Massachusetts Ranks #1 State in the US for Best School System

It's pretty crazy to think that public education spending in the U.S. is now over $18,614 per student annually, according to National Center for Education Statistics. But how does all that cash stack up when it comes to actual school performance?

WalletHub just released its 2024 report on the states with the best & worst school systems to help parents figure out where the real bang for their educational buck is. Not only that, but school systems are a big factor for many parents when deciding where to relocate.

WalletHub did some serious number-crunching, comparing all 50 states and D.C. across 32 different metrics of quality and safety. We're talking everything from student-teacher ratios and dropout rates to standardized test scores. So which states are killin' it with the school systems?

Top 10 States With the Best School Systems:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. Maryland
4. New Jersey
5. Wisconsin
6. New Hampshire
7. Nebraska
8. New York
9. Virginia
10. North Dakota

And the Bottom Five States: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arizona, Alaska, & Louisiana.

New England is representing quite nicely, with Massachusetts sitting at the top of the class as #1 in the nation. What makes the Massachusetts school system so great? As previously mentioned, it's a combination of those high standardized test scores and a low dropout rate, along with the state’s commitment to keeping student-teacher ratios low, ensuring that students get the attention they need.

A shoutout to our neighbors in New Hampshire is in order as well, as they ranked high at #6. It's likely that low incidences of school-related violence plays a part in their ranking as well, as it creates a safer learning environment for students.