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

No. Use the Carroll 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County?

Start with the 44 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Carroll County Schools & Education

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

Carroll County, Maryland

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

School Score

90/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

96.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

96.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,986

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,395

School Score

90/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

of 24 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Carroll County

Measured School Summary

Carroll County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 90/100 and a graduation rate of 96.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Carroll County spends $9,986 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 24% above the Maryland average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 6.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Carroll 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

44 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

90/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #3 of 24 Maryland counties with school score data.

Completion

96.0%

6.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$9,986

$409 below the state average

School coverage

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Carroll County has 44 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 Carroll 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

Carroll County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 44 of 44 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

of 24 Maryland counties with school score data. The county score is 18 points above 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.

Carroll County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

25,787 students

Elementary 23Middle 9High 10Other 2

44 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Carroll County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 44 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 Carroll 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?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Data Story

Carroll County Records Highest Composite School Score in Regional Comparison

Education data brief for Carroll County, Maryland.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:School score

Carroll County achieves a composite school score of 89.5, the highest in this group and significantly higher than the state average of 72.1 and the national median of 50.0. The county also reports a graduation rate of 96.0%, which exceeds the national average of 87.0%. Carroll County Public Schools serves 25,787 students across 44 schools, including 23 elementary and 10 high schools. Westminster High is the largest school in the district, enrolling 1,517 students. Per-pupil expenditure is $9,986, which is lower than the state average of $10,395 and the national average of $13,000. The district features a mix of suburban and rural locales, with 24 schools classified as suburban and 16 as rural. No charter schools operate within the county. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Carroll County

Reported Enrollment

25,787

44 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary23

Middle9

High10

Other2

1 School District in Carroll County

Carroll County Public Schools

Guide

44 schools

25,787 students enrolled

Open district guide

44 Public Schools in Carroll County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 6 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 44 matching schools

Public schools in Carroll County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Westminster High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Westminster, 21157Suburb: Small	9–12	High	1,517
Manchester Valley High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Manchester, 21102Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,359
Century High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,120
Winters Mill High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Westminster, 21157Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,116
Liberty High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Suburb: Small	9–12	High	991
Francis Scott Key High	Profile	Carroll County Public Schools	Union Bridge, 21791Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	944
South Carroll High	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	921
Westminster West Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Westminster, 21157Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	875
Westminster East Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Westminster, 21157Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	767
Linton Springs Elementary	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	748
Sykesville Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	748
Oklahoma Road Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	742
Mount Airy Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Mount Airy, 21771Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	721
Winfield Elementary	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Westminster, 21157Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	678
Manchester Elementary	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Manchester, 21102Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	673
Northwest Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Taneytown, 21787Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	637
Carrolltowne Elementary	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Suburb: Small	PK–5	Primary	629
North Carroll Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Hampstead, 21074Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	622
Freedom District Elementary	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Sykesville, 21784Suburb: Small	KG–5	Primary	617
Shiloh Middle	Record	Carroll County Public Schools	Hampstead, 21074Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	604

Westminster High

Carroll County Public Schools

Westminster, 21157 / Suburb: Small

Profile9–12High1,517 students

Manchester Valley High

Carroll County Public Schools

Manchester, 21102 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,359 students

Century High

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,120 students

Winters Mill High

Carroll County Public Schools

Westminster, 21157 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,116 students

Liberty High

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Suburb: Small

Profile9–12High991 students

Francis Scott Key High

Carroll County Public Schools

Union Bridge, 21791 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High944 students

South Carroll High

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High921 students

Westminster West Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Westminster, 21157 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle875 students

Westminster East Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Westminster, 21157 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle767 students

Linton Springs Elementary

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary748 students

Sykesville Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle748 students

Oklahoma Road Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle742 students

Mount Airy Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Mount Airy, 21771 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle721 students

Winfield Elementary

Carroll County Public Schools

Westminster, 21157 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary678 students

Manchester Elementary

Carroll County Public Schools

Manchester, 21102 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary673 students

Northwest Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Taneytown, 21787 / Town: Fringe

Record6–8Middle637 students

Carrolltowne Elementary

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Suburb: Small

RecordPK–5Primary629 students

North Carroll Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Hampstead, 21074 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle622 students

Freedom District Elementary

Carroll County Public Schools

Sykesville, 21784 / Suburb: Small

RecordKG–5Primary617 students

Shiloh Middle

Carroll County Public Schools

Hampstead, 21074 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle604 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,986

State avg $10,395

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Carroll 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 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.

How should I read the school score in Carroll County?

Carroll County has a school score of 90/100, which is a higher 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 Carroll County?

The high school graduation rate in Carroll County is 96.0%, 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 Carroll County spend per student?

Carroll County spends $9,986 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.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Talbot County

Maryland

+0 pts

90/100

School score

Queen Anne's County

Maryland

-1 pts

88/100

School score

Worcester County

Maryland

+2 pts

92/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 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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