Utah fell three spots in a national ranking of the best states for teachers, dragged down by crowded classrooms and the nation's third-lowest per-student spending.

The state landed fifth in WalletHub's 2026 annual study, released Sept. 14, after finishing second in 2025. Washington, New York, Virginia and Illinois claimed the top four spots. Utah scored 55.58 out of 100, trailing Washington's 61.60.

The biggest slide came in WalletHub's academic and work environment category, where Utah dropped from 11th to 18th. That category measures pupil-to-teacher ratio, per-student spending, projected teacher turnover and how supported teachers feel by administrators.

Two metrics stood out. Utah has the fourth-highest pupil-to-teacher ratio in the country and the third-lowest public school spending per student, ABC4 reported, citing the study.

Those numbers hit close to home in Canyons School District, which serves about 32,688 students across 50 schools. The district targets about 22 students per class in kindergarten through third grade, 26 in grades four through eight and 27 in high school, according to the district's Connect Canyons podcast.

"If our students are going to make growth and be proficient, it starts with the teacher in the classroom," Canyons HR Director Steve Dimond said on the podcast in April 2025, discussing the district's hiring priorities.

Utah also slipped in WalletHub's opportunity and competition category, falling from first to sixth. That category tracks average teacher salary, enrollment growth and tenure protections.

Not everything trended downward. WalletHub credited Utah for offering tenure after just three years and for a higher-than-average share of teachers who report feeling supported by their school administration. The state still finished in the national top five.

Alpine Education Association President Michael Gowans raised similar funding concerns in an Aug. 7 ABC4 report about the Alpine School District split. "We need to decide if we're funding education based on student need or someone else's desires," Gowans said. "But we also need funding to recruit and retain high-quality educators."

Statewide assessment results released Sept. 13 by the Utah State Board of Education showed gains alongside the ranking concerns. Science proficiency reached 49.8%, the first core subject to exceed pre-pandemic levels. English language arts hit 45.4% and math reached 42.5%.

Canyons District's starting teacher salary stood at $61,610 as of April 2025.