Is Your State Setting Kids Up for Success? New Education Rankings Reveal All

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

Article courtesy of Go Au Pair

When it comes to raising confident,

capable kids, few decisions matter more than where they go to school. From class sizes and graduation rates to test scores and school climate, the quality of K-12 education varies dramatically across the United States. Those differences can shape everything from academic achievement to long-term career opportunities and, in some cases, even whether students stay engaged through graduation.

To identify which states are giving students the strongest foundation before college, Go Au Pair analyzed eight key indicators across all 50 states. The study looked at SAT and ACT scores, graduation and dropout rates, pupil-to-teacher ratios, idle youth percentages, bullying rates, and the number of National Blue Ribbon Schools per capita.

Massachusetts

claims the top spot nationwide with the highest overall score. The state pairs a nation-leading ACT average of 26.4 with a 90 percent graduation rate and one of the lowest dropout rates in the country at 3.7 percent. Smaller class sizes, a 12:1 student-teacher ratio, help explain its strong outcomes, along with low idle youth levels and one of the lowest bullying rates in the nation.

Virginia

ranks second thanks to well-balanced performance across nearly every metric. The state boasts the lowest dropout rate in the country at 3.5 percent and a strong 89 percent graduation rate. Its ACT average of 24.6 reinforces its academic strength, showing consistency rather than reliance on a single standout category.

In third place, North Dakota

distinguishes itself with one of the highest SAT averages in the country at 1229 and the lowest idle youth rate nationwide at just 5 percent. Smaller communities and a favorable 12.4 student-teacher ratio likely contribute to strong student engagement. The state also stands out for its high number of Blue Ribbon Schools per capita.

Connecticut

ranks fourth, matching Massachusetts with a nation-leading ACT average of 26.4 and maintaining an 89 percent graduation rate. With one of the lowest pupil-to-teacher ratios in the U.S. at 11.7, students benefit from more individualized instruction. Strong academic rigor continues to define the state’s performance.

Rounding out the top five, Iowa combines a 90 percent graduation rate with a high SAT average of 1195. Its low idle youth rate and steady academic performance across categories help it stand out nationally.

The remainder of the top 10 — New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New York, and Rhode Island — each demonstrate distinct strengths. New Jersey and New York both maintain low student-teacher ratios and strong ACT averages. New Hampshire boasts the third-best classroom ratio nationwide. Pennsylvania ties Massachusetts for one of the lowest bullying rates in the country. Rhode Island, despite lower SAT scores, performs strongly due to solid ACT results, low idle youth rates, and a high concentration of Blue Ribbon Schools.

At the other end of the rankings, New Mexico finishes last overall, struggling with low SAT scores, high dropout rates, and elevated idle youth percentages. Oklahoma, Arizona, Nevada, and Alaska also rank near the bottom, largely due to weaker graduation outcomes, larger classroom sizes, and higher dropout rates. While some of these states perform well in isolated categories, the data shows consistent challenges across multiple education indicators.

Full list of best and worst states for educating kids before college:

Rank	State	SAT Scores	ACT Scores	High School Graduation Rates %	Pupil to Teacher Ratios %	Idle Youth % (Ages 16-24)	% of Children Regularly Bullied in Past 12 Months	Blue Ribbon Schools per Capita	Dropout Rates %	Total Score
1	Massachusetts	1109	26.4	90	12	7	9.4	0.13	3.7	80.22
2	Virginia	1101	24.6	89	13.6	10	10.8	0.09	3.5	69.70
3	North Dakota	1229	19.6	85	12.4	5	13.2	0.38	4.4	69.66
4	Connecticut	990	26.4	89	11.7	10	12.1	0.08	3.8	67.50
5	Iowa	1195	20.8	90	14.1	7	15.4	0.16	4.3	65.57
6	New Jersey	1050	24.4	85	11.8	9	11.5	0.12	3.5	65.23
7	New Hampshire	1023	25.2	88	11.5	7	16.9	0.14	4.1	64.22
8	Pennsylvania	1075	23.9	87	13.3	10	9.4	0.10	5.3	63.88
9	New York	1035	25.3	87	11.7	11	11.7	0.11	5.1	62.82
10	Rhode Island	954	24.5	83	12.7	8	10.4	0.27	4.3	62.36
11	Nebraska	1227	19.2	87	13.8	6	15.8	0.20	4.5	62.35
12	Kansas	1256	19.4	89	12.9	10	13.6	0.14	5.4	62.16
13	Delaware	948	24.8	88	14.2	8	11.2	0.19	5.5	61.95
14	California	1086	25.7	87	21.8	11	7.9	0.08	4.8	61.52
15	Illinois	966	24.5	87	13.7	11	9.2	0.14	4.9	60.96
16	Maryland	998	24.5	86	14.3	10	11	0.16	4.6	60.62
17	Maine	1074	24.8	86	11.4	10	15	0.00	4.1	59.90
18	Missouri	1193	19.8	90	12.8	10	14.3	0.13	5.8	59.73
19	Tennessee	1191	18.4	90	15.3	12	9.6	0.08	4.9	59.40
20	Hawaii	1124	17.9	86	14.2	10	8.6	0.14	3.8	58.82
21	Minnesota	1215	20.8	84	15.5	8	14.2	0.12	4.2	58.68
22	Vermont	1097	23.6	83	10.5	7	16.3	0.00	4.1	57.95
23	Wisconsin	1221	19.4	90	13.7	8	20.4	0.13	4.3	57.71
24	South Dakota	1214	21.1	82	13.8	9	15.9	0.43	6.4	57.29
25	Indiana	969	22.9	88	15.8	10	11.6	0.23	7	53.86
26	Mississippi	1197	17.6	89	13	15	9.7	0.14	6.7	53.60
27	Wyoming	1253	19	82	12.6	10	21.4	0.51	5	53.58
28	Utah	1230	19.9	88	22.2	9	16.7	0.09	4.6	51.43
29	Arkansas	1188	18.6	88	12.7	15	14.3	0.19	6.1	51.22
30	Texas	971	19.3	90	14.8	13	8.3	0.10	6.4	50.27
31	Washington	1081	24.5	84	17.2	11	14.3	0.00	6.1	48.77
32	North Carolina	1161	18.5	86	15.4	11	14.3	0.05	5.8	47.47
33	Ohio	1025	19.2	86	16.4	11	11.5	0.12	5.5	47.24
34	Montana	1204	18.8	86	13.7	10	20	0.18	6.3	47.14
35	Georgia	1039	21.3	84	14.4	12	11.4	0.09	6.7	46.95
36	Kentucky	1208	18.7	90	15.3	14	19.2	0.15	6.2	46.80
37	Alabama	1157	18	88	17.9	12	13.5	0.10	6.4	46.17
38	Colorado	998	24.5	82	16.3	9	16.6	0.07	5.5	45.92
39	Michigan	965	24.4	81	16.7	11	13	0.12	5.7	45.66
40	South Carolina	1015	18.8	84	14.1	12	10.1	0.07	5.9	44.81
41	West Virginia	919	20.3	91	13.5	14	16.6	0.17	5.7	44.41
42	Idaho	998	23	80	17.5	10	11.6	0.00	5.9	42.82
43	Florida	948	18.9	87	18.3	11	10	0.07	6.5	41.87
44	Louisiana	1195	18.2	83	17.5	15	10.3	0.15	8.2	41.20
45	Oregon	1117	20.9	81	18.7	11	16	0.00	6.3	37.65
46	Alaska	1079	20.2	78	18.3	15	16.7	0.41	6	35.87
47	Nevada	1180	17.2	82	21	15	10.6	0.03	8.2	32.32
48	Arizona	1185	17.7	77	22.8	12	11.3	0.04	7.9	29.49
49	Oklahoma	966	17.8	—	16.6	12	11.4	0.10	7.4	27.82
50	New Mexico	885	20.2	—	14.6	15	11.3	0.14	8.7	25.55

Methodology

The study ranked all 50 states across eight weighted factors:

SAT Scores (15 percent), ACT Scores (15 percent), High School Graduation Rates (15 percent), Pupil-to-Teacher Ratios (10 percent), Idle Youth Percentage (10 percent), Percentage of Students Bullied (15 percent), Blue Ribbon Schools per Capita (10 percent), and Dropout Rate (10 percent). Scores were combined to determine the final state rankings.

Sources: NCES, KFF, PrepScholar, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, National Blue Ribbon Schools.