These 25 public middle schools were ranked the best in Pennsylvania. See the 2024 list
Where are the best public middle schools in Pennsylvania? You can get a better idea by browsing the latest rankings from Niche, a website offering data on schools and colleges across the country.
Niche’s annual rankings are developed using reviews and data sources such as the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census, Civil Rights Data Collection and more. The school search platform, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh, ranks public middle schools through the following major categories:
An academics grade, which is based on state assessment proficiency rates, district academics grades, student-to-teacher ratios and parent or student surveys on academics
A diversity grade, which is based on a student racial diversity index, parent or student surveys covering culture and diversity and percentages of economic disadvantages and gender diversity
A teachers grade, which is based on academic grades, parent or student surveys on educators, teacher absenteeism, salary index, the portion of teachers in their first or second year of teaching, average salary and student-to-teacher ratios
Overall, Niche breaks down its overall grades using the following segments and weights:
Academics grade: 50%
Teachers grade: 20%
The school district’s overall Niche grade: 15%
Culture and diversity grade: 10%
Parents/student surveys on overall experience: 5%
Just like the Keystone State’s top-rated public elementary schools, Pennsylvania’s premier middle schools are mostly located near Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, just as they were in Niche’s 2023 rankings.
In Centre County, three schools earned overall “A” grades: Mount Nittany Middle School, Park Forest Middle School and Centre Learning Community Charter School. Bellefonte Area Middle School and Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School rounded out the county’s top performers with “B-” grades.
Each of the public middle schools comprising Pennsylvania’s top-ranked performers in 2024 received an overall “A” grade or higher, according to Niche’s analysis. Here’s a brief look at how the commonwealth’s top 25 public middle schools compare in 2024.
25. David E. Williams Middle School
Location: Coraopolis, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
This Pittsburgh-area middle school offers a 16-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 952 students between the fifth and eighth grades, Niche reports. The latest batch of standardized test scores indicate at least 57% of the school’s students are at least proficient in math, while roughly 76% can say the same for reading.
24. Peters Township Middle School
Location: McMurray, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and C diversity
Ranked the top public middle school in Washington County, this Pittsburgh-area school instructs approximately 905 students and holds a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Recent standardized testing indicates student body proficiency rates of about 54% and 84% in math and reading, respectively.
23. Lionville Middle School
Location: Exton, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers and A- diversity
This school sits just east of Philadelphia and offers a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 1,031 students in the seventh and eighth grades, Niche reports. Lionville Middle School’s students produced proficiency rates of 59% in math and 81% in reading, according to recent standardized testing.
22. Quaker Valley Middle School
Location: Sewickley, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers and B- diversity
This Pittsburgh-area middle school instructs 444 students between the sixth and eighth grades and offers an 11-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Recent standardized testing produced a large gap in its students’ proficiency rates: 45% in math and 80% in reading, Niche says.
21. Wissahickon Middle School
Location: Ambler, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A teachers and A diversity
This Philadelphia-area middle school offers a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 1,126 students between the sixth and eighth grades. According to state test scores, about 46% of those students are at least proficient in math, while roughly 78% of students are at least proficient in reading.
20. Strath Haven Middle School
Location: Wallingford, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers and B+ diversity
Located in southeastern Pennsylvania’s Delaware County, this middle school instructs approximately 863 students between the sixth and eighth grades and offers a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Niche reports Strath Haven Middle School’s student body recently produced proficiency rates of 47% in math and 71% in reading.
19. South Fayette Middle School
Location: McDonald, Pa.
Grades: A overall, A academics, A+ teachers and B+ diversity
Back out near Pittsburgh, South Fayette Middle School boasts a 15-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 822 students between the sixth and eighth grades. Recent standardized testing found about 57% of those students are at least proficient in math, while 85% are at least proficient in reading.
18. Hampton Middle School
Location: Allison Park, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and C+ diversity
This school in the Pittsburgh suburbs holds a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 656 students between the sixth and eighth grades. The latest batch of standardized test scores offer proficiency rates of 53% and 81% in math and reading, respectively, for the student body.
17. Infinity Charter School
Location: Harrisburg, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A academics, A+ teachers and A diversity
This public charter school instructs 256 students between kindergarten and the eighth grade while offering a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Its students produced proficiency rates of about 67% in math and 87% in reading, according to state standardized test scores.
16. Carson Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
Approximately 659 students between the sixth and eighth grades attend this middle school, which offers a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Recent state standardized test scores indicate about 41% of those students are at least proficient in math, while 77% can say the same for reading.
15. Mellon Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B- diversity
Also in Pittsburgh, Mellon Middle School instructs roughly 641 students between the sixth and eighth grades and holds a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Those students produced proficiency rates of approximately 52% in math and 85% in reading, Niche reports.
14. Dorseyville Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
Dorseyville Middle School continues a run of Pittsburgh-area schools among Niche’s top-ranked public middle schools. It offers a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 957 students between the sixth and eighth grades. The latest batch of standardized test scores offered proficiency rates of 59% and 82% in math and reading, respectively.
13. Hershey Middle School
Location: Hershey, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and A- diversity
Niche named Hershey Middle School the top-ranked public middle school in Dauphin County. The central Pennsylvania school instructs 767 students between the sixth and eighth grades with an 11-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Recent state standardized test scores indicated proficiency rates of 72% in math and 87% in reading.
12. Fort Couch Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
More than 600 students attend this middle school, which offers a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for the seventh and eighth grades. Approximately 65% of those students are at least proficient in math compared to a 90% rate for reading.
11. Jefferson Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B- diversity
Jefferson Middle School offers an 11-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 603 students between the sixth and eighth grades, Niche reports. Recent standardized test scores say those students produced proficiency rates of 55% and 89% in math and reading, respectively.
10. Boyce Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
Another Steel City school, Boyce Middle School holds a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 592 students in the fifth and sixth grades. The magnet school’s students demonstrated proficiency rates of 70% and 87% in math and reading, respectively.
9. Welsh Valley Middle School
Location: Narberth, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B+ diversity
Roughly 815 students between the fifth and eighth grades attend this Montgomery County school near Philadelphia. Welsh Valley Middle School offers an 8-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio and proficiency rates of 63% and 80% in math and reading, respectively.
8. Ingomar Middle School
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B diversity
This school boasts a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 547 students between the sixth and eighth grades, Niche reports. Recent state standardized testing suggests about 48% of those students are at least proficient in math, while up to about 80% are at least proficient in reading.
7. Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School
Location: Berwyn, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and A- diversity
You can find a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio at this Philadelphia-area school, which instructs about 1,052 students between the fifth and eighth grades. Those students produced proficiency rates of 66% and 86% in math and reading, respectively.
6. Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Location: Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A teachers and A- diversity
This Montgomery County school instructs roughly 811 students between the fifth and eighth grades while offering an 8-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Recent state standardized test scores indicate proficiency levels of 66% in math and 84% in reading among those students.
5. Valley Forge Middle School
Location: Wayne, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and A- diversity
Ranked by Niche as the top public middle school in Chester County, Valley Forge Middle School offers a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 1,141 students between the fifth and sixth grades. Roughly 69% of those students are at least proficient in math, while about 87% can say the same for reading.
4. Marshall Middle School
Location: Wexford, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and B+ diversity
This institution boasts a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for its 800 students between the sixth and eighth grades. The school, ranked the top public middle school in the Pittsburgh area, produced proficiency rates of 55% in math and 81% in reading, Niche reports.
3. Radnor Middle School
Location: Wayne, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics. A+ teachers and B+ diversity
Approximately 828 students between the sixth and eighth grades attend this school, which offers an 11-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. A recent batch of standardized test scores indicates roughly 63% of students are proficient in math, while about 87% are at least proficient in reading.
2. The Souderton Charter School Collective
Location: Souderton, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics. A+ teachers and A- diversity
This Philadelphia-area charter school instructs roughly 226 students between kindergarten and the eighth grade while holding an 8-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Those students produced proficiency rates of 67% in math and 92% in reading through recent state standardized testing.
1. Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.
Grades: A+ overall, A+ academics, A+ teachers and A diversity
This magnet school instructs nearly 1,200 students between the fifth and twelfth grades while offering a 22-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, Niche reports. The school’s students produced a proficiency rate of 95% in math and reading following state standardized testing.
You can find more rankings, data and reviews for Pennsylvania’s top public middle schools by visiting niche.com/k12/search/best-public-middle-schools/s/pennsylvania.
