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

50/100

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
Catron County60/100
De Baca County60/100
Harding County60/100
Mora County58/100
Guadalupe County58/100
Los Alamos County57/100
Hidalgo County54/100
Sierra County54/100
Colfax County53/100
Union County53/100
Grant County51/100
Lincoln County51/100
Lea County50/100
Sandoval County50/100
Roosevelt County50/100
McKinley County49/100
Doña Ana County49/100
Quay County48/100
Torrance County48/100
Otero County48/100
San Miguel County48/100
Taos County47/100
San Juan County46/100
Luna County46/100
Bernalillo County46/100
Chaves County45/100
Valencia County45/100
Cibola County45/100
Santa Fe County45/100
Socorro County45/100
Eddy County43/100
Rio Arriba County43/100
Curry County42/100

— = data pending from NCES pipeline.

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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.

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