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
55/100
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.
Top Performing School Counties
All California Counties
— = data pending from NCES pipeline.
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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.