Utah ranks #2 for math test scores, 11th overall for best school systems in U.S.: WalletHub

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Students in Utah might be appreciating the public school system a little more after it ranked among the top 15 school systems in the U.S. recently. The Beehive State is also boasting some of the highest SAT scores nationwide, according to the study.

A recent WalletHub study compared all 50 states (and D.C.) based on 32 metrics, including graduation rates, test scores, students’ attendance, and more. Utah was ranked among the top schools across the U.S. Here are the top 15 school systems based on the study:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. New Jersey
4. Virginia
5. New Hampshire
6. Wisconsin
7. Rhode Island
8. Indiana
9. Maryland
10. New York
11. Utah
12. Delaware
13. Nebraska
14. Maine
15. Illinois

The Beehive State ranked 11th overall when it comes to the school system. When it comes to quality, Utah ranked a little lower, at 12th place. With safety, the other dimension reviewed by the study, Utah was in 16th place.

Although Utah was not among the top five when it comes to safety or quality, the state was recognized for having the second-highest math test scores in the U.S. Utah also tied with Nebraska for fifth place for the highest median SAT scores across the nation.

What might have dropped Utah’s overall ranking was the pupil-teacher ratio. Utah has the fourth-highest pupil-teacher ratio in the U.S., meaning that teachers have larger class sizes in the Beehive State than the rest of the nation.

The study found that, overall, Utah has a low-spending and strong school system. Utah was ranked as spending the least on school systems in the U.S. while still maintaining a high ranking when put up against other states.

To learn more about the methodology behind the study, read how metrics were weighed and added up on WalletHub’s website.