Rankings Education World Population Review — Public School Rankings by State

Public School Rankings by State 2026

New York has the best public schools in the 2025 state rankings, followed by Connecticut and Massachusetts. Arizona ranks last at 50th.

Entries ranked
50
States represented
50
School Rank
1

Key takeaways

Public School Rankings by State 2026

Public school rankings by state put New York

2025

New York

Public school rankings by state put New York first in 2025, followed by Connecticut and Massachusetts. New Jersey and Illinois complete the top five.

California made the biggest one-year jump,

24

California

California made the biggest one-year jump, climbing 24 places to 8th. Alaska fell furthest, dropping 22 spots to 49th.

Map

Public School Rankings by State Map

School Rank
No data
Public School Rankings by State Map
Rank State School Rank
1 New York 1
2 Connecticut 2
3 Massachusetts 3
4 New Jersey 4
5 Illinois 5
6 Washington 6
7 Virginia 7
8 California 8
9 Maryland 9
10 Pennsylvania 10
11 Wisconsin 11
12 Kentucky 12
13 Wyoming 13
14 Minnesota 14
15 Nebraska 15
16 Vermont 16
17 Georgia 17
18 Rhode Island 18
19 Maine 19
20 Tennessee 20
21 Delaware 21
22 New Hampshire 22
23 Missouri 23
24 Florida 24
25 Colorado 25
26 Iowa 26
27 Kansas 27
28 Hawaii 28
29 Mississippi 29
30 North Carolina 30
31 Indiana 31
32 North Dakota 32
33 Montana 33
34 Texas 34
35 Ohio 35
36 South Dakota 36
37 Michigan 37
38 Arkansas 38
39 Utah 39
40 Oregon 40
41 Louisiana 41
42 South Carolina 42
43 Alabama 43
44 West Virginia 44
45 Idaho 45
46 New Mexico 46
47 Oklahoma 47
48 Nevada 48
49 Alaska 49
50 Arizona 50

Rank 1 is best. New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts shade lightest, while Arizona at 50th and Alaska at 49th are darkest.

Public School Rankings by State 2026 Table

50 entries

Top-Ranked States for Public Schools

Top 10 — Rank

New York flag New York 1
Connecticut flag Connecticut 2
Massachusetts flag Massachusetts 3
New Jersey flag New Jersey 4
Illinois flag Illinois 5
Washington flag Washington 6
Virginia flag Virginia 7
California flag California 8
Maryland flag Maryland 9
Pennsylvania flag Pennsylvania 10

States with the Best Public Schools

Students raising hands in a bright public school classroom
New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts lead the 2025 public school rankings. Four of the top five states are in the Northeast.

New York holds first place in 2025 after climbing one spot, with Connecticut jumping six places to second. Massachusetts, ranked third, slipped two positions from its 2024 lead.

Four of the top five states sit in the Northeast. Illinois is the exception, rising 12 places to fifth, the biggest gain inside the top ten after California's.

States with the Worst Public Schools

Quiet school hallway with lockers and classroom doors
Arizona ranks last at 50th, followed by Alaska, Nevada, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Four of the bottom five states are in the West.

Arizona ranks 50th, trailing Alaska at 49th, Nevada at 48th, Oklahoma at 47th, and New Mexico at 46th. Four of the bottom five are western states.

Alaska is the newest arrival at the bottom, falling 22 places in a single year, the steepest drop in the country. Nevada slid four spots to 48th.

Most Improved States for Public Schools

Teacher guiding elementary school students working at their desks
California climbed 24 places to 8th, the largest one-year gain in the rankings. Alaska fell 22 spots to 49th.

California gained 24 places, the largest one-year rise, moving from 32nd to 8th. Florida climbed 17 spots to 24th, Delaware rose 15 to 21st, and Kentucky and Georgia each added 13.

South Dakota fell 18 places to 36th and Michigan dropped 14 to 37th. North Dakota and Montana each lost 13, landing at 32nd and 33rd.

Quick Answers

Which state has the best public schools?
New York ranks first in the 2025 public school rankings, up one place from 2024. Connecticut follows in second after a six-spot jump, with Massachusetts third.
Which state has the worst public schools?
Arizona ranks 50th. Alaska at 49th, Nevada at 48th, Oklahoma at 47th, and New Mexico at 46th fill out the bottom five.
Is Massachusetts the best state for education?
Massachusetts places third in this index after leading in 2024. The US News K-12 ranking still puts Massachusetts first, since it weighs test scores and graduation rates without this index's funding, higher education, and safety factors.
Where does Texas rank in public schools?
Texas ranks 34th in 2025, an improvement of six places over 2024.
Where does California rank in public schools?
California ranks 8th, after the largest one-year climb in the country. The state rose 24 places from 32nd in 2024.
Where does Florida rank in public schools?
Florida ranks 24th, up 17 places from 2024. Only California gained more ground in a single year.

Methodology

Rankings are the 2025 World Population Review public school index, which combines K-12 performance, school funding, higher education quality, and safety. The change column shows movement from the 2024 edition.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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