Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Massachusetts public school rankings, test scores, and district data.
How are Massachusetts public high schools ranked?
Our high school rankings use a composite score based on four equally weighted categories: SAT scores (30%), MCAS proficiency in ELA and Math (25%), AP exam pass rates (20%), and college readiness indicators including graduation rates (25%). We rank all 264 public high schools in Massachusetts using data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Each school receives a letter grade from A+ to C- based on its percentile rank — the top 3% earn A+, the next 5% earn A, and so on. Only schools with valid SAT data are included in the composite ranking.
How can I find my school's ranking?
Use our High School Rankings page to search for any public high school in Massachusetts by name. You can also browse by rank, letter grade, or sort by specific metrics like SAT scores or MCAS proficiency. Each school has a detailed profile page showing SAT averages, MCAS results by subject, AP pass rates, graduation rates, enrollment, demographics, and similar schools. For elementary schools, visit our Elementary Rankings page. For district-level rankings, see our District Rankings homepage.
What are the best public high schools in Massachusetts?
Based on our 2024-2025 composite ranking, the top 10 Massachusetts public high schools are: (1) Dover-Sherborn, (2) Lexington, (3) Wayland, (4) Boston Latin School, (5) Winchester, (6) Wellesley, (7) Weston, (8) Belmont, (9) Brookline, and (10) Hopkinton. These schools consistently score in the top tier across SAT, MCAS, AP, and graduation rate metrics. For the full list of all 264 ranked schools, visit our High School Rankings page.
What are the best school districts in Massachusetts?
Our district rankings evaluate all 328 public school districts using aggregated data from their individual schools. The top-ranked districts include Weston, Dover-Sherborn, Wayland, Lexington, and Winchester. Districts are scored on average SAT, MCAS ELA and Math proficiency, AP pass rates, graduation rates, and attendance. Each district profile includes per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, class sizes, town demographics, and home values. Districts with fewer than 2 schools are not included in the composite ranking but still have full data profiles.
How are Massachusetts elementary schools ranked?
Elementary school rankings are based primarily on MCAS proficiency rates in ELA and Math, along with attendance data and school demographics. We rank elementary schools across Massachusetts using the same letter grade system (A+ through C-) as our high school rankings. Since elementary schools don't have SAT or AP data, MCAS proficiency is the primary metric. Visit our Elementary Rankings page to search and sort all ranked elementary schools.
What are average SAT scores in Massachusetts?
The statewide average SAT score for Massachusetts public high schools is approximately 1119 (combined reading/writing and math). However, scores vary dramatically by school and district — from above 1350 at top-ranked schools like Dover-Sherborn and Lexington to below 900 at some urban and vocational-technical schools. Our rankings show the average SAT score for every public high school, and you can sort the full table by SAT to compare schools directly. We track SAT data going back to 2016, allowing you to see trends over time on each school's profile page.
Where can I find MCAS scores by town or school?
Every school profile on our site includes MCAS proficiency rates broken down by subject (ELA, Math, and Science for high schools). You can compare MCAS scores across schools using the sortable tables on our High School Rankings and Elementary Rankings pages. For district-level MCAS data, our District Rankings show averaged MCAS performance across all schools in each district, with grade-by-grade breakdowns on individual district pages. All MCAS data comes directly from the Massachusetts DESE.
What towns feed into regional high schools like Wachusett, King Philip, or Nashoba?
Many Massachusetts high schools are regional districts that serve multiple towns. For example, Wachusett Regional serves Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling. King Philip Regional serves Wrentham, Norfolk, and Plainville. Nashoba Regional serves Bolton, Lancaster, and Stow. You can find the complete list of towns for any regional district on its district profile page — just search for the district name on our homepage. Each district page shows all member towns along with town-specific data like home values and tax rates.
Which Massachusetts towns have good schools and affordable homes?
We published a detailed analysis of the best high schools in affordable towns, analyzing 264 schools alongside assessed home values, property taxes, and income data. Highlights include Shrewsbury (ranked #25, average home value $761K), Chelmsford (#59, $695K), and Longmeadow (#42, $565K) — all delivering strong academics at a fraction of Greater Boston prices. In Western Massachusetts, Mount Greylock produces a 1233 SAT average on homes averaging just $459K. Read the full analysis in our blog post.
Does this site rank private schools like Milton Academy or Phillips Andover?
No — Mass School Rankings focuses exclusively on public schools (including charter schools and vocational-technical schools). Private and independent schools like Milton Academy, Phillips Academy Andover, Noble and Greenough, and others are not included because they don't report to the Massachusetts DESE and aren't part of the standardized testing and reporting framework. Our goal is to help families evaluate publicly funded school options using consistent, comparable data.
Are charter schools and vocational-technical schools included in the rankings?
Yes. Charter schools (like Boston Latin School, Sturgis Charter, Advanced Math and Science Academy, and KIPP academies) and vocational-technical schools (like Assabet Valley, Essex Tech, and Bristol-Plymouth) are included in our high school rankings alongside traditional district schools. They're ranked using the same metrics: SAT scores, MCAS proficiency, AP pass rates, and graduation rates. Charter and vocational schools that don't have SAT data are still listed with their available MCAS and graduation data.
What are the best schools in Western Massachusetts?
Western Massachusetts offers some of the state's best education-to-cost ratios. Top districts include Longmeadow (ranked #49, A- grade, 1222 SAT average), Mount Greylock in Williamstown (#74, B+, 1233 SAT), Hampshire Regional (#92, B), and Amherst-Pelham (#98, B). The region's college towns — influenced by Williams, UMass, Smith, and Mount Holyoke — push academic performance well above what home values alone would predict. For a complete regional breakdown, see our blog post on the best districts by region.
What are the highest-paying school districts in Massachusetts for teachers?
Teacher salaries vary significantly across Massachusetts districts. Many affluent suburbs along the I-95 corridor — including Weston, Lexington, Wellesley, and Brookline — offer average teacher salaries above $100,000. You can compare teacher salary data on every district profile page, which shows average salaries alongside per-pupil expenditure, class sizes, and staffing retention rates. Use the District Rankings to sort and compare spending metrics across all 328 districts.
What data sources do you use?
All school performance data comes from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), including SAT scores, MCAS proficiency rates, AP exam results, graduation rates, enrollment, demographics, attendance, per-pupil expenditure, teacher salaries, and class sizes. Town-level financial data — including assessed home values, property tax rates, and tax bills — comes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). Data covers the 2024-2025 school year with historical trends going back to 2016 for many metrics.
How often are the rankings updated?
Rankings are updated annually when DESE releases new school year data, typically in the fall. The current rankings reflect the 2024-2025 school year. SAT scores, MCAS results, graduation rates, and other metrics are refreshed each cycle. Historical data is preserved so you can track trends over time on individual school and district profile pages.