Massachusetts named No. 1 school system in US for third year in a row. Here's why
In order to determine America's best and worst state school systems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 32 key indicators of both school safety and quality of education. The data set ranges from pupil-teacher ratio and dropout rate to median standardized test scores.
Out of all 50 states, Massachusetts received the highest score, beating out the second-place state by over six full points.
Massachusetts was also ranked No. 1 in 2023 and 2024.
Here's what WalletHub had to say about the state's school system.
Why Massachusetts has the best school system
According to WalletHub, Massachusetts is first in the nation for both reading and math test scores at the fourth and eighth grade levels.
The state also boasts some of the best test scores in the country, as well as the highest share of students in the country who passed an AP exam, a formal exam for a high school class with college-level work.
Finally, WalletHub reports that Massachusetts schools are generally considered safe, with "the fifth-lowest share of students who report being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, the third-lowest share who have been in a physical fight at school and the fourth-lowest share who report illegal drugs being available to them on school property."
MA colleges: What's the best college in Massachusetts? The best party school? See 2025 Niche rankings
What states have the best school systems?
Here is WalletHub's ranking of the top 10 states with the best school systems:
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Jersey
Virginia
New Hampshire
Wisconsin
Rhode Island
Indiana
Maryland
New York
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: MA's school system ranked No. 1 in country by WalletHub. Here's why
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