Best High Schools in Pennsylvania

High schools
707
Students
529,820
Avg actual
47%
Avg projected
43%
Impact
meet expectations

The top high schools in Pennsylvania, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Downingtown Stem Academy

A+

SchoolGrade

99%

Actual Test Scores

84%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Downingtown Area Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 924 Students

2. Wilkes-barre Area Sd Stem Academy

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Wilkes-barre Area Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 80 Students

3. Fox Chapel Area Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

78%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Fox Chapel Area Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1283 Students

4. Masterman Julia R Sec Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Philadelphia City Sd • Public • Grades 5 - 12 • 1186 Students

5. Penn Trafford Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Penn-trafford Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1263 Students

6. Lower Merion Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

84%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Lower Merion Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1712 Students

7. Freeport Area Shs

A+

SchoolGrade

87%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Freeport Area Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 546 Students

8. Peters Twp Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

87%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Peters Township Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1226 Students

9. Mt Lebanon Shs

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

69%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Mt Lebanon Sd • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1840 Students

10. State College Area Hs

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

75%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

State College Area Sd • Public • Grades 8 - 12 • 2410 Students

See all 643 high schools here ranked

Best Middle Schools in Pennsylvania

Middle schools
522
Students
312,786
Avg actual
42%
Avg projected
42%
Impact
meet expectations

The top middle schools in Pennsylvania, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Boyce Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

86%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Upper St. Clair Sd • Public • Grades 5 - 6 • 631 Students

2. Black Rock Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

83%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Lower Merion Sd • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 1032 Students

3. Welsh Valley Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

82%

Actual Test Scores

69%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Lower Merion Sd • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 814 Students

4. Radnor Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

82%

Actual Test Scores

68%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Radnor Township Sd • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 828 Students

5. Dorseyville Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

80%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Fox Chapel Area Sd • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 967 Students

6. Bala-cynwyd Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

80%

Actual Test Scores

69%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Lower Merion Sd • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 809 Students

7. Peters Twp Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

79%

Actual Test Scores

74%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Peters Township Sd • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 914 Students

8. Fort Couch Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

78%

Actual Test Scores

63%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Upper St. Clair Sd • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 601 Students

9. Haverford Ms

A+

SchoolGrade

77%

Actual Test Scores

65%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Haverford Township Sd • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1626 Students

10. Murray Avenue Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

77%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Lower Moreland Township Sd • Public • Grades 4 - 6 • 603 Students

See all 453 middle schools here ranked

Best Elementary Schools in Pennsylvania

Elementary schools
2,618
Students
827,368
Avg actual
48%
Avg projected
48%
Impact
meet expectations

The top elementary schools in Pennsylvania, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Pleasant Valley El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

77%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Peters Township Sd • Public • Grades KG - 3 • 472 Students

2. Fairview El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

74%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Fox Chapel Area Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 377 Students

3. Baker El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

75%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Upper St. Clair Sd • Public • Grades KG - 4 • 433 Students

4. Bower Hill El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

77%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Peters Township Sd • Public • Grades KG - 3 • 685 Students

5. William Penn El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

70%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Bethel Park Sd • Public • Grades KG - 4 • 183 Students

6. Poff El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

76%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Hampton Township Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 314 Students

7. Donaldson Elem Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

65%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

West Allegheny Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 551 Students

8. Franklin El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

73%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

North Allegheny Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 737 Students

9. Fort Washington El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

71%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Upper Dublin Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 499 Students

10. Hosack El Sch

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

North Allegheny Sd • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 342 Students

See all 1569 elementary schools here ranked

Education & Community Snapshot in Pennsylvania

State-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.

Community Factors

Pennsylvania has a total population of 13,002,700 with 23% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 92%, and 35% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Students in Pennsylvania

1,863,361

K-12 Students

High School Graduates

92%

Adults 25+ with HS diplomas

College Graduates

35%

Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Pennsylvania.

Safety

Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.

Overall Crime Grade

A

15.35 per 1,000 Residents

Violent Crime Grade

A-

2.53 per 1,000 Residents

Property Crime Grade

A-

12.82 per 1,000 Residents

Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Pennsylvania.

Connectivity

Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Pennsylvania.

ISP Report Card

B-

Internet Infrastructure Grade

Average Download Speed

2,038 Mbps

Speed Most Residents Can Get

Digital Connectivity Index

63 / 100

ISP Connectivity Demand Report

To read more about these statistics, please visit Pennsylvania Internet Health Assessment.

Questions About Schools in Pennsylvania

How many schools are in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has 4,474 public schools: 707 high schools, 522 middle schools and 2,618 elementary schools, serving 1,863,361 students in total.

How do schools in Pennsylvania perform on state tests?

On average, 4,474 schools in Pennsylvania score 47% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 47%, so on average schools in Pennsylvania meet expectations.

How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Pennsylvania?

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 Pennsylvania

Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.

Maryland

  • Actual: 36%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
District of Columbia

  • Actual: 23%
  • Projected: 27%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Delaware

  • Actual: 33%
  • Projected: 37%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
New Jersey

  • Actual: 43%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
New York

  • Actual: 56%
  • Projected: 54%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Virginia

  • Actual: 72%
  • Projected: 47%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
West Virginia

  • Actual: 30%
  • Projected: 34%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Connecticut

  • Actual: 44%
  • Projected: 43%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Ohio

  • Actual: 58%
  • Projected: 45%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Rhode Island

  • Actual: 34%
  • Projected: 37%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations

Every city and county in Pennsylvania

School rankings for each place: 3237 cities, towns and neighborhoods, and 67 counties.

Counties

Cities and towns

School district map of Pennsylvania

Every public school district in Pennsylvania with graded schools. Hover for the district and its school count; click to open its page.

shaded by the district's average SchoolGrade, F to A; grey = not yet graded. Boundaries from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Districts without a page (fewer than three graded schools) are not linked.

Largest school districts in Pennsylvania

The 25 districts with the most graded schools in Pennsylvania. Each district page lists every one of its schools.