 22% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 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 Wausau schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Wausau

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (24 of 27). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	South Mountain Elementary	8.7 / 10	Elementary	+2.0	92th
2	Thomas Jefferson Elementary	8.5 / 10	Elementary	+2.0	89th
3	Rib Mountain Elementary	8.0 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	79th
4	Grant Elementary	7.9 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	76th
5	Stettin Elementary	7.8 / 10	Elementary	+1.2	74th
6	Horace Mann Middle	7.3 / 10	Middle	+0.7	64th
7	John Muir Middle	7.2 / 10	Middle	+0.6	61th
8	Wausau Area Montessori Charter School	7.2 / 10	Elementary	+0.6	61th
9	Newman Catholic Schools	6.8 / 10	Other	—	61th
10	Maine Elementary	6.5 / 10	Elementary	-0.1	49th

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: 6.5/10
Median household income: $67,791
Median home value: $182,750
Bachelor's degree or higher: 32%
Avg commute: 17 min
Owner-occupied homes: 66%

How Wausau compares

Wisconsin rank

#159 of 324

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.2

above Wisconsin avg (6.4)

Median household income

$68k

87% of Wisconsin median

Schools in this city

24

About Schools in Wausau, Wisconsin

Wausau's public school system covers 20 ranked schools with an average score of 6.4 out of 10 — a solid mid-range result that masks a clear split between the city's strongest performers and the broader field. Parents here get meaningful choice: 8 of 20 schools, or 40 percent of the district, score 7 or higher, giving families in the right attendance zones access to schools that outperform the majority of peers statewide.

The top of the rankings is dominated by elementary schools. South Mountain Elementary, Grant Elementary, and Rib Mountain Elementary each earn an 8.4 out of 10 — the highest scores in the city and a strong signal that Wausau's elementary tier punches well above the district average. Hawthorn Hills Elementary follows at 7.7, with Stettin Elementary rounding out the upper tier at 7.2. Five of the eight schools scoring 7 or above are at the elementary level, which means parents of younger children have the most options when targeting high-performing campuses.

The practical implication is that school selection in Wausau is most consequential at the middle and high school levels, where the concentration of top-rated campuses thins out compared to the elementary tier. Families should map their home address against attendance boundaries before committing, since the gap between the 8.4-rated top schools and the district's 6.4 average is wide enough to matter. For parents with flexibility in where they live, the northwest and suburban-fringe areas hosting Rib Mountain and Stettin elementaries offer competitive options alongside the city-center schools.

Overall, Wausau is a functional district with a defined performance ceiling at the elementary level and meaningful variance across the full 20-school landscape. Parents who identify the right attendance zone early — particularly around South Mountain, Grant, and Rib Mountain — will find schools performing well above the district norm. Those unable to access those zones should weigh open enrollment options and look closely at individual school scores rather than relying on the district average.

Filter by Level: All Levels (27) Elementary (18) Middle (3) High (4)

Filter by Type: All Types (27) Public (20) Private (7)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (27) Academics (20) Growth (20) Diversity (20) Resources (20)

Filter by ZIP: 54401 (16) 54403 (10)

Elementary Schools

18 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	South Mountain Elementary 223 students · Kindergarten–5th	223	Kindergarten–5th	8.7
2	Thomas Jefferson Elementary 375 students · Pre-K–5th	375	Pre-K–5th	8.5
3	Rib Mountain Elementary 209 students · Kindergarten–5th	209	Kindergarten–5th	8.0
4	Grant Elementary 172 students · Kindergarten–5th	172	Kindergarten–5th	7.9
5	Stettin Elementary 313 students · Kindergarten–5th	313	Kindergarten–5th	7.8
6	Wausau Area Montessori Charter School 101 students · Kindergarten–8th	101	Kindergarten–8th	7.2
7	Maine Elementary 240 students · Kindergarten–5th	240	Kindergarten–5th	6.5
8	Hawthorn Hills Elementary 198 students · Pre-K–5th	198	Pre-K–5th	6.5
9	Lincoln Elementary 222 students · Kindergarten–5th	222	Kindergarten–5th	6.2
10	G D Jones Elementary 547 students · Pre-K–5th	547	Pre-K–5th	6.1

Show all 18 elementary schools in Wausau

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

Riverview Elementary Hewitt-texas Elementary Franklin Elementary John Marshall Elementary St John Lutheran School Private Trinity Lutheran School Private Our Saviors Lutheran School Private Mountain View Montessori Private

Middle Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Horace Mann Middle 662 students · 6th–8th	662	6th–8th	7.3
2	John Muir Middle 977 students · 6th–8th	977	6th–8th	7.2
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	Hillside Christian School Private 7 students · 1st–6th	7	1st–6th	—

High Schools

4 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy 33 students · 6th–12th	33	6th–12th	6.4
2	West High 1,443 students · 9th–12th	1,443	9th–12th	5.1
3	East High 897 students · 9th–12th	897	9th–12th	5.0
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	Newman Catholic High School Private 241 students · 6th–12th	241	6th–12th	6.4

Other Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Wausau Area Virtual Education 175 students · Kindergarten–12th	175	Kindergarten–12th	4.6
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	Newman Catholic Schools Private 501 students · Pre-K–12th	501	Pre-K–12th	6.8

Schools in Wausau

Wausau, Wisconsin · 27 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes

Median Income

$67,791

Median Home Value

$182,750

Median Rent

$956/mo

Population

56,406

College Educated

32%

Homeownership

66%

Avg Commute

17 min

Poverty Rate

11.7%

Community Profile

Wausau has a median household income of $67,791. It is an area where 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $182,750, with a median rent of $956/month. The area has a poverty rate of 11.7%. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 17 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Wisconsin
Elementary: 18
Middle: 3
High: 4
Other: 2

Resources

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

School District

Wausau School District

20 schools · 7,783 students

Nearby Cities

Rothschild (4 schools)

7 mi

Kronenwetter (1 school)

Junction City (1 school)

27 mi

Athens (6 schools)

21 mi

Birnamwood (1 school)

21 mi

Custer (1 school)

29 mi

Other Major Cities in Wisconsin

Top metros statewide by school count.

Milwaukee 254 schools Madison 85 schools Green Bay 80 schools Appleton 52 schools Kenosha 47 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 Wausau, Wisconsin

How many schools are in Wausau, Wisconsin?

Wausau has 27 schools, including 20 public and 7 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Wausau is 6.5 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 Wausau, Wisconsin?

The top-ranked school in Wausau on MySchoolScout is South Mountain Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.

What is the best elementary school in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The top-ranked elementary school in Wausau on MySchoolScout is South Mountain Elementary with a composite score of 8.7/10.

What is the best middle school in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The top-ranked middle school in Wausau on MySchoolScout is Horace Mann Middle with a composite score of 7.3/10.

What is the best high school in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The top-ranked high school in Wausau on MySchoolScout is Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy with a composite score of 6.4/10.

How many school districts serve Wausau, Wisconsin?

Wausau is served by 1 school district: Wausau School District.

What is the education level in Wausau, Wisconsin?

According to Census data, 32% of adults in Wausau have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The median household income in Wausau is approximately $67,791 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Wausau, Wisconsin?

Yes, Wausau has 7 private schools alongside 20 public schools. The top-rated private school is Newman Catholic Schools with a score of 6.8/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Wausau, Wisconsin?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Wausau is 11.8:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Wausau, Wisconsin?

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.