State rankings

Public School Rankings by State

New York ranks 1st on Overall Public School Rank in 2025, followed by Connecticut (2nd) and Massachusetts (3rd); rank 1 is the best. Arizona ranks last (50th).

EducationPopulation51 states · 6 metricsUpdated Oct 28, 2026Original page
3 sources
50 of 51 states
Compare this metricAdd to combined rankingOpen full map

Overall Public School Rank, 2025

Green is better, red is worse (rank 1 is the best). Click a place to highlight it.

Loading map…

All 50 ranked

Best first; rank 1 is the best and has the longest bar.

Biggest changes · 2024 → 2025

50 states have a value in both years; rank 1 is the best.

Climbed

Fell

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

50 states · # = rank by Overall Public School Rank
#
1New York1st1
2Connecticut2nd6
3Massachusetts3rd-2
4New Jersey4th-1
5Illinois5th12
6Washington6th-2
7Virginia7th2
8California8th24
9Maryland9th3
10Pennsylvania10th-5
11Wisconsin11th-1
12Kentucky12th13
13Wyoming13th-2
14Minnesota14th-7
15Nebraska15th-1
16Vermont16th-10
17Georgia17th13
18Rhode Island18th-3
19Maine19th-6
20Tennessee20th8
21Delaware21st15
22New Hampshire22nd-6
23Missouri23rd1
24Florida24th17
25Colorado25th10
26Iowa26th-4
27Kansas27th2
28Hawaii28th5
29Mississippi29th10
30North Carolina30th4
31Indiana31st12
32North Dakota32nd-13
33Montana33rd-13
34Texas34th6
35Ohio35th-9
36South Dakota36th-18
37Michigan37th-14
38Arkansas38th7
39Utah39th-2
40Oregon40th-9
41Louisiana41st1
42South Carolina42nd-4
43Alabama43rd7
44West Virginia44th2
45Idaho45th2
46New Mexico46th3
47Oklahoma47th1
48Nevada48th-4
49Alaska49th-22
50Arizona50th1

What correlates with Overall Public School Rank (2025)?

Pearson r against 2,108 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that rank better on Overall Public School Rank tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. Local Tax Burden Per CapitaHighest Taxed States
    r = −0.71 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot
  2. Taxes Paid To Own State Per CapitaTax Burden by State
    r = −0.70 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Total ScoreBest States to Raise a Family
    r = −0.67 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Smartest / Dumbest States Index (Penn Stakes)Dumbest States in the United States
    r = −0.67 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. Overall Education RankLeast Educated StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.67 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Average RentAverage Rent by State
    r = −0.67 · strong · n = 44
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that rank better on Overall Public School Rank tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Pain Reliever Misuse Past MonthDrug Use by State
    r = +0.69 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Suicide RateSuicide Rates by State
    r = +0.65 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Gun Death RankStrictest Gun Laws by StateA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.63 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Fatalities per 100m Vehicle MilesWorst Drivers by State
    r = +0.61 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. Gun Death RateGun Deaths by State
    r = +0.61 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Police Killings Rate 2013-2026Police Killings by State
    r = +0.61 · strong · n = 50
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state ranks first on Overall Public School Rank?
New York ranks first on Overall Public School Rank in 2025, at 1st, followed by Connecticut (2nd) and Massachusetts (3rd). Rank 1 is the best state.
Which state ranks last on Overall Public School Rank?
Arizona ranks last of the 50 US states with data in 2025, at 50th.
Where does this public school rankings by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: The best states for public education in 2025 - Consumer Affairs; 2023 State Education Rankings – Best to Worst - Scholaroo; Mass. ranks 5th in the nation for education, 1st for student success - Boston. Last updated 2026-10-28.