schoolsbycounty

California Schools & Education

School quality and education data for all 58 counties.

Avg Graduation Rate

87.5%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$8,762

Avg School Score

56/100

Total Schools

10,324

2,050 districts

State Overview

About Schools in California

California Matches Graduation Benchmarks with Leaner Budgets

California's average graduation rate of 87.5% slightly edges out the national average of 87.0%. Despite this competitive performance, the state spends just $8,762 per pupil, significantly trailing the national benchmark of $13,000.

Massive Variation Across 57 Educational Jurisdictions

Education quality fluctuates wildly across the state, with school scores ranging from a high of 86.6 to a low of 48.9. While Sierra County leads the state with a 95.0% graduation rate, Modoc County struggles at just 74.0%.

High Spending Drives Alpine's Exceptional Results

The state maintains a 56.0 school score average, outperforming the national median of 50.0. While overall state spending is low, Alpine County demonstrates a clear return on investment by spending $23,219 per student to achieve the state's highest school score.

Alpine, Sierra, and Marin Lead the State

Alpine County tops the leaderboard with an 86.6 score, while Sierra County follows with a state-high 95.0% graduation rate. Marin County rounds out the top three, combining a 59.6 score with a moderate $10,425 per-pupil investment.

A Diverse System Rewarding Targeted Investment

California offers a strong educational foundation with scores consistently above the national median despite lower average spending. Families seeking the best outcomes should look toward high-performing pockets like Marin or Sierra County where graduation rates and scores peak.

All California Counties

CountySchool Score
Alpine County87/100
Sierra County61/100
Marin County60/100
San Mateo County59/100
San Francisco County58/100
Santa Barbara County58/100
Humboldt County58/100
Mariposa County58/100
Merced County58/100
Orange County58/100
Riverside County58/100
Napa County58/100
Tulare County58/100
Calaveras County57/100
Butte County57/100
Mono County57/100
Tehama County57/100
San Luis Obispo County57/100
Imperial County57/100
Glenn County57/100
Del Norte County56/100
Inyo County56/100
Nevada County56/100
Colusa County56/100
Kings County56/100
El Dorado County56/100
Los Angeles County56/100
San Diego County56/100
Alameda County56/100
Monterey County56/100
Placer County56/100
Fresno County55/100
Sacramento County55/100
Santa Clara County55/100
Ventura County55/100
Contra Costa County55/100
Shasta County55/100
Trinity County55/100
Yolo County55/100
Madera County55/100
Stanislaus County55/100
Tuolumne County55/100
San Bernardino County54/100
Sonoma County54/100
Siskiyou County54/100
Kern County54/100
Lassen County54/100
Amador County54/100
Plumas County53/100
Santa Cruz County53/100
Solano County53/100
Sutter County53/100
Yuba County53/100
Mendocino County52/100
San Benito County52/100
San Joaquin County51/100
Lake County49/100
Modoc County49/100

— = data pending from NCES pipeline.

Looking for homes near top schools in California?

Zillow lets you filter homes by school ratings in your area.

Search Homes →

Sponsored

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics.

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

← Back to All States

Explore more data for California

Property TaxCost of LivingComing SoonCrimeIncomeComing SoonHealthRiskWaterWeatherCounty Score