October 20, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Five middle schools in the School District of Philadelphia were rated in the top 10 in the state in U.S. News & World Report's latest ranking.
Philadelphia and its surrounding counties are home to the eight best middle schools in the state, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The publication, known for its listings of the best colleges and high schools in America, released its annual report on elementary and middle schools Tuesday. These lists are a bit different in that the schools are not ranked on a national level, but by state and school district. U.S. News & World Report included roughly 46,000 public elementary schools and 24,000 middle schools in its 2027 update.
The same Fairmount institute named the No. 3 high school in the country also ranked as the best middle school in Pennsylvania. The Julia R. Masterman School has welcomed students in grades 5-12 since its 1990 reorganization, making it eligible for multiple U.S. News & World Report listings.
On the state middle school ranking, Julia R. Masterman was followed by the Penn Alexander School (West Philly), Black Rock Middle School (Villanova), William M. Meredith School (Queen Village), Gen. George A. McCall School (Society Hill), Radnor Middle School (Wayne), Girard Academic Music Program (South Philly) and Souderton Charter School Collaborative (Souderton). The Infinity Charter School in Harrisburg and Fort Couch Middle School in Pittsburgh rounded out the top 10.
Philadelphia didn't make quite as strong of a showing in the state rankings for elementary schools, though the wider region still claimed coveted spots. Three schools in Montgomery County made the top 10: Merion Elementary School (No. 4), Penn Valley School (No. 8) and Conshohocken Elementary School (No. 10).
The Penn Alexander School, which spans kindergarten through 8th grade, made a repeat showing on the elementary school list, too. It claimed the No. 11 spot. The William M. Meredith and Gen. George A. McCall schools also double-dipped; they ranked No. 15 and No. 67, respectively.
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