schoolsbycounty

Maryland Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 24 counties.

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

Avg Graduation Rate

89.4%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$10,395

Avg School Score

72/100

Total Schools

1,410

25 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Maryland

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.

Maryland Education Outpaces National Performance Benchmarks

Maryland achieves an impressive 89.4% average graduation rate, surpassing the national average of 87.0%. Despite spending $10,395 per pupil—roughly $2,600 less than the national median—the state maintains a 60.6 average school score, well above the 50.0 national benchmark.

A Wide Performance Gap Across 24 Districts

While Maryland's 24 school districts average a high score, significant disparities exist between the highest and lowest performers. Graduation rates fluctuate from a peak of 96.0% in Calvert County to a low of 70.1% in Baltimore City, illustrating a 25.9-point gap in student outcomes.

High Efficiency and Strong Returns on Investment

Maryland yields strong academic results relative to its $10,395 average per-pupil expenditure. Calvert County stands out for its efficiency, securing the state's highest graduation rate of 96.0% despite having the lowest spending per student at just $8,446.

Worcester, Howard, and Talbot Lead the State

Worcester County claims the top spot with a 68.8 school score and a 95.0% graduation rate supported by the state's highest per-pupil investment. Howard and Talbot counties follow closely, both delivering scores above 63.0 and maintaining graduation rates of at least 93.0%.

State Score Context

How Maryland Counties Are Distributed

24 of 24 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

14

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

10

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

0

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

All Maryland Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Maryland.
CountySchool Score
Worcester County
Graduation
95.0%
Per pupil
$12,869
92/100
Talbot County
Graduation
96.0%
Per pupil
$10,053
90/100
Carroll County
Graduation
96.0%
Per pupil
$9,986
90/100
Queen Anne's County
Graduation
96.0%
Per pupil
$9,623
88/100
Howard County
Graduation
93.0%
Per pupil
$11,715
85/100
Charles County
Graduation
94.0%
Per pupil
$9,564
83/100
Cecil County
Graduation
93.0%
Per pupil
$10,187
82/100
Calvert County
Graduation
96.0%
Per pupil
$8,446
82/100
Kent County
Graduation
92.0%
Per pupil
$10,991
79/100
Allegany County
Graduation
92.0%
Per pupil
$10,808
79/100
Frederick County
Graduation
92.0%
Per pupil
$9,495
75/100
Garrett County
Graduation
92.0%
Per pupil
$9,479
75/100
Washington County
Graduation
91.0%
Per pupil
$10,273
73/100
St. Mary's County
Graduation
92.0%
Per pupil
$9,045
73/100
Montgomery County
Graduation
89.0%
Per pupil
$11,714
69/100
Harford County
Graduation
90.0%
Per pupil
$9,357
66/100
Anne Arundel County
Graduation
89.0%
Per pupil
$10,039
66/100
Baltimore County
Graduation
89.0%
Per pupil
$9,944
65/100
Caroline County
Graduation
88.0%
Per pupil
$9,952
63/100
Wicomico County
Graduation
84.0%
Per pupil
$10,472
55/100
Somerset County
Graduation
82.0%
Per pupil
$11,870
54/100
Dorchester County
Graduation
79.0%
Per pupil
$10,998
51/100
Prince George's County
Graduation
76.0%
Per pupil
$10,864
49/100
Baltimore city
Graduation
70.1%
Per pupil
$11,733
48/100

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Maryland

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

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Maryland Schools

Which Maryland counties have the highest graduation rates?
Calvert County (96.0%), Carroll County (96.0%), and Queen Anne's County (96.0%) currently lead Maryland 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 Maryland?
Across Maryland counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $10,395. The highest current county values are Worcester County ($12,869), Somerset County ($11,870), and Baltimore city ($11,733). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
Which Maryland county has the strongest measured school score?
Worcester County has the highest school score in Maryland with a score of 92/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.
What is the average graduation rate in Maryland?
The average high school graduation rate across Maryland counties is 89.4%, based on NCES data.
Which county in Maryland has the lowest school score?
Baltimore city has the lowest school score in Maryland with a score of 48/100. 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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