Ranking The States With The Best Public Schools

From Chalkboards to Champions: Which States Excel in Public Education?

Public schools are the foundation of a strong society—so which states are doing it best? Using recent data from national education metrics, we ranked all 50 states from the worst to best public school systems. Our methodology combines the following data points to get an overall score:

• Graduation Rate (%): Overall high school completion rate
• Average NAEP (aka: "The Nation's Report Card") Score: Combined proficiency in math and reading
• Per-Pupil Spending ($): Annual average spent per student
• Student-Teacher Ratio: Average number of students per teacher

Let's jump into the rankings, starting with the worst...

50: Wisconsin

Score: 86.4
Graduation Rate (%): 85.9
Average NAEP Score: 231.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 9,824
Student-Teacher Ratio: 18.9

Vibrant urban scene of Madison, Wisconsine captured from a high vantage point mandritoiu, Adobe Stock

49: North Carolina

Score: 87.8
Graduation Rate (%): 76.3
Average NAEP Score: 246.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 10,918
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.2
Aerial view of the city of Greensboro, North Carolina Wirestock, Adobe Stock

48: New Hampshire

Score: 89.4
Graduation Rate (%): 86.8
Average NAEP Score: 247.9
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 9,111
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.4
Manchester, New Hampshire Skyline Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

47: Wyoming

Score: 89.7
Graduation Rate (%): 78.7
Average NAEP Score: 235.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 13,458
Student-Teacher Ratio: 17.8
Vibrant urban scene of Cheyenne, Wyoming captured from a high vantage point Jacob, Adobe Stock

46: North Dakota

Score: 91.4
Graduation Rate (%): 94.0
Average NAEP Score: 233.2
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 14,402
Student-Teacher Ratio: 18.8
Aerial View of Bismark, North Dakota during Summer Jacob Boomsma, Shutterstock

45: Connecticut

Score: 92.0
Graduation Rate (%): 76.2
Average NAEP Score: 234.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 15,566
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.7
Vibrant urban scene of Hartford, Connecticut captured from a high vantage point SeanPavonePhoto, Adobe Stock

44: Georgia

Score: 94.4
Graduation Rate (%): 89.2
Average NAEP Score: 246.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 10,232
Student-Teacher Ratio: 17.3
Atlanta, Georgia paulbr75, Pixabay

43: Minnesota

Score: 94.6
Graduation Rate (%): 80.8
Average NAEP Score: 230.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 14,088
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15.1

Vibrant urban scene of Minneapolis, Minnesota captured from a high vantage point Yan, Adobe Stock

42: West Virginia

Score: 94.7
Graduation Rate (%): 85.4
Average NAEP Score: 251.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 17,043
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.0
Vibrant urban scene of Charleston, West Virginia captured from a high vantage point Blending Focus, Adobe Stock

41: Tennessee

Score: 96.2
Graduation Rate (%): 84.9
Average NAEP Score: 265.7
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 13,029
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.0

Vibrant urban scene of Memphis, Tennessee captured from a high vantage point Zenstratus, Adobe Stock

40: Texas

Score: 96.4
Graduation Rate (%): 75.7
Average NAEP Score: 268.0
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 16,956
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.0
Downtown Skyline From The Design District in Dallas 75316serk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

39: California

Score: 96.5
Graduation Rate (%): 78.1
Average NAEP Score: 259.9
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 23,521
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.9
Aerial View of the Fresno suburb of Clovis, California Jacob Boomsma, Getty Images

38: Alabama

Score: 96.8
Graduation Rate (%): 82.5
Average NAEP Score: 278.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 9,503
Student-Teacher Ratio: 19.1

Vibrant urban scene of Birmingham, Alabama captured from a high vantage point Robert Hainer, Adobe Stock

37: Idaho

Score: 97.7
Graduation Rate (%): 94.4
Average NAEP Score: 243.6
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 11,580
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.3

Boise, Idaho Pinpals, Pixabay

36: Oklahoma

Score: 98.3
Graduation Rate (%): 91.2
Average NAEP Score: 246.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 14,171
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.6
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Zenstratus, Adobe Stock

35: Delaware

Score: 98.4
Graduation Rate (%): 92.3
Average NAEP Score: 239.8
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 21,089
Student-Teacher Ratio: 17.6
Newark Delaware Main Street PookieFugglestein, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

34: Kansas

Score: 98.6
Graduation Rate (%): 78.7
Average NAEP Score: 257.1
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 22,943
Student-Teacher Ratio: 18.4
Wichita, Kansas skyline aerial view Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

33: Washington

Score: 99.1
Graduation Rate (%): 81.2
Average NAEP Score: 256.1
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 18,753
Student-Teacher Ratio: 17.3
Vibrant urban scene of Seattle, Washington captured from a high vantage point espiegle, Adobe Stock

32: Oregon

Score: 99.2
Graduation Rate (%): 81.1
Average NAEP Score: 266.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 17,301
Student-Teacher Ratio: 18.2

Portland, Oregon skyline from the Ross Island Bridge Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

31: Hawaii

Score: 100.6
Graduation Rate (%): 75.4
Average NAEP Score: 249.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 13,636
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.7
Downtown Honolulu and the Hawaii State Capitol ArdentArbitration, Wikimedia Commons

30: Missouri

Score: 100.7
Graduation Rate (%): 84.1
Average NAEP Score: 265.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 12,647
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.5
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Jefferson City, Missouri mandritoiu, Adobe Stock

29: Florida

Score: 101.4
Graduation Rate (%): 87.0
Average NAEP Score: 232.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 12,661
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.4
Vibrant urban scene of Jacksonville, Florida captured from a high vantage point Felix Mizioznikov, Adobe Stock

28: Indiana

Score: 101.9
Graduation Rate (%): 79.2
Average NAEP Score: 247.8
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 21,930
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15.4
Indianapolis, Indiana tpsdave, Wikimedia Commons

27: Utah

Score: 102.1
Graduation Rate (%): 93.2
Average NAEP Score: 258.1
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 13,814
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.3
Salt Lake City, Utah Andrew, Adobe Stock

26: Nevada

Score: 103.3
Graduation Rate (%): 85.3
Average NAEP Score: 233.7
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 22,772
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.9

Downtown Reno, Nevada, USA Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

25: Virginia

Score: 103.5
Graduation Rate (%): 88.3
Average NAEP Score: 254.7
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 9,590
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.5
Vibrant urban scene of Richmond, Virginia captured from a high vantage point Raynor, Adobe Stock

24: Pennsylvania

Score: 103.6
Graduation Rate (%): 77.0
Average NAEP Score: 261.9
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 20,248
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15.6
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Michael Bogner, Adobe Stock

23: New Jersey

Score: 103.7
Graduation Rate (%): 75.9
Average NAEP Score: 235.8
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 17,172
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11.4
Skyline of Downtown Newark in New Jersey, United States Leonid Andronov, Adobe Stock

22: Kentucky

Score: 104.1
Graduation Rate (%): 81.1
Average NAEP Score: 237.0
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 21,859
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.2
Louisville, Kentucky Jacob, Adobe Stock

21: Nebraska

Score: 104.1
Graduation Rate (%): 79.0
Average NAEP Score: 268.6
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 22,088
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.9
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Lincoln, Nebraska Jacob, Adobe Stock

20: Massachusetts

Score: 106.3
Graduation Rate (%): 87.2
Average NAEP Score: 268.6
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 21,919
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.8
Vibrant urban scene of Worcester City in Massachusetts captured from a high vantage point Wangkun Jia, Adobe Stock

19: Maryland

Score: 107.0
Graduation Rate (%): 80.8
Average NAEP Score: 279.3
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 17,629
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15.9
A skyline of Baltimore in Maryland Sean Pavone, Shutterstock

18: Vermont

Score: 107.2
Graduation Rate (%): 80.2
Average NAEP Score: 268.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 13,557
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.4
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Montpelier, Vermont haveseen, Adobe Stock

17: Rhode Island

Score: 107.6
Graduation Rate (%): 88.7
Average NAEP Score: 274.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 14,818
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15.3
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Providence, Rhode Island Wirestock Creators, Adobe Stock

16: Iowa

Score: 108.4
Graduation Rate (%): 78.6
Average NAEP Score: 244.0
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 19,134
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10.9
Vibrant urban scene of Des Moines, Iowa captured from a high vantage point Nathan, Adobe Stock

15: South Dakota

Score: 108.7
Graduation Rate (%): 77.4
Average NAEP Score: 236.0
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 24,399
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10.9

Vibrant urban scene of Sioux Falls, South Dakota captured from a high vantage point malajscy, Adobe Stock

14: New York

Score: 109.0
Graduation Rate (%): 78.4
Average NAEP Score: 261.2
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 12,554
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11.1
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of New York City, New York mandritoiu, Adobe Stock

13: Mississippi

Score: 109.1
Graduation Rate (%): 82.3
Average NAEP Score: 270.8
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 10,761
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.3
Vibrant urban scene of Jackson, Mississippi captured from a high vantage point Chad Robertson, Adobe Stock

12: Arkansas

Score: 109.2
Graduation Rate (%): 87.0
Average NAEP Score: 274.7
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 17,137
Student-Teacher Ratio: 14.9
Vibrant urban scene of Little Rock, Arkansas captured from a high vantage point Felix Mizioznikov, Adobe Stock

11: Illinois

Score: 110.1
Graduation Rate (%): 91.6
Average NAEP Score: 271.4
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 23,875
Student-Teacher Ratio: 16.3
Vibrant urban scene of Springfield, Illinois captured from a high vantage point Richard, Adobe Stock

10: Maine

Score: 110.2
Graduation Rate (%): 83.6
Average NAEP Score: 233.7
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 23,281
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10.4
Vibrant urban scene of Portland, Maine captured from a high vantage point Wangkun Jia, Adobe Stock

9: Colorado

Score: 110.2
Graduation Rate (%): 78.1
Average NAEP Score: 276.1
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 12,989
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.4
Vibrant urban scene of Colorado Springs, Colorado captured from a high vantage point Neil, Adobe Stock

8: Michigan

Score: 110.7
Graduation Rate (%): 77.8
Average NAEP Score: 239.9
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 23,337
Student-Teacher Ratio: 10.2
Vibrant urban scene of Lansing, Michigan captured from a high vantage point Jacob, Adobe Stock

7: Louisiana

Score: 111.1
Graduation Rate (%): 85.5
Average NAEP Score: 270.1
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 11,985
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11.9
Vibrant urban scene of Baton Rouge, Louisiana captured from a high vantage point CrackerClips, Adobe Stock

6: New Mexico

Score: 111.1
Graduation Rate (%): 87.2
Average NAEP Score: 273.2
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 15,679
Student-Teacher Ratio: 13.4
Vibrant urban scene of Albuquerque, New Mexico captured from a high vantage point SeanPavonePhoto, Adobe Stock

5: Ohio

Score: 111.8
Graduation Rate (%): 94.3
Average NAEP Score: 245.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 24,087
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.6
Columbus, Ohio Ellie Brown, Unsplash

4: South Carolina

Score: 111.8
Graduation Rate (%): 83.8
Average NAEP Score: 253.6
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 24,549
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.4
The image showcases a Vibrant urban scene of Columbia, South Carolina Kevin Ruck, Adobe Stock

3: Montana

Score: 113.8
Graduation Rate (%): 90.7
Average NAEP Score: 266.5
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 15,834
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11.7

Missoula, Montana Ken Eckert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

2: Alaska

Score: 115.5
Graduation Rate (%): 94.0
Average NAEP Score: 268.8
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 19,183
Student-Teacher Ratio: 12.4
Downtown Juneau, Alaska Alan Wu, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1: Arizona

Score: 115.9
Graduation Rate (%): 89.6
Average NAEP Score: 277.0
Per-Pupil Spending ($): 14,030
Student-Teacher Ratio: 11.4

Aerial of Downtown Mesa, Arizona, with a light rail line in the center. Mesa is part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Dee Liu, Getty Images