Arizona Schools & Education
Public school metrics and education data for all 15 counties.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataAvg Graduation Rate
81.0%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$5,607
Avg School Score
14/100
Total Schools
2,426
657 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Arizona
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.
Arizona Education Funding Lags Far Behind National Norms
Arizona's 81.0% graduation rate sits well below the national average of 87.0%. The state's per-pupil spending of $5,607 is less than half of the $13,000 national benchmark, ranking it among the lowest in the country for investment. These funding gaps correlate with an average school score of 45.8, which trails the national median of 50.0.
A Wide Performance Gap Across Fifteen Counties
Education quality varies significantly across Arizona's 15 counties, with graduation rates swinging by 19 percentage points. Santa Cruz County leads the state with a 90.2% graduation rate, while Navajo County struggles at just 71.2%. This geographic disparity creates a fragmented landscape for student achievement and resource access.
Low Spending Strains Student Achievement Results
Arizona attempts to maintain academic standards with an average expenditure of just $5,607 per student. While some areas like Santa Cruz achieve high graduation rates on lean budgets, the state average school score of 45.8 reflects the difficulty of driving results with limited funds. This low ROI environment suggests that many districts are stretched to their breaking points.
Graham and Santa Cruz Counties Lead the State
Graham and Santa Cruz counties share the top spot with identical school scores of 49.0, significantly outperforming the state average. Santa Cruz stands out for its 90.2% graduation rate achieved on a modest $4,869 per student, while Apache County uses the state's highest spending of $7,209 to reach a 48.7 score. These regions provide the most reliable educational outcomes in the state.
State Score Context
How Arizona Counties Are Distributed
15 of 15 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
0
Midrange measured signal
Score range 40-69
0
Lower measured signal
Score range 0-39
15
Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.
Highest Measured School Signals
All Arizona Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
Santa Cruz County
| 28/100 |
Apache County
| 27/100 |
Yuma County
| 22/100 |
La Paz County
| 20/100 |
Graham County
| 20/100 |
Coconino County
| 17/100 |
Cochise County
| 15/100 |
Greenlee County
| 15/100 |
Gila County
| 15/100 |
Navajo County
| 8/100 |
Yavapai County
| 7/100 |
Mohave County
| 7/100 |
Maricopa County
| 5/100 |
Pinal County
| 4/100 |
Pima County
| 2/100 |
— = data not available for this county.
Compare county school profiles in Arizona
Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arizona Schools
Which Arizona counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Arizona?
Which Arizona county has the strongest measured school score?
What is the average graduation rate in Arizona?
Which county in Arizona has the lowest school score?
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.