Rankings

In WalletHub’s ranking of the best early education systems in the U.S., Maryland ranks first overall, and second in the quality ranking.

In a ranking of the most educated states in the U.S, Maryland ranks second overall based on a combination of educational attainment, school quality, and achievement gaps.

Maryland places fourth in the percentage of schools ranked in the top 25% nationally, with 39%. Top-ranked schools are those schools whose students demonstrate outstanding outcomes above expectations in math and reading assessments, pass and participate in college level exams, and graduate in high proportions.

Maryland ranks sixth nationally in the percentage of high school seniors who scored at the mastery level on Advanced Placement (AP) exams, with 21.7% earning a score of 3 or higher in 2023. Maryland also ranks fourth among the states in the percentage of graduates taking AP tests during high school at 42.0%, up from 25.6% in 2010.

Maryland comes in ninth in a list of the states with the best school systems based on categories such as performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials.