The 7 Best Graphing Calculators for Math Classes, Middle School to College-Level

This reasonably priced, versatile graphing calculator offers excellent value and is a solid choice for high school students. It comes preloaded with a wide range of functions and features a multi-line display and vertical and horizontal split-screen options, giving you all the info you need right before you.

The calculator offers 14-digit accuracy and 10 graphing functions, plus you can save and work on up to 10 graphs simultaneously. Given its higher price point, the lack of a color display is a definite drawback—though perhaps not a dealbreaker. It is, however, fairly heavy compared to other options.

You can’t beat the price of this graphing calculator. Students can use it from middle school through high school and even in some early college classes.

This user-friendly Casio model has an icon-based display menu featuring all the basics students need as beginners for pre-algebra, with essentials for later courses like trigonometry and geometry. It should also support students through AP Calculus.

Highlights include a high-resolution backlit LCD, three megabytes of flash memory, and high processing speed. It’s lightweight and claims to offer up to 230 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The ever-popular TI-84 Plus CE is the go-to for high school and some early college students because it’s easy to use and has a well-rounded lineup of features, a vibrant display, and a streamlined design.

For starters, this graphing calculator comes with a bevy of preloaded apps and can graph on images, and its battery life is outstanding: it’s said to run for a month with average use on a single charge (via USB cable) and even longer on sleep mode.

Another bonus: It’s available in eight attractive colors, which most of the competition lacks.

This slim, lightweight graphing calculator may be pricey, but its interactive full-color visuals and 3D graphing capabilities make it one of the best models for higher-level math. Students can use it on college entry SAT, ACT, and AP exams.

The graphing calculator has a software bundle that gives students more graphing options, and it comes with a hard case and two USB cables. Some customers say this device has a steep learning curve, though, so it might not be the best pick for high school students.

There are more than 65,000 colors and 82,000 pixels on this graphing calculator’s high-resolution LCD screen with text-format-style display. It also offers 3D graphing capabilities.

This Casio PRIZM model has a terrific screen and an icon-based menu system, making this graphing calculator easy to navigate for high school and college math students. Customers say its textbook visual feature makes equations easy to read and its graphs clearly laid out.

With a simple, minimalist white design, this eye-catching graphing calculator has a modern, smartphone-like appeal that sets it apart from the crowd. It’s small and lightweight, and it has a straightforward interface that’s easier to navigate than traditional options.

The keyboard is split into three areas for navigation, advanced functions, and a numeric keypad. It also features six built-in apps for high school math and science courses. The calculator has a micro USB port and cable for recharging, and it claims to last up to 20 hours on a single charge.

If you're looking for an entry-level graphing calculator, this one is your best bet. It's perfect for middle school pre-algebra or early high school algebra classes. Students can use it for trigonometry and calculus too, though there are better options on this list for more advanced courses.

The TI-83 is lightweight and has a built-in memory that can store up to 10 matrices, an LCD split screen for graph tracing and scrolling through tables, and an interactive equation solver.