Best Schools in Las Cruces, NM
Las Cruces, NM has 64 public schools (13 high, 14 middle, 35 elementary) serving 30,966 students. On average they score 34% on state proficiency tests against a projected 32%, so schools in Las Cruces meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Las Cruces, NM
The top high schools in Las Cruces, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Centennial High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1615 Students
2. Alamogordo High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Alamogordo Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1579 Students
3. Hot Springs High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
T Or C Municipal Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 361 Students
4. Organ Mountain High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1980 Students
5. Las Cruces High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1787 Students
6. Hatch Valley High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Hatch Valley Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 380 Students
7. Mayfield High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1421 Students
8. Gadsden High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gadsden Independent Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1322 Students
9. New America School - Las Cruces
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New America School - Las Cruces • Charter • Grades 9 - 12 • 170 Students
10. Southern Nm Corrections
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Nm Corrections • Public • Grades 8 - 12 • 7 Students
Best Middle Schools in Las Cruces, NM
The top middle schools in Las Cruces, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Holloman Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Alamogordo Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 172 Students
2. Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 100 Students
3. Camino Real Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 965 Students
4. Sierra Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 799 Students
5. Explore Academy Las Cruces
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Explore Academy Las Cruces • Charter • Grades KG - 11 • 189 Students
6. Vista Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 602 Students
7. Mesa Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 803 Students
8. Hatch Valley Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Hatch Valley Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 262 Students
9. Zia Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 688 Students
10. Gadsden Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gadsden Independent Schools • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 661 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Las Cruces, NM
The top elementary schools in Las Cruces, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Desert Hills Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 559 Students
2. J Paul Taylor Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
J Paul Taylor Academy • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 198 Students
3. Buena Vista Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Alamogordo Public Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 204 Students
4. Sonoma Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 748 Students
5. North Valley Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gadsden Independent Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 265 Students
6. Mesilla Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 353 Students
7. Hillrise Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 446 Students
8. Mesilla Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 275 Students
9. East Picacho Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 495 Students
10. Tombaugh Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Las Cruces Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 585 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Las Cruces, NM
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Las Cruces, NM has a total population of 149,428 with 31% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 87%, and 36% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Las Cruces, NM
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Las Cruces, NM.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
30.08 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
5.64 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
24.44 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Las Cruces, NM.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Las Cruces, NM.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Las Cruces, NM Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Las Cruces, NM
How many schools are in Las Cruces, NM?
Las Cruces, NM has 64 public schools: 13 high schools, 14 middle schools and 35 elementary schools, serving 30,966 students in total.
How do schools in Las Cruces perform on state tests?
On average, 64 schools in Las Cruces score 34% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 32%, so on average schools in Las Cruces meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Las Cruces?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Las Cruces, NM
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 30%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 31%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 31%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 37%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 29%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 30%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 38%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 30%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 26%
- Projected: 26%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
Every school in Las Cruces
40 of 45 schools in Las Cruces carry a SchoolGrade (5 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
A: 7B: 13C: 12D: 7F: 1
All 45 public schools we grade in Las Cruces. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (4)
Middle and junior high schools (7)
Elementary and primary schools (24)
- Alameda Elementary
- Central Elementary
- Cesar Chavez Elementary
- Columbia Elementary
- Conlee Elementary
- Desert Hills Elementary
- Dona Ana Elementary
- East Picacho Elementary
- Fairacres Elementary
- Hermosa Heights Elementary
- Highland Elementary
- Hillrise Elementary
- Jornada Elementary
- Loma Heights Elementary
- Mac Arthur Elementary
- Mesilla Elementary
- Mesilla Park Elementary
- Monte Vista Elementary
- Sonoma Elementary
- Sunrise Elementary
- Tombaugh Elementary
- University Hills Elementary
- Valley View Elementary
- White Sands Elementary
Other schools and academies (10)
- Alma Darte Charter
- Aztec Youth Academy
- Booker T Washington
- Explore Academy Las Cruces
- J Paul Taylor Academy
- La Academia Dolores Huerta
- Las Montanas Charter
- New America School Las Cruces
- Raices Del Saber Xinachtli Community
- Southern Nm Corrections
Private schools (4)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.