Pima County Schools & Education
Pima County, Arizona
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
2/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
71.8%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
71.8%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 81.0%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,007
National avg $13,239
State avg $5,607
School Score
2/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 14/100
State Score Position
#15
of 15 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Pima County
Measured School Summary
Pima County faces educational challenges with a school score of 2/100 and a graduation rate of 71.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $5,007 per pupil, Pima County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 88% below the Arizona average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 9.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Pima County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
371 public schools and 74 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
2/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #15 of 15 Arizona counties with school score data.
Completion
71.8%
9.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$5,007
$600 below the state average
School coverage
371
74 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Pima County has 371 public schools across 74 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Pima County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Choice-program county
Pima County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.
State position
#15
of 15 Arizona counties with school score data. The county score is 12 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Tucson Unified District (4403)
Elementary to high school visible
41,511 students
90 listed schools in this county slice.
Sunnyside Unified District (4407)
Elementary to high school visible
14,541 students
22 listed schools in this county slice.
Vail Unified District (4413)
Elementary to high school visible
14,533 students
23 listed schools in this county slice.
Marana Unified District (4404)
Elementary to high school visible
12,823 students
20 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Tucson Unified District (4403) is the largest listed district slice, with 90 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Pima County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Pima County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Pima County, Arizona
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Massive Urban Education Infrastructure
Pima County operates a robust system of 371 public schools serving over 142,000 students. This expansive network is managed by 74 different districts, making it one of the largest educational hubs in the Southwest.
Performance Challenges in a Large System
Pima's graduation rate of 71.8% trails both the state average of 81% and the national average of 87%. Per-pupil spending stands at $5,007, trailing the state average and falling well short of the $13,000 national median.
Tucson Unified and the Charter Surge
Tucson Unified District dominates the landscape with 41,511 students enrolled in 90 different schools. Charter schools are highly prevalent here, making up 23.5% of all schools and providing diverse options for local families.
Bustling City Schools and Suburban Hubs
Most students attend one of the 215 schools located in city centers, where campuses like Tucson Magnet High serve over 3,100 students. The average school size is 440, though the county maintains a mix of large suburban high schools and smaller urban charters.
School Overview
Total Schools
371
in Pima County
Reported Enrollment
142,858
371 schools reporting
School Districts
74
districts
Charter Schools
87
23% of total
School Level Breakdown
74 School Districts in Pima County
Tucson Unified District (4403)
GuideSunnyside Unified District (4407)
GuideVail Unified District (4413)
GuideMarana Unified District (4404)
GuideAmphitheater Unified District (4406)
GuideSahuarita Unified District (4411)
GuideFlowing Wells Unified District (4405)
GuideCatalina Foothills Unified District (4410)
GuideLeman Academy of Excellence Inc. (92730)
GuideTanque Verde Unified District (4408)
371 Public Schools in Pima County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 26 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 371 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson Magnet High School | Profile | Tucson Unified District (4403) | TUCSON, 85705City: Large | 8–12 | High | 3,162 |
| Marana High School | Profile | Marana Unified District (4404) | MARANA, 85653Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 2,379 |
| Sunnyside High School | Profile | Sunnyside Unified District (4407) | TUCSON, 85706City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,204 |
| Desert View High School | Profile | Sunnyside Unified District (4407) | TUCSON, 85706City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,169 |
| Cienega High School | Profile | Vail Unified District (4413) | VAIL, 85641Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,913 |
| Catalina Foothills High School | Profile | Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410) | TUCSON, 85718Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,887 |
| Mountain View High School | Profile | Marana Unified District (4404) | TUCSON, 85742Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,831 |
| Pueblo High School | Profile | Tucson Unified District (4403) | TUCSON, 85713City: Large | 8–12 | High | 1,831 |
| Cholla High School | Profile | Tucson Unified District (4403) | TUCSON, 85713City: Large | 8–12 | High | 1,760 |
| Flowing Wells High School | Profile | Flowing Wells Unified District (4405) | TUCSON, 85705City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,694 |
| Canyon Del Oro High School | Profile | Amphitheater Unified District (4406) | ORO VALLEY, 85704Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,691 |
| Ironwood Ridge High School | Profile | Amphitheater Unified District (4406) | ORO VALLEY, 85742Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,556 |
| Sahuaro High School | Profile | Tucson Unified District (4403) | TUCSON, 85710City: Large | 8–12 | High | 1,432 |
| Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson | Profile | Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson (91137) | CHANDLER, 85286Suburb: Large | KG–8 | Charter | 1,321 |
| Rincon High School | Profile | Tucson Unified District (4403) | TUCSON, 85711City: Large | 8–12 | High | 1,273 |
| Anza Trail | Profile | Sahuarita Unified District (4411) | SAHUARITA, 85629Town: Distant | KG–8 | Primary | 1,223 |
| Amphitheater High School | Profile | Amphitheater Unified District (4406) | TUCSON, 85705City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,163 |
| Mica Mountain High | Profile | Vail Unified District (4413) | Tucson, 85747Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,161 |
| Leman Academy of Excellence | Profile | Leman Academy of Excellence Inc. (92730) | TUCSON, 85743Suburb: Large | KG–8 | Charter | 1,146 |
| Sahuarita High School | Profile | Sahuarita Unified District (4411) | SAHUARITA, 85629Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 1,146 |
Tucson Magnet High School
Tucson Unified District (4403)
TUCSON, 85705 / City: Large
Marana High School
Marana Unified District (4404)
MARANA, 85653 / Rural: Fringe
Sunnyside High School
Sunnyside Unified District (4407)
TUCSON, 85706 / City: Large
Desert View High School
Sunnyside Unified District (4407)
TUCSON, 85706 / City: Large
Cienega High School
Vail Unified District (4413)
VAIL, 85641 / Town: Fringe
Catalina Foothills High School
Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410)
TUCSON, 85718 / Suburb: Large
Mountain View High School
Marana Unified District (4404)
TUCSON, 85742 / Suburb: Large
Pueblo High School
Tucson Unified District (4403)
TUCSON, 85713 / City: Large
Cholla High School
Tucson Unified District (4403)
TUCSON, 85713 / City: Large
Flowing Wells High School
Flowing Wells Unified District (4405)
TUCSON, 85705 / City: Large
Canyon Del Oro High School
Amphitheater Unified District (4406)
ORO VALLEY, 85704 / Suburb: Large
Ironwood Ridge High School
Amphitheater Unified District (4406)
ORO VALLEY, 85742 / Rural: Fringe
Sahuaro High School
Tucson Unified District (4403)
TUCSON, 85710 / City: Large
Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson
Legacy Traditional School - Northwest Tucson (91137)
CHANDLER, 85286 / Suburb: Large
Rincon High School
Tucson Unified District (4403)
TUCSON, 85711 / City: Large
Anza Trail
Sahuarita Unified District (4411)
SAHUARITA, 85629 / Town: Distant
Amphitheater High School
Amphitheater Unified District (4406)
TUCSON, 85705 / City: Large
Mica Mountain High
Vail Unified District (4413)
Tucson, 85747 / Rural: Fringe
Leman Academy of Excellence
Leman Academy of Excellence Inc. (92730)
TUCSON, 85743 / Suburb: Large
Sahuarita High School
Sahuarita Unified District (4411)
SAHUARITA, 85629 / Town: Distant
Additional School Profiles
Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,007
State avg $5,607
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Pima County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Arizona counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Arizona?
How should I read the school score in Pima County?
What is the graduation rate in Pima County?
How much does Pima County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Pima County, Arizona — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Pima County, Arizona?
Pima County operates a robust system of 371 public schools serving over 142,000 students. This expansive network is managed by 74 different districts, making it one of the largest educational hubs in the Southwest.
How do schools in Pima County perform academically?
Pima's graduation rate of 71.8% trails both the state average of 81% and the national average of 87%. Per-pupil spending stands at $5,007, trailing the state average and falling well short of the $13,000 national median.
What are the major school districts in Pima County, Arizona?
Tucson Unified District dominates the landscape with 41,511 students enrolled in 90 different schools. Charter schools are highly prevalent here, making up 23.5% of all schools and providing diverse options for local families.
What is the school experience like in Pima County?
Most students attend one of the 215 schools located in city centers, where campuses like Tucson Magnet High serve over 3,100 students. The average school size is 440, though the county maintains a mix of large suburban high schools and smaller urban charters.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.