Alaska Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 30 counties.

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

Avg Graduation Rate

79.0%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$13,745

Avg School Score

56/100

Total Schools

496

54 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Alaska

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.

High Spending and Graduation Gaps in Alaska

Alaska spends an average of $13,745 per pupil, which is higher than the national average of $13,000. Despite this investment, the state's 79% graduation rate falls significantly below the national benchmark of 87%.

A Vast Range of District Performance

Across 29 reporting districts, graduation rates fluctuate from a high of 95% in Aleutians West to a low of 57.7% in the Bethel Census Area. The state's average school score of 62.3 suggests that while many districts perform above the national median of 50.0, the geographic divide remains wide.

Mixed Returns on Education Investment

High spending does not always translate to top graduation rates, as Bristol Bay Borough spends a state-high $22,316 yet maintains a 70.9% graduation rate. Conversely, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area struggles with a 33.1 school score while operating on the state's lowest per-pupil budget of $3,314.

Alaska’s Leading Local School Districts

Aleutians East Borough leads the state with a school score of 82.2 and a strong 90% graduation rate. Wrangell City and Borough and Bristol Bay Borough also rank in the top three, though their high performance requires some of the highest per-pupil spending in the state.

State Score Context

How Alaska Counties Are Distributed

29 of 30 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

97%

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.

Highest Measured School Signals

Chugach Census Area

93/100

School score

Petersburg Borough

92/100

School score

Aleutians West Census Area

91/100

School score

Aleutians East Borough

76/100

School score

Wrangell City and Borough

76/100

School score

Lowest Measured School Signals

#1 lowest

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area

1/100

School score

#2 lowest

Denali Borough

4/100

School score

#3 lowest

Fairbanks North Star Borough

43/100

School score

#4 lowest

Copper River Census Area

48/100

School score

#5 lowest

Bethel Census Area

48/100

School score

All Alaska Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Alaska.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Chugach Census Area Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $14,003	93/100	95.0%	$14,003
Petersburg Borough Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $13,451	92/100	95.0%	$13,451
Aleutians West Census Area Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $12,454	91/100	95.0%	$12,454
Aleutians East Borough Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $20,268	76/100	90.0%	$20,268
Wrangell City and Borough Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $19,133	76/100	90.0%	$19,133
Sitka City and Borough Graduation 89.8% Per pupil $14,980	74/100	89.8%	$14,980
Haines Borough Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $12,549	73/100	90.0%	$12,549
Juneau City and Borough Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $12,482	62/100	86.0%	$12,482
Kenai Peninsula Borough Graduation 85.0% Per pupil $12,250	60/100	85.0%	$12,250
Ketchikan Gateway Borough Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $13,991	56/100	82.0%	$13,991
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $9,680	56/100	86.0%	$9,680
Kodiak Island Borough Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $12,103	54/100	82.0%	$12,103
Nome Census Area Graduation 78.7% Per pupil $20,058	54/100	78.7%	$20,058
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area Graduation 81.0% Per pupil $12,172	54/100	81.0%	$12,172
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $18,754	52/100	75.0%	$18,754
Skagway Municipality Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $17,035	52/100	75.0%	$17,035
Yakutat City and Borough Graduation 75.0% Per pupil $15,430	52/100	75.0%	$15,430
Bristol Bay Borough Graduation 70.9% Per pupil $22,316	51/100	70.9%	$22,316
Dillingham Census Area Graduation 72.1% Per pupil $15,541	51/100	72.1%	$15,541
Northwest Arctic Borough Graduation 72.0% Per pupil $15,247	51/100	72.0%	$15,247
Kusilvak Census Area Graduation 63.7% Per pupil $14,876	50/100	63.7%	$14,876
Anchorage Municipality Graduation 81.8% Per pupil $9,863	50/100	81.8%	$9,863
North Slope Borough Graduation 67.0% Per pupil $13,914	49/100	67.0%	$13,914
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area Graduation 71.3% Per pupil $12,988	49/100	71.3%	$12,988
Bethel Census Area Graduation 57.7% Per pupil $13,032	48/100	57.7%	$13,032
Copper River Census Area Graduation 74.0% Per pupil $11,581	48/100	74.0%	$11,581
Fairbanks North Star Borough Graduation 71.1% Per pupil $9,557	43/100	71.1%	$9,557
Denali Borough Graduation 72.0% Per pupil $5,596	4/100	72.0%	$5,596
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area Graduation 66.3% Per pupil $3,314	1/100	66.3%	$3,314
Lake and Peninsula Borough Graduation — Per pupil —	—	—	—

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Alaska

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

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska Schools

Which Alaska counties have the highest graduation rates?

Aleutians West Census Area (95.0%), Chugach Census Area (95.0%), and Petersburg Borough (95.0%) currently lead Alaska 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 Alaska?

Across Alaska counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $13,745. The highest current county values are Bristol Bay Borough ($22,316), Aleutians East Borough ($20,268), and Nome Census Area ($20,058). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

Which Alaska county has the strongest measured school score?

Chugach Census Area has the highest school score in Alaska with a score of 93/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Alaska?

The average high school graduation rate across Alaska counties is 79.0%, based on NCES data.

Which county in Alaska has the lowest school score?

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area has the lowest school score in Alaska with a score of 1/100. 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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