New York ranks among the top 10 states for its public school systems, placing No. 8 nationally in a recent WalletHub study that evaluated school quality, funding, safety and other factors.
The study found New York ranked No. 1 in the nation for school spending, though the state scored lower in areas such as school safety and overall education quality.
WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 32 key metrics to determine which states have the strongest public school systems. The analysis considered factors including academic performance, funding, safety, class sizes and teacher credentials.
“Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success,” WalletHub
Analyst Chip Lupo said. “How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum.”
How did New York rank?
New York earned an overall score of 59.52, ranking No. 8 among the best school systems in the country.
The state ranked No. 1 for school spending but ranked No. 19 for school safety, according to WalletHub.
The results suggest that while New York invests heavily in education, there are areas where the state could improve, particularly when it comes to student safety and other quality measures.
How New York compares with neighboring states
Several Northeastern states ranked among the nation’s top school systems.
The Tri-State area ranked as follows:
- No. 2 Connecticut — score: 69.29
- No. 3 New Jersey — score: 67.41
- No. 8 New York — score: 59.52
Massachusetts ranked No. 1 overall and also led the nation in math and reading performance.
WalletHub’s best state school systems
The top five states ranked by WalletHub were:
- Massachusetts — score: 74.74
- Connecticut — score: 69.29
- New Jersey — score: 67.41
- New Hampshire — score: 63.63
- Wisconsin — score: 60.57
WalletHub’s lowest-ranked school systems
The lowest-ranked states were:
- West Virginia — score: 40.72
- Oregon — score: 40.10
- Oklahoma — score: 38.73
- Alaska — score: 34.68
- New Mexico — score: 29.96
What factors did WalletHub consider?
WalletHub evaluated school systems using two major categories: quality and safety.
Quality metrics included:
- Dropout rates
- Math test scores
- Reading test scores
- AP exam performance
- Median SAT scores
- Median ACT scores
- Pupil-teacher ratios
Safety metrics included:
- Threatened or injured high school students
- Bullying incidence rates
The data used for the ranking were collected as of June 22, 2026, from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New York ranks No. 8 among states with best school systems
