Best Schools in Pima County, AZ
Pima County, AZ has 374 public schools (78 high, 44 middle, 207 elementary) serving 157,413 students. On average they score 33% on state proficiency tests against a projected 29%, so schools in Pima County exceed expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Pima County, AZ
The top high schools in Pima County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Basis Oro Valley
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Basis Charter Schools Inc. (90508) • Charter • Grades 5 - 12 • 565 Students
2. University High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tucson Unified District (4403) • Public • Grades 8 - 12 • 1060 Students
3. Basis Tucson North
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Basis Charter Schools Inc. (91309) • Charter • Grades 5 - 12 • 801 Students
4. Vail Blended Learning
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 74 Students
5. Empire High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 876 Students
6. Catalina Foothills High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1887 Students
7. Tanque Verde High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tanque Verde Unified District (4408) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 712 Students
8. Canyon Del Oro High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1691 Students
9. Andrada Polytechnic High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 652 Students
10. Mica Mountain High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1161 Students
Best Middle Schools in Pima County, AZ
The top middle schools in Pima County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Orange Grove Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 677 Students
2. Corona Foothills Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 606 Students
3. Esperero Canyon Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 501 Students
4. Paulo Freire Freedom School - University
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
City Center For Collaborative Learning (85448) • Charter • Grades 6 - 8 • 72 Students
5. Desert Sky Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 764 Students
6. Rincon Vista Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 699 Students
7. Lawrence W Cross Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 756 Students
8. Old Vail Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 798 Students
9. Emily Gray Junior High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tanque Verde Unified District (4408) • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 419 Students
10. Satori Charter School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Satori Inc. (85454) • Charter • Grades 2 - 8 • 119 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Pima County, AZ
The top elementary schools in Pima County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Basis Oro Valley Primary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Basis Charter Schools Inc. (92318) • Charter • Grades KG - 6 • 666 Students
2. Senita Valley Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 704 Students
3. Ventana Vista Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 470 Students
4. Sunrise Drive Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 525 Students
5. Ocotillo Ridge Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 652 Students
6. The Innovation Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Amphitheater Unified District (4406) • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 411 Students
7. Manzanita School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 595 Students
8. Sam Hughes Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Tucson Unified District (4403) • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 325 Students
9. Mesquite Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Vail Unified District (4413) • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 736 Students
10. Hermosa Montessori Charter
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Hermosa Montessori Charter School (4426) • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 212 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Pima County, AZ
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Pima County, AZ has a total population of 1,043,433 with 24% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 90%, and 35% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Pima County, AZ
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 Pima County, AZ.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
25.92 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
4.65 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
21.27 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Pima County, AZ.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Pima County, AZ.
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 Pima County, AZ Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Pima County, AZ
How many schools are in Pima County, AZ?
Pima County, AZ has 374 public schools: 78 high schools, 44 middle schools and 207 elementary schools, serving 157,413 students in total.
How do schools in Pima County perform on state tests?
On average, 374 schools in Pima County score 33% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 29%, so on average schools in Pima County exceed expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Pima County?
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 Pima County, AZ
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 32%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 37%
- Projected: 29%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 30%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 20%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 29%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 39%
- Projected: 30%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 38%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 31%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Pima County
12 places in Pima County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (12)
- Tucson (225)
- Sahuarita (10)
- Marana (8)
- Oro Valley (7)
- Vail (6)
- Sells (4)
- Corona De Tucson (3)
- Ajo (2)
- Amado (1)
- Green Valley (1)
- Sasabe (1)
- South Tucson (1)
School districts (19)
- Tucson Unified District (4403) (88 schools)
- Vail Unified District (4413) (23 schools)
- Amphitheater Unified District (4406) (22 schools)
- Sunnyside Unified District (4407) (22 schools)
- Marana Unified District (4404) (20 schools)
- Flowing Wells Unified District (4405) (11 schools)
- Sahuarita Unified District (4411) (10 schools)
- Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (6393) (8 schools)
- Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) (8 schools)
- Leman Academy of Excellence Inc. (92730) (7 schools)
- Academy of Mathematics and Science South Inc. (90878) (6 schools)
- Baboquivari Unified School District #40 (4412) (6 schools)
- Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. ( (4431) (6 schools)
- The Charter Foundation Inc. (6355) (5 schools)
- Tanque Verde Unified District (4408) (4 schools)
- Tucson International Academy Inc. (79979) (4 schools)
- Academy of Tucson Inc. (78897) (3 schools)
- Arizona Community Development Corporation (79947) (3 schools)
- CITY Center for Collaborative Learning (85448) (3 schools)