Maine Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 16 counties.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Avg Graduation Rate

86.1%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$9,738

Avg School Score

57/100

Total Schools

597

214 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Maine

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

A Broad Spectrum of Performance Across 16 Counties

Comprehensive data across all 16 counties shows graduation rates fluctuating from a low of 79.7% in Androscoggin to a high of 91.6% in Knox. School scores also vary significantly, ranging from 52.1 to 63.8. These disparities reflect a diverse educational landscape where geography often dictates student outcomes.

State Score Context

How Maine Counties Are Distributed

16 of 16 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

100%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Best school counties

Best Counties for Public School Research in Maine

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Maine, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.

Short answer for Maine

Knox County is the strongest county-level starting point in Maine by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 78/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

16 of 16 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.

State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $9,738.

Top measured county school signals

Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.

1Knox CountyGraduation 91.6% · Spending $11,35378/100 2Cumberland CountyGraduation 90.1% · Spending $10,99073/100 3York CountyGraduation 89.2% · Spending $9,63565/100 4Hancock CountyGraduation 87.8% · Spending $10,67464/100 5Franklin CountyGraduation 88.2% · Spending $9,67162/100 6Sagadahoc CountyGraduation 84.7% · Spending $10,76557/100 7Waldo CountyGraduation 84.6% · Spending $10,66957/100

Graduation-focused starting point

Knox County

91.6%

Knox County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Maine. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.

Funding context to inspect

Knox County

$11,353

Knox County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.

Counties to research carefully

Piscataquis County

36/100

Piscataquis County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Maine. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.

District research

Compare Maine public school districts before narrowing by address

Maine has 214 public school district records and 597 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.

View District Rankings

All Maine Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Maine.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Knox County Graduation 91.6% Per pupil $11,353	78/100	91.6%	$11,353
Cumberland County Graduation 90.1% Per pupil $10,990	73/100	90.1%	$10,990
York County Graduation 89.2% Per pupil $9,635	65/100	89.2%	$9,635
Hancock County Graduation 87.8% Per pupil $10,674	64/100	87.8%	$10,674
Franklin County Graduation 88.2% Per pupil $9,671	62/100	88.2%	$9,671
Sagadahoc County Graduation 84.7% Per pupil $10,765	57/100	84.7%	$10,765
Waldo County Graduation 84.6% Per pupil $10,669	57/100	84.6%	$10,669
Penobscot County Graduation 86.1% Per pupil $9,382	55/100	86.1%	$9,382
Washington County Graduation 83.6% Per pupil $10,659	55/100	83.6%	$10,659
Somerset County Graduation 84.5% Per pupil $9,767	54/100	84.5%	$9,767
Kennebec County Graduation 85.9% Per pupil $9,204	54/100	85.9%	$9,204
Lincoln County Graduation 85.3% Per pupil $8,909	51/100	85.3%	$8,909
Oxford County Graduation 85.1% Per pupil $8,692	50/100	85.1%	$8,692
Aroostook County Graduation 84.4% Per pupil $8,860	49/100	84.4%	$8,860
Androscoggin County Graduation 79.7% Per pupil $9,457	46/100	79.7%	$9,457
Piscataquis County Graduation 86.7% Per pupil $7,127	36/100	86.7%	$7,127

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Maine

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Maine Schools

Which Maine counties have the highest graduation rates?

Knox County (91.6%), Cumberland County (90.1%), and York County (89.2%) currently lead Maine among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Maine?

Across Maine counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,738. The highest current county values are Knox County ($11,353), Cumberland County ($10,990), and Sagadahoc County ($10,765). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

What are the best school counties in Maine?

Knox County, Cumberland County, York County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in Maine, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.

Which Maine county has the strongest measured school score?

Knox County has the highest school score in Maine with a score of 78/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Maine?

The average high school graduation rate across Maine counties is 86.1%, based on NCES data.

Which county in Maine has the lowest school score?

Piscataquis County has the lowest school score in Maine with a score of 36/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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