| Index | Palo Alto | California | National |
| Average Test Scores | 81% | 43% | 48% |
| Student/Teacher ratio | 18:1 | 20:1 | 16:1 |
| Total public schools | 17 | 8,308 | 79,221 |
| Total private schools | 14 | 3,438 | 24,874 |
| Total post-secondary schools | 5 | 1,085 | 7,963 |
| Index | Palo Alto | California | National |
| Completed 8th grade | 97.3% | 81.1% | 84.3% |
| Completed high school | 97.1% | 79.8% | 83.0% |
| Completed some college | 91.8% | 61.5% | 59.4% |
| Completed associate degree | 83.8% | 39.8% | 38.5% |
| Completed bachelors | 80.0% | 32.0% | 30.3% |
| Completed masters | 51.5% | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Completed professional degree | 22.3% | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Completed doctorate | 13.8% | 1.6% | 1.3% |
There are a total of 17 public schools, 14 private schools and 5 post-secondary schools in Palo Alto. Using the proficiency score averages, the average test scores for Palo Alto, CA schools is 81%. The average student to teacher ratio is 18:1. In Palo Alto, CA, an average of 97.3% of students have completed 8th grade and an average of 97.1% have completed high school.
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Los Altos Hills, CA | 8,496 | 87% | 81.3% |
| Portola Valley, CA | 4,568 | 86% | 79.2% |
| Hillsborough, CA | 11,608 | 86% | 78.4% |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,878 | 86% | 78.3% |
| Cupertino, CA | 59,799 | 85% | 77.8% |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,973 | 81% | 68.5% |
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Redmond, WA | 67,959 | 83% | 73.1% |
| Gaithersburg, MD | 67,878 | 44% | 8.8% |
| Palatine, IL | 67,875 | 41% | 14.7% |
| Union City, NJ | 68,073 | 48% | 0.7% |
| Yorba Linda, CA | 68,103 | 72% | 50.3% |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,973 | 81% | 68.5% |
Here are the best places to live in California
See the best places to live in Palo Alto
These are the 10 cheapest cities in California
These are the largest cities in California