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

No. Use the Cecil 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 Cecil 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 Cecil County?

Start with the 29 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Cecil County Schools & Education

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

Cecil County, Maryland

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

School Score

82/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$10,187

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,395

School Score

82/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

of 24 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cecil County

Measured School Summary

Cecil County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 82/100 and a graduation rate of 93.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Cecil County spends $10,187 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 14% above the Maryland average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cecil 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

29 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

82/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #7 of 24 Maryland counties with school score data.

Completion

93.0%

3.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$10,187

$208 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

Cecil County has 29 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 Cecil 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

Cecil County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 29 of 29 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 10 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.

Cecil County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

15,047 students

Elementary 17Middle 6High 5Other 1

29 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Cecil County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 29 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 Cecil 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

Cecil County Graduation Rate Outpaces State and National Norms

Education data brief for Cecil County, Maryland.

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

Lead metric:Graduation rate

Cecil County reports a graduation rate of 93.0%, which is significantly higher than the state average of 89.4% and the national average of 87.0%. The county's school score of 82.0 also sits above the state average of 72.1 and the national median of 50.0. The Cecil County Public Schools district serves 15,047 students in 29 schools, with a distribution focused on rural and suburban locales. Elkton High and Rising Sun High are the largest schools, each enrolling exactly 1,106 students. Per-pupil spending is $10,187, slightly below the state average of $10,395 and below the national average of $13,000. The district includes 17 elementary schools and five high schools, with no charter schools in operation. School data is a starting point for research, not a verdict on schools or neighborhoods. Consult the NCES for detailed school-level records.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Cecil County

Reported Enrollment

15,047

29 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary17

Middle6

High5

Other1

1 School District in Cecil County

Cecil County Public Schools

Guide

29 schools

15,047 students enrolled

Open district guide

29 Public Schools in Cecil County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 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 29 matching schools

Public schools in Cecil County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Elkton High	Profile	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,106
Rising Sun High	Profile	Cecil County Public Schools	North East, 21901Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,106
North East High	Profile	Cecil County Public Schools	North East, 21901Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,069
Perryville High	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Perryville, 21903Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	858
North East Middle	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	North East, 21901Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	791
Bohemia Manor High	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Chesapeake City, 21915Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	626
Rising Sun Middle School	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Rising Sun, 21911Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	619
Rising Sun Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Rising Sun, 21911Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	609
North East Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	North East, 21901Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	592
Perryville Middle	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Perryville, 21903Suburb: Midsize	6–8	Middle	557
Elkton Middle	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	523
Thomson Estates Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	481
Gilpin Manor Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	477
Bay View Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	North East, 21901Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	468
Bohemia Manor Middle	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Chesapeake City, 21915Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	436
Holly Hall Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	436
Cecil Manor Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	424
Perryville Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Perryville, 21903Suburb: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	421
Elk Neck Elementary	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	404
Cherry Hill Middle	Record	Cecil County Public Schools	Elkton, 21921Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	401

Elkton High

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,106 students

Rising Sun High

Cecil County Public Schools

North East, 21901 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,106 students

North East High

Cecil County Public Schools

North East, 21901 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,069 students

Perryville High

Cecil County Public Schools

Perryville, 21903 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High858 students

North East Middle

Cecil County Public Schools

North East, 21901 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle791 students

Bohemia Manor High

Cecil County Public Schools

Chesapeake City, 21915 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High626 students

Rising Sun Middle School

Cecil County Public Schools

Rising Sun, 21911 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle619 students

Rising Sun Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Rising Sun, 21911 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary609 students

North East Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

North East, 21901 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary592 students

Perryville Middle

Cecil County Public Schools

Perryville, 21903 / Suburb: Midsize

Record6–8Middle557 students

Elkton Middle

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle523 students

Thomson Estates Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary481 students

Gilpin Manor Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary477 students

Bay View Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

North East, 21901 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary468 students

Bohemia Manor Middle

Cecil County Public Schools

Chesapeake City, 21915 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle436 students

Holly Hall Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary436 students

Cecil Manor Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary424 students

Perryville Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Perryville, 21903 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary421 students

Elk Neck Elementary

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary404 students

Cherry Hill Middle

Cecil County Public Schools

Elkton, 21921 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle401 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$10,187

State avg $10,395

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cecil 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 Cecil County?

Cecil County has a school score of 82/100, 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 Cecil County?

The high school graduation rate in Cecil County is 93.0%, 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 Cecil County spend per student?

Cecil County spends $10,187 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

Calvert County

Maryland

-0 pts

82/100

School score

Charles County

Maryland

+1 pts

83/100

School score

Kent County

Maryland

-3 pts

79/100

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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