Best Schools in Wyoming (2026)

Wyoming runs one of the smallest public school systems in the country. The state has 301 ranked public schools — 159 elementary, 56 middle, and 78 high schools — distributed across a large and sparsely populated geography. The statewide average score is 6.3 out of 10, and roughly one-third of schools (106 of 301, or 35%) clear the 7-out-of-10 mark that signals consistent, above-average performance. That 35% figure is a useful reference point: the ceiling is reachable, but the average Wyoming family is zoned to a school below it.

The state's highest scorers are dominated by small-town elementary schools. Southeast Elementary in Yoder and Alta Elementary in Alta both score 9.7 out of 10 — the highest marks in Wyoming. Dubois Elementary (9.5) and Indian Paintbrush Elementary in Laramie (9.4) round out the elementary leaders. Thermopolis Middle School stands out as the top-ranked middle school at 9.5, making it one of the strongest schools in the state across any grade band. These high scorers are concentrated in smaller communities spread across Wyoming's rural interior.

Laramie and Cheyenne are the largest metro areas and offer the widest selection of schools. Laramie, home of the University of Wyoming, counts Indian Paintbrush Elementary among its top performers. Cheyenne, the state capital and largest city, has a broader range of schools with more score variation — parents there should compare individual scores rather than defaulting to district-wide reputation. Casper anchors Natrona County, one of the larger districts in Wyoming, and serves families across a wide stretch of the central part of the state.

Wyoming's small system size creates real tradeoffs. Families in rural areas often have one school per grade band — there is no alternative if scores are low. With only 56 ranked middle schools statewide, parents of rising sixth graders face limited alternatives outside of major towns. High school options are similarly constrained at 78 statewide. Before choosing a neighborhood, parents should verify enrollment boundaries and confirm which school their address feeds into, especially at the elementary-to-middle transition.

The practical takeaway: Wyoming's 35% above-threshold rate shows a meaningful slice of the system is performing well, but a statewide mean of 6.3 and a top score of 9.7 signal wide internal variation. Individual school scores matter more here than district names or town size. Geography often limits real choice to one or two schools per grade band, which raises the stakes for each score. Use MySchoolScout to filter by grade level and location before locking in a neighborhood.