Payne County Schools & Education
Payne County, Oklahoma
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
23/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
86.8%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
86.8%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,017
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,520
School Score
23/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 28/100
State Score Position
#43
of 77 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Payne County
Measured School Summary
Payne County faces educational challenges with a school score of 23/100 and a graduation rate of 86.8%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,017 per pupil, Payne County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 18% below the Oklahoma average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 8% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Payne 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
26 public schools and 7 districts 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
23/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #43 of 77 Oklahoma counties with school score data.
Completion
86.8%
2.5 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,017
$503 below the state average
School coverage
26
7 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Payne County has 26 public schools across 7 districts, 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.
What Payne 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.
Review-carefully county
Payne County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#43
of 77 Oklahoma counties with school score data. The county score is 5 points below 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.
STILLWATER
Elementary to high school visible
6,146 students
9 listed schools in this county slice.
CUSHING
Elementary to high school visible
1,699 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
PERKINS-TRYON
Elementary to high school visible
1,577 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
RIPLEY
Elementary and high visible
444 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
STILLWATER is the largest listed district slice, with 9 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 Payne County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Payne County district systems?
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?
Education Overview
About Schools in Payne County, Oklahoma
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Robust Hub of Public Education
Payne County boasts a comprehensive education system with 26 public schools serving 10,725 students across 7 districts. The infrastructure includes 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 6 high schools, plus two specialized campuses. This diverse landscape supports a large student population within both vibrant towns and rural stretches.
Stillwater District Drives County Growth
Stillwater is the county's educational powerhouse, enrolling 6,146 students across 9 schools. Cushing and Perkins-Tryon follow as significant districts, serving 1,699 and 1,577 students respectively. Traditional public schools represent 100% of the local options, as no charter schools currently operate in the county.
Vibrant Campuses with Diverse Settings
Schools in Payne County are notably large for the region, averaging 413 students per campus. Stillwater High School is the largest by far, with 1,317 students, creating a bustling, high-resource environment. While 16 schools are in rural settings, the 10 town-based schools host the majority of the student population, providing a distinct suburban-collegiate feel.
School Overview
Total Schools
26
in Payne County
Reported Enrollment
10,725
26 schools reporting
School Districts
7
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
7 School Districts in Payne County
STILLWATER
GuideCUSHING
PERKINS-TRYON
RIPLEY
YALE
GLENCOE
OAK GROVE
26 Public Schools in Payne County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 26 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STILLWATER HS | Profile | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74075Town: Distant | 10–12 | High | 1,317 |
| STILLWATER MS | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74074Town: Distant | 6–7 | Middle | 932 |
| STILLWATER JHS | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74075Town: Distant | 8–9 | Other | 884 |
| WESTWOOD ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74074Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 655 |
| HIGHLAND PARK ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74074Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 561 |
| CUSHING HS | Record | CUSHING | Cushing, 74023Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 530 |
| SANGRE RIDGE ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74074Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 529 |
| WILL ROGERS ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74075Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 506 |
| CUSHING MS | Record | CUSHING | Cushing, 74023Rural: Fringe | 5–8 | Middle | 470 |
| PERKINS-TRYON HS | Record | PERKINS-TRYON | PERKINS, 74059Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 455 |
| PERKINS-TRYON ES | Record | PERKINS-TRYON | PERKINS, 74059Rural: Distant | PK–2 | Primary | 442 |
| SKYLINE ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74075Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 418 |
| CUSHING UPPER ES | Record | CUSHING | Cushing, 74023Town: Distant | 2–4 | Primary | 365 |
| PERKINS-TRYON MS | Record | PERKINS-TRYON | PERKINS, 74059Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 356 |
| RICHMOND ES | Record | STILLWATER | Stillwater, 74075Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 344 |
| PERKINS-TRYON INTERMEDIATE ES | Record | PERKINS-TRYON | PERKINS, 74059Rural: Distant | 3–5 | Primary | 324 |
| RIPLEY ES | Record | RIPLEY | Ripley, 74062Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 301 |
| CUSHING LOWER ES | Record | CUSHING | Cushing, 74023Rural: Fringe | KG–1 | Primary | 249 |
| GLENCOE ES | Record | GLENCOE | Glencoe, 74032Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 242 |
| OAK GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOL | Record | OAK GROVE | Cushing, 74023Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 171 |
STILLWATER HS
STILLWATER
Stillwater, 74075 / Town: Distant
PERKINS-TRYON INTERMEDIATE ES
PERKINS-TRYON
PERKINS, 74059 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,017
State avg $6,520
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Payne County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Oklahoma counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Oklahoma?
How should I read the school score in Payne County?
What is the graduation rate in Payne County?
How much does Payne County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Payne County, Oklahoma — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Payne County, Oklahoma?
Payne County boasts a comprehensive education system with 26 public schools serving 10,725 students across 7 districts. The infrastructure includes 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 6 high schools, plus two specialized campuses. This diverse landscape supports a large student population within both vibrant towns and rural stretches.
What are the major school districts in Payne County, Oklahoma?
Stillwater is the county's educational powerhouse, enrolling 6,146 students across 9 schools. Cushing and Perkins-Tryon follow as significant districts, serving 1,699 and 1,577 students respectively. Traditional public schools represent 100% of the local options, as no charter schools currently operate in the county.
What is the school experience like in Payne County?
Schools in Payne County are notably large for the region, averaging 413 students per campus. Stillwater High School is the largest by far, with 1,317 students, creating a bustling, high-resource environment. While 16 schools are in rural settings, the 10 town-based schools host the majority of the student population, providing a distinct suburban-collegiate feel.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.