schoolsbycounty

New Mexico Schools & Education

School quality and education data for all 33 counties.

Avg Graduation Rate

79.0%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$7,957

Avg School Score

33/100

Total Schools

888

150 districts

State Overview

About Schools in New Mexico

New Mexico Struggles Below National Education Benchmarks

New Mexico's 79% average graduation rate trails the national average of 87% by a significant margin. The state spends an average of $7,957 per pupil, which is roughly 38% less than the national benchmark of $13,000 per student.

Massive Performance Gaps Across 33 Counties

Educational outcomes vary wildly across the state's 33 counties, ranging from a high graduation rate of 93% in Los Alamos to a low of 67.6% in Rio Arriba. While the state average score sits near the national median at 49.8, individual county scores fluctuate between 60.2 and 41.9.

Low Spending Correlates With Lagging Outcomes

With a statewide average investment of $7,957 per student, New Mexico struggles to match national graduation benchmarks. Resource distribution remains uneven, as Catron County invests $13,747 per student while Valencia County operates on just $5,895.

Rural Counties Lead in Overall Performance Scores

Catron County takes the top spot with a score of 60.2, supported by the state's highest per-pupil investment. De Baca and Harding counties follow closely, with De Baca achieving an impressive 90% graduation rate despite more modest spending.

Look to High-Investment Districts for Success

New Mexico faces systemic challenges with graduation rates and spending levels that fall well below national norms. Families seeking the best educational results should prioritize high-performing districts in Los Alamos, Catron, or De Baca counties.

All New Mexico Counties

CountySchool Score
De Baca County69/100
Los Alamos County67/100
Mora County65/100
Guadalupe County54/100
Catron County51/100
Harding County51/100
Sierra County48/100
Hidalgo County47/100
Colfax County45/100
Union County43/100
Roosevelt County37/100
Quay County36/100
Lincoln County36/100
McKinley County33/100
Grant County33/100
Taos County30/100
Cibola County29/100
Lea County28/100
Sandoval County28/100
Socorro County27/100
Rio Arriba County24/100
Doña Ana County24/100
San Juan County24/100
Luna County23/100
Bernalillo County23/100
Torrance County22/100
San Miguel County21/100
Chaves County20/100
Otero County19/100
Santa Fe County16/100
Eddy County13/100
Curry County10/100
Valencia County10/100

— = data pending from NCES pipeline.

Looking for homes near top schools in New Mexico?

Zillow lets you filter homes by school ratings in your area.

Search Homes →

Sponsored

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

← Back to All States

Explore more data for New Mexico

Property TaxCost of LivingCrimeIncomeHealthDisaster RiskWater QualityWeatherCounty Score