Can I use Hillsborough County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Hillsborough County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Hillsborough County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Hillsborough County?

Start with the 305 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Hillsborough County Schools & Education

Name: Hillsborough County, Florida Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Hillsborough County, Florida

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

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,130

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,118

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 36/100

State Score Position

#41

of 67 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hillsborough County

Measured School Summary

Despite a lower school score of 34/100, Hillsborough County maintains a strong graduation rate of 90.0%, suggesting effective student support systems.

Funding Context

At $6,130 per pupil, Hillsborough County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 6% below the Florida average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hillsborough 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

305 public schools and 1 district 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

34/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #41 of 67 Florida counties with school score data.

Completion

90.0%

0.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,130

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

305

1 district 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

Hillsborough County has 305 public schools across 1 district, 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Hillsborough 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.

Dominant-district county

HILLSBOROUGH carries most of the listed public-school system, with 306 of 305 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#41

of 67 Florida counties with school score data. The county score is 2 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.

HILLSBOROUGH

Elementary to high school visible

224,384 students

Elementary 182Middle 44High 53Other 26

305 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

HILLSBOROUGH is the largest listed district slice, with 306 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 Hillsborough County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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 Hillsborough County, Florida

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.

One of Florida's Largest Education Systems

Hillsborough County manages a massive network of 305 public schools serving 224,384 students. The infrastructure is extensive, featuring 182 elementary schools, 44 middle schools, and 53 high schools. This scale allows for a wide variety of specialized programs and diverse educational pathways across the Tampa metro area.

Innovation Through Extensive Charter Options

The Hillsborough district is notable for its 55 charter schools, representing 18% of all public campuses in the county. While the district-run Jule F. Sumner High School is a giant with 3,827 students, the Florida Connections Academy charter also serves over 5,100 students. This blend of traditional and charter options provides families with numerous choices for their children's education.

Suburban Life with Large-Scale Campuses

Hillsborough is primarily a suburban district, with 177 schools located in residential suburbs and 102 in city centers. Average school size is 750 students, but high schools like Newsome and Alonso often exceed 2,700 students. The environment ranges from intimate urban elementary schools to sprawling, high-energy secondary campuses.

School Overview

Total Schools

305

in Hillsborough County

Reported Enrollment

224,384

305 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

18% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary182

Middle44

High53

Other26

1 School District in Hillsborough County

HILLSBOROUGH

Guide

306 schools

224,384 students enrolled

Open district guide

305 Public Schools in Hillsborough County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 66 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 305 matching schools

Public schools in Hillsborough County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
FLORIDA CONNECTIONS ACADEMY	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33610Suburb: Large	KG–12	CharterVirtual	5,126
JULE F SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	RIVERVIEW, 33579Rural: Fringe	7–12	High	3,827
NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	LITHIA, 33547Suburb: Large	9–12	High	3,203
ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33635Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,795
RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	RIVERVIEW, 33569Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,599
DURANT HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	PLANT CITY, 33567Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,589
STRAWBERRY CREST HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	DOVER, 33527Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,558
PLANT HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33629City: Large	9–12	High	2,507
STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	LUTZ, 33558Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,475
PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	PLANT CITY, 33563Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,474
LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	RUSKIN, 33570Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,404
ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	SEFFNER, 33584Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,400
SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33626Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,368
BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	VALRICO, 33596Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,304
WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33647Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,289
GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33618Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,123
LETO HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33614Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,062
TAMPA BAY TECH HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33610Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,015
EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	GIBSONTON, 33534Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,995
HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HILLSBOROUGH	TAMPA, 33603City: Large	9–12	High	1,891

FLORIDA CONNECTIONS ACADEMY

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33610 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12CharterVirtual5,126 students

JULE F SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

RIVERVIEW, 33579 / Rural: Fringe

Profile7–12High3,827 students

NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

LITHIA, 33547 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,203 students

ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33635 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,795 students

RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

RIVERVIEW, 33569 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,599 students

DURANT HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

PLANT CITY, 33567 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,589 students

STRAWBERRY CREST HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

DOVER, 33527 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,558 students

PLANT HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33629 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,507 students

STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

LUTZ, 33558 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,475 students

PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

PLANT CITY, 33563 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,474 students

LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

RUSKIN, 33570 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,404 students

ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

SEFFNER, 33584 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,400 students

SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33626 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,368 students

BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

VALRICO, 33596 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,304 students

WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33647 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,289 students

GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33618 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,123 students

LETO HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33614 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,062 students

TAMPA BAY TECH HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33610 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,015 students

EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

GIBSONTON, 33534 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,995 students

HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

HILLSBOROUGH

TAMPA, 33603 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,891 students

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.

46 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,130

State avg $6,118

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hillsborough County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Florida counties have the highest graduation rates?

Lafayette County (97.0%), Columbia County (96.0%), and Seminole County (95.0%) currently lead Florida 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 Florida?

Across Florida counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,118. The highest current county values are Monroe County ($9,238), Jefferson County ($9,157), and Franklin County ($7,953). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Hillsborough County?

Hillsborough County has a school score of 34/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Hillsborough County?

The high school graduation rate in Hillsborough County is 90.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Hillsborough County spend per student?

Hillsborough County spends $6,130 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Hillsborough County, Florida — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Hillsborough County, Florida?

What are the major school districts in Hillsborough County, Florida?

What is the school experience like in Hillsborough County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Osceola County

Florida

+0 pts

34/100

School score

Polk County

Florida

-0 pts

34/100

School score

Gulf County

Florida

-1 pts

34/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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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