| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Place School District | Tacoma | 10/10 Excellent · 96th pct | 5,619 | 8 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Dieringer School District | Lake Tapps | 10/10 Excellent · 95th pct | 1,402 | 3 | PK–8 | 0 |
| Sumner School District | Sumner | 10/10 Excellent · 95th pct | 10,414 | 15 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Carbonado School District | Carbonado | 10/10 Excellent · 94th pct | 180 | 1 | K–8 | 1 |
| Peninsula School District | Gig Harbor | 10/10 Excellent · 92nd pct | 8,969 | 18 | PK–12 | 7 |
| White River School District | Buckley | 9/10 Excellent · 86th pct | 4,408 | 10 | PK–12 | 3 |
| Steilacoom Historical School District | Anderson Island | 9/10 Excellent · 82nd pct | 3,098 | 9 | PK–12 | 3 |
| Puyallup School District | Puyallup | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 23,104 | 37 | PK–12 | 5 |
| Yelm Community Schools | Mckenna | 7/10 Good · 67th pct | 5,668 | 10 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Bethel School District | Graham | 6/10 Average · 53rd pct | 21,156 | 34 | PK–12 | 5 |
| Fife Public Schools | Milton | 6/10 Average · 50th pct | 3,893 | 7 | PK–12 | 2 |
| Eatonville School District | Ashford | 5/10 Average · 49th pct | 1,944 | 9 | K–12 | 3 |
| Orting School District | Orting | 5/10 Average · 45th pct | 2,748 | 7 | PK–12 | 1 |
| Tacoma Public Schools | Tacoma | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 28,311 | 69 | PK–12 | 13 |
| Clover Park School District | Camp Murray | 3/10 Below Average · 29th pct | 12,566 | 32 | PK–12 | 5 |
| Franklin Pierce School District | Tacoma | 3/10 Below Average · 22nd pct | 7,425 | 15 | PK–12 | 4 |
How Pierce County compares
Together they enroll 140,905 students across 284 schools. The largest is Tacoma Public Schools with 28,311 students. Districts here average 7.2/10, above the Washington average of 5.5/10. Ratings range from 3/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in Pierce County, Washington
Pierce County has 16 public school districts covering 57 zip codes. The top-rated district in Pierce County is University Place School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (SBAC 2024–25), ranked against all districts in Washington. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Pierce County, WA?
16 school districts serve zip codes in Pierce County, WA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Pierce County, WA?
Of the districts serving Pierce County, University Place School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 96th percentile among Washington school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on Washington reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in Washington and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within Washington only, never across state lines.