schoolsbycounty

Cumberland County Schools & Education

School Score

78/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

93.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 90.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,120

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,336

School Score

78/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

#25

of 67 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cumberland County

Measured School Summary

Cumberland County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 78/100 and a graduation rate of 93.2%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Cumberland County spends $9,120 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 9% above the Pennsylvania average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cumberland 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

57 public schools and 9 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

78/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #25 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data.

Completion

93.2%

2.9 pts above the state average

Funding context

$9,120

$1,216 below the state average

School coverage

57

9 districts 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

Cumberland County has 57 public schools across 9 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.

Parent decision brief

What Cumberland 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.

Large multi-district county

Cumberland County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#25

of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data. The county score is 6 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.

Cumberland Valley SD

Elementary to high school visible

10,003 students

Elementary 8Middle 2High 1Other 0

11 listed schools in this county slice.

Carlisle Area SD

Elementary to high school visible

4,977 students

Elementary 7Middle 2High 1Other 0

10 listed schools in this county slice.

Mechanicsburg Area SD

Elementary to high school visible

4,476 students

Elementary 6Middle 1High 1Other 0

8 listed schools in this county slice.

East Pennsboro Area SD

Elementary to high school visible

2,470 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Cumberland Valley SD is the largest listed district slice, with 11 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 Cumberland County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cumberland 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?

Data Story

Large enrollment centers characterize Cumberland County public schools

Education data brief for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor
Lead metric:District structure

Cumberland County is notable for its large student populations, with Cumberland Valley High School alone enrolling 3,035 students. This contributes to a total county enrollment of 33,071 students across 57 schools. The county maintains a graduation rate of 93.2%, which exceeds the state average of 90.3% and the national average of 87.0%. However, per-pupil expenditure is $9,120, trailing both the state ($10,336) and national ($13,000) spending averages. The composite school score of 78.3 is higher than the state average of 72.0. Geographically, the county is heavily suburban, with 36 of its 57 schools holding that designation. There are nine school districts and no charter schools. Cumberland Valley School District is the largest district, managing 11 schools and 10,003 students. Average school size in the county is 580 students. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

School Overview

Total Schools

57

in Cumberland County

Reported Enrollment

33,071

57 schools reporting

School Districts

9

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary37
Middle11
High9
Other0

9 School Districts in Cumberland County

Cumberland Valley SD

Guide
11 schools
10,003 students
Open district guide

Carlisle Area SD

Guide
10 schools
4,977 students
Open district guide

Mechanicsburg Area SD

Guide
8 schools
4,476 students
Open district guide

Shippensburg Area SD

Guide
6 schools
3,529 students
Open district guide

East Pennsboro Area SD

4 schools
2,470 students

Big Spring SD

5 schools
2,410 students

South Middleton SD

4 schools
2,167 students

Camp Hill SD

4 schools
1,196 students

Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center

1 school
16 students

57 Public Schools in Cumberland County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 8 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 20 of 57 matching schools

Cumberland Valley HS

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,035 students

Carlisle Area HS

Carlisle Area SD

Carlisle, 17013 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,578 students

Mountain View MS

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,378 students

Mechanicsburg Area SHS

Mechanicsburg Area SD

Mechanicsburg, 17055 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,377 students

Cedar Cliff HS

West Shore SD

Camp Hill, 17011 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,353 students

Mechanicsburg MS

Mechanicsburg Area SD

Mechanicsburg, 17055 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,047 students

Eagle View MS

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,021 students

Winding Creek El Sch

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–5Primary999 students

Boiling Springs HS

South Middleton SD

Boiling Springs, 17007 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High777 students

East Pennsboro Area SHS

East Pennsboro Area SD

Enola, 17025 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High761 students

Big Spring HS

Big Spring SD

Newville, 17241 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High739 students

Elmwood Academy

Mechanicsburg Area SD

Mechanicsburg, 17055 / Suburb: Large

Record4–5Primary707 students

Big Spring MS

Big Spring SD

Newville, 17241 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle593 students

East Pennsboro El Sch

East Pennsboro Area SD

Enola, 17025 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary588 students

Wilson MS

Carlisle Area SD

Carlisle, 17013 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle577 students

East Pennsboro Area MS

East Pennsboro Area SD

Enola, 17025 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle563 students

West Creek Hills El Sch

East Pennsboro Area SD

Camp Hill, 17011 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary558 students

Green Ridge El Sch

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary554 students

Sporting Hill El Sch

Cumberland Valley SD

Mechanicsburg, 17050 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary554 students

New Cumberland MS

West Shore SD

New Cumberland, 17070 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle549 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,120

State avg $10,336

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cumberland 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 Pennsylvania counties have the highest graduation rates?
Montour County (97.0%), Wyoming County (97.0%), and Wayne County (95.8%) currently lead Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Across Pennsylvania counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $10,336. The highest current county values are Forest County ($14,731), Wayne County ($14,055), and Pike County ($13,711). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Cumberland County?
Cumberland County has a school score of 78/100, 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 Cumberland County?
The high school graduation rate in Cumberland County is 93.2%, 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 Cumberland County spend per student?
Cumberland County spends $9,120 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

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed 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.