Best Public Schools in Maryland (2026)

The top-ranked public schools in Maryland are Walt Whitman High School, Ocean City Elementary School and Thomas S.
Wootton High School. The cities and towns with the highest concentration of top-ranked public schools are Clarksville, Bethesda and Potomac.
A school's overall testing rank is based on a it's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. The average percentage of students achieving math proficiency in Maryland is 27%. The percentage of students achieving reading proficiency is 45%.

Top-Ranked Public Schools in Maryland (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Student Proficiency
Grades
Location
Rank: #11.
Walt Whitman High School
(Math: 85% | Reading: 90%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 85% (Top 1%)
Reading: 90% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
7100 Whittier Blvd
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 740-4800
Rank: #22.
Ocean City Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 90-94%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 80-84% (Top 1%)
Reading: 90-94% (Top 1%)
Grades: PK-4
12828 Center Dr
Ocean City, MD 21842
(410) 632-5370
Rank: #33.
Thomas S. Wootton High School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 83% (Top 1%)
Reading: 89% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
2100 Wootton Pkwy
Rockville, MD 20850
(240) 740-1500
Rank: #4 - 64. - 6.
Eastern Technical High School
Vocational School
Magnet School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 96%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 80% (Top 1%)
Reading: 96% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
1100 Mace Ave
Essex, MD 21221
(443) 809-0190
Rank: #4 - 64. - 6.
River Hill High School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 84% (Top 1%)
Reading: 87% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
12101 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7120
Rank: #4 - 64. - 6.
Winston Churchill High School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 84% (Top 1%)
Reading: 87% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
11300 Gainsborough Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-5400
Rank: #77.
Pinewood Elementary School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 90%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 80% (Top 1%)
Reading: 90% (Top 1%)
Grades: PK-5
200 Rickswood Rd
Lutherville Timonium, MD 21093
(410) 887-7663
Rank: #88.
Benfield Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 90-94%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 75-79% (Top 5%)
Reading: 90-94% (Top 1%)
Grades: PK-5
365 Lynwood Dr
Severna Park, MD 21146
(410) 222-6555
Rank: #9 - 109. - 10.
Bradley Hills Elementary School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 83% (Top 1%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
8701 Hartsdale Ave
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 204-5210
Rank: #9 - 109. - 10.
Glenarden Woods Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 83% (Top 1%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: 2-5
7801 Glenarden Pkwy
Lanham, MD 20706
(301) 925-1300
Rank: #11 - 1211. - 12.
Bannockburn Elementary School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 79% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85-89% (Top 1%)
Grades: K-5
6520 Dalroy Ln
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 740-1270
Rank: #11 - 1211. - 12.
West Towson Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 80-84% (Top 1%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
6916 North Charles Street
Towson, MD 21204
(410) 887-3893
Rank: #1313.
Centennial High School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 88%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
Math: 77% (Top 5%)
Reading: 88% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
4300 Centennial Ln
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2856
Rank: #14 - 1514. - 15.
Poolesville High School
Magnet School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 80% (Top 1%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: 9-12
17501 W Willard Rd
Poolesville, MD 20837
(240) 740-2400
Rank: #14 - 1514. - 15.
Seven Locks Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 76% (Top 5%)
Reading: 89% (Top 1%)
Grades: K-5
9500 Seven Locks Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 740-0940
Rank: #16 - 1716. - 17.
Cold Spring Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 82% | Reading: 82%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 82% (Top 1%)
Reading: 82% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
9201 Falls Chapel Way
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-4390
Rank: #16 - 1716. - 17.
Westbrook Elementary School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 75% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85-89% (Top 1%)
Grades: K-5
5110 Allan Ter
Bethesda, MD 20816
(240) 740-1040
Rank: #1818.
Western School Of Technology
Vocational School
Magnet School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 88%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 74% (Top 5%)
Reading: 88% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
100 Kenwood Ave
Catonsville, MD 21228
(443) 809-0840
Rank: #19 - 2019. - 20.
Carderock Springs Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 75-79% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80-84% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
7401 Persimmon Tree Lane
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 740-0540
Rank: #19 - 2019. - 20.
Wayside Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 74% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
10011 Glen Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0240
Rank: #2121.
Bells Mill Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 74% (Top 5%)
Reading: 83% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
8225 Bells Mill Rd
Potomac, MD 20854
(240) 740-0480
Rank: #2222.
Chapel Hill Elementary School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 79% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
5200 E Joppa Rd
Perry Hall, MD 21128
(410) 887-5119
Rank: #2323.
Clarksville Middle School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 73% (Top 5%)
Reading: 83% (Top 5%)
Grades: 6-8
6535 S Trotter Rd
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7057
Rank: #2424.
Worthington Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 78% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
4570 Roundhill Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2825
Rank: #2525.
Wyngate Elementary School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 81%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 75% (Top 5%)
Reading: 81% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
9300 Wadsworth Dr
Bethesda, MD 20817
(240) 740-1080
Rank: #2626.
Rodgers Forge Elementary School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 81%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 74% (Top 5%)
Reading: 81% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
250 Dumbarton Rd
Baltimore, MD 21212
(410) 887-3582
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Mount Hebron High School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 71% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85% (Top 5%)
Grades: 9-12
9440 Old Frederick Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2880
Rank: #27 - 2827. - 28.
Shipley's Choice Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 80-84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 70-74% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80-84% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
310 Governor Stone Pky
Millersville, MD 21108
(410) 222-3851
Rank: #2929.
Urbana High School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 81%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 73% (Top 5%)
Reading: 81% (Top 5%)
Grades: 9-12
3471 Campus Dr
Ijamsville, MD 21754
(227) 203-3550
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Academy Of Health Sciences At Pgcc
Magnet School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 65-69% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85-89% (Top 1%)
Grades: 9-12
301 Largo Rd
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
(301) 546-7247
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Carroll Manor Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 65-69% (Top 5%)
Reading: 85-89% (Top 1%)
Grades: K-5
4434 Carroll Manor Rd
Baldwin, MD 21013
(410) 887-5947
Rank: #30 - 3230. - 32.
Marriotts Ridge High School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 73% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: 9-12
12100 Woodford Dr
Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 313-5568
Rank: #33 - 3533. - 35.
Freedom District Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 72% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
5626 Sykesville Road
Sykesville, MD 21784
(410) 751-3525
Rank: #33 - 3533. - 35.
Stone Mill Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 72% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: PK-5
14323 Stonebridge View Dr
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
(240) 740-5450
Rank: #33 - 3533. - 35.
Timonium Elementary School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
Math: 72% (Top 5%)
Reading: 80% (Top 5%)
Grades: K-5
2001 Eastridge Rd
Lutherville Timonium, MD 21093
(410) 887-7661
Show 100 more public schools in MD (out of 1,323 total schools)
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