schoolsbycounty

Maine Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 16 counties.

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

Avg Graduation Rate

86.1%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$9,738

Avg School Score

57/100

Total Schools

597

214 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Maine

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.

Maine Delivers High Performance on Lean Budgets

Maine’s 86.1% graduation rate sits slightly below the 87.0% national average, but the state achieves this with much leaner funding. While the national average per-pupil spend is $13,000, Maine invests just $9,738 per student. Despite the lower budget, Maine's average school score of 57.4 comfortably beats the national median of 50.0.

A Broad Spectrum of Performance Across 16 Counties

Comprehensive data across all 16 counties shows graduation rates fluctuating from a low of 79.7% in Androscoggin to a high of 91.6% in Knox. School scores also vary significantly, ranging from 52.1 to 63.8. These disparities reflect a diverse educational landscape where geography often dictates student outcomes.

Knox and Cumberland Set the State Benchmark

Knox County leads the state with a 63.8 school score and the highest graduation rate at 91.6%, fueled by an $11,353 per-pupil investment. Cumberland and Hancock counties follow closely, both surpassing the 87% graduation mark with school scores above 60.0. These three counties represent the peak of Maine's academic performance and financial commitment.

State Score Context

How Maine Counties Are Distributed

16 of 16 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

2

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

13

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

1

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

All Maine Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Maine.
CountySchool Score
Knox County
Graduation
91.6%
Per pupil
$11,353
78/100
Cumberland County
Graduation
90.1%
Per pupil
$10,990
73/100
York County
Graduation
89.2%
Per pupil
$9,635
65/100
Hancock County
Graduation
87.8%
Per pupil
$10,674
64/100
Franklin County
Graduation
88.2%
Per pupil
$9,671
62/100
Sagadahoc County
Graduation
84.7%
Per pupil
$10,765
57/100
Waldo County
Graduation
84.6%
Per pupil
$10,669
57/100
Penobscot County
Graduation
86.1%
Per pupil
$9,382
55/100
Washington County
Graduation
83.6%
Per pupil
$10,659
55/100
Somerset County
Graduation
84.5%
Per pupil
$9,767
54/100
Kennebec County
Graduation
85.9%
Per pupil
$9,204
54/100
Lincoln County
Graduation
85.3%
Per pupil
$8,909
51/100
Oxford County
Graduation
85.1%
Per pupil
$8,692
50/100
Aroostook County
Graduation
84.4%
Per pupil
$8,860
49/100
Androscoggin County
Graduation
79.7%
Per pupil
$9,457
46/100
Piscataquis County
Graduation
86.7%
Per pupil
$7,127
36/100

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Maine

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Maine Schools

Which Maine counties have the highest graduation rates?
Knox County (91.6%), Cumberland County (90.1%), and York County (89.2%) currently lead Maine 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 Maine?
Across Maine counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,738. The highest current county values are Knox County ($11,353), Cumberland County ($10,990), and Sagadahoc County ($10,765). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
Which Maine county has the strongest measured school score?
Knox County has the highest school score in Maine with a score of 78/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.
What is the average graduation rate in Maine?
The average high school graduation rate across Maine counties is 86.1%, based on NCES data.
Which county in Maine has the lowest school score?
Piscataquis County has the lowest school score in Maine with a score of 36/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

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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