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

No. Use the Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County?

Start with the 77 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Howard County Schools & Education

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

Howard County, Maryland

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

School Score

85/100

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

$11,715

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,395

School Score

85/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

of 24 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Howard County

Measured School Summary

Howard County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 85/100 and a graduation rate of 93.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Howard County spends $11,715 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 18% above the Maryland average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Howard 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

77 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

85/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #5 of 24 Maryland counties with school score data.

Completion

93.0%

3.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$11,715

$1,320 above 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

Howard County has 77 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 Howard 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

Howard County Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 77 of 77 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 13 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.

Howard County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

57,676 students

Elementary 42Middle 20High 13Other 2

77 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Howard County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 77 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 Howard 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

Howard County Reaches High Composite School Score of 84.8

Education data brief for Howard County, Maryland.

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

Lead metric:School score

Howard County's composite school score of 84.8 is the highest among the assessed counties, significantly exceeding the Maryland state average of 72.1 and the national median of 50.0. Howard County Public Schools serves 57,676 students in 77 schools, with Reservoir High being the largest with an enrollment of 1,837. The county’s graduation rate of 93.0% is higher than the state average of 89.4% and the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure in the district is $11,715, which is higher than the state average of $10,395 but below the national average of $13,000. The district includes a mix of 31 suburban, 30 city, 13 rural, and 3 town school locales. No charter schools are included in the 77 public schools reported. 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 Howard County

Reported Enrollment

57,676

77 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary42

Middle20

High13

Other2

1 School District in Howard County

Howard County Public Schools

Guide

77 schools

57,676 students enrolled

Open district guide

77 Public Schools in Howard County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 12 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 77 matching schools

Public schools in Howard County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Reservoir High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Fulton, 20759Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,837
Howard High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21043City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,741
Marriotts Ridge High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Marriottsville, 21104Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,716
Long Reach High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Columbia, 21045City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,714
Mount Hebron High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21042Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,621
Atholton High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Columbia, 21044City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,467
River Hill High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Clarksville, 21029City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,424
Oakland Mills High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Columbia, 21045City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,401
Centennial High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21042Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,392
Wilde Lake High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Columbia, 21044City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,341
Glenelg High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Glenelg, 21737Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,339
Hammond High	Profile	Howard County Public Schools	Columbia, 21046City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,287
Mount View Middle	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Marriottsville, 21104Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	894
Fulton Elementary	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Fulton, 20759Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	879
Veterans Elementary	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21043Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	870
Waverly Elementary	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21042Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	867
Hanover Hills	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Hanover, 21076Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	864
Thomas Viaduct	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Hanover, 21076Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	858
Pointers Run Elementary	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Clarksville, 21029City: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	812
Burleigh Manor Middle School	Record	Howard County Public Schools	Ellicott City, 21042Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	806

Reservoir High

Howard County Public Schools

Fulton, 20759 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,837 students

Howard High

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21043 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,741 students

Marriotts Ridge High

Howard County Public Schools

Marriottsville, 21104 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,716 students

Long Reach High

Howard County Public Schools

Columbia, 21045 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,714 students

Mount Hebron High

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21042 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,621 students

Atholton High

Howard County Public Schools

Columbia, 21044 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,467 students

River Hill High

Howard County Public Schools

Clarksville, 21029 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,424 students

Oakland Mills High

Howard County Public Schools

Columbia, 21045 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,401 students

Centennial High

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21042 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,392 students

Wilde Lake High

Howard County Public Schools

Columbia, 21044 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,341 students

Glenelg High

Howard County Public Schools

Glenelg, 21737 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,339 students

Hammond High

Howard County Public Schools

Columbia, 21046 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,287 students

Mount View Middle

Howard County Public Schools

Marriottsville, 21104 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle894 students

Fulton Elementary

Howard County Public Schools

Fulton, 20759 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary879 students

Veterans Elementary

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21043 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary870 students

Waverly Elementary

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21042 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary867 students

Hanover Hills

Howard County Public Schools

Hanover, 21076 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary864 students

Thomas Viaduct

Howard County Public Schools

Hanover, 21076 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle858 students

Pointers Run Elementary

Howard County Public Schools

Clarksville, 21029 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary812 students

Burleigh Manor Middle School

Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, 21042 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle806 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$11,715

State avg $10,395

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Howard 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 Howard County?

Howard County has a school score of 85/100, 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 Howard County?

The high school graduation rate in Howard 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 Howard County spend per student?

Howard County spends $11,715 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

Charles County

Maryland

-2 pts

83/100

School score

Cecil County

Maryland

-3 pts

82/100

School score

Calvert County

Maryland

-3 pts

82/100

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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