Massachusetts Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 14 counties.

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

Avg Graduation Rate

88.1%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$13,582

Avg School Score

72/100

Total Schools

1,837

399 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Massachusetts

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.

Strong Returns on Higher Per-Pupil Spending

The state sees a clear return on its $13,582 average investment, maintaining a graduation rate above the national benchmark. High-spending areas like Dukes County, which invests $21,423 per student, achieve impressive 92.0% graduation rates. Conversely, Bristol County spends the least at $10,941 per student while still managing a respectable 90.2% graduation rate.

State Score Context

How Massachusetts Counties Are Distributed

14 of 14 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 Massachusetts

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts

Barnstable County is the strongest county-level starting point in Massachusetts by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 85/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

14 of 14 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: $13,582.

Top measured county school signals

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

1Barnstable CountyGraduation 92.4% · Spending $14,76085/100 2Dukes CountyGraduation 92.0% · Spending $21,42384/100 3Middlesex CountyGraduation 92.1% · Spending $13,12284/100 4Hampshire CountyGraduation 92.3% · Spending $12,19183/100 5Norfolk CountyGraduation 91.1% · Spending $12,88778/100 6Plymouth CountyGraduation 91.7% · Spending $11,34578/100 7Worcester CountyGraduation 90.9% · Spending $11,45275/100

Graduation-focused starting point

Barnstable County

92.4%

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

Funding context to inspect

Dukes County

$21,423

Dukes 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

Suffolk County

51/100

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

District research

Compare Massachusetts public school districts before narrowing by address

Massachusetts has 399 public school district records and 1,837 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 Massachusetts Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Massachusetts.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Barnstable County Graduation 92.4% Per pupil $14,760	85/100	92.4%	$14,760
Dukes County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $21,423	84/100	92.0%	$21,423
Middlesex County Graduation 92.1% Per pupil $13,122	84/100	92.1%	$13,122
Hampshire County Graduation 92.3% Per pupil $12,191	83/100	92.3%	$12,191
Norfolk County Graduation 91.1% Per pupil $12,887	78/100	91.1%	$12,887
Plymouth County Graduation 91.7% Per pupil $11,345	78/100	91.7%	$11,345
Worcester County Graduation 90.9% Per pupil $11,452	75/100	90.9%	$11,452
Bristol County Graduation 90.2% Per pupil $10,941	73/100	90.2%	$10,941
Berkshire County Graduation 88.4% Per pupil $13,358	69/100	88.4%	$13,358
Nantucket County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $16,692	67/100	87.0%	$16,692
Essex County Graduation 87.8% Per pupil $11,941	66/100	87.8%	$11,941
Hampden County Graduation 84.1% Per pupil $11,670	57/100	84.1%	$11,670
Franklin County Graduation 78.8% Per pupil $12,613	52/100	78.8%	$12,613
Suffolk County Graduation 74.0% Per pupil $15,756	51/100	74.0%	$15,756

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Massachusetts

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

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Schools

Which Massachusetts counties have the highest graduation rates?

Barnstable County (92.4%), Hampshire County (92.3%), and Middlesex County (92.1%) currently lead Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?

Across Massachusetts counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $13,582. The highest current county values are Dukes County ($21,423), Nantucket County ($16,692), and Suffolk County ($15,756). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

What are the best school counties in Massachusetts?

Barnstable County, Dukes County, Middlesex County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in Massachusetts, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.

Which Massachusetts county has the strongest measured school score?

Barnstable County has the highest school score in Massachusetts with a score of 85/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Massachusetts?

The average high school graduation rate across Massachusetts counties is 88.1%, based on NCES data.

Which county in Massachusetts has the lowest school score?

Suffolk County has the lowest school score in Massachusetts with a score of 51/100. 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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