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

No. Use the Dauphin 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 Dauphin 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 Dauphin County?

Start with the 73 listed public schools and 18 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Dauphin County Schools & Education

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

Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

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

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

76.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

76.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 90.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,874

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,336

School Score

41/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 72/100

State Score Position

#66

of 67 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dauphin County

Measured School Summary

Dauphin County has midrange measured school signals (score: 41/100) with a graduation rate of 76.2%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Dauphin County spends $8,874 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 43% below the Pennsylvania average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 14.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dauphin 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

73 public schools and 18 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

41/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #66 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data.

Completion

76.2%

14.1 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,874

$1,462 below the state average

School coverage

18 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dauphin County has 73 public schools across 18 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Dauphin 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

Dauphin 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

#66

of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data. The county score is 31 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.

Commonwealth Charter Academy CS

Other grade structure

20,355 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Central Dauphin SD

Elementary to high school visible

12,393 students

Elementary 13Middle 4High 2Other 0

19 listed schools in this county slice.

Reach Cyber CS

Other grade structure

6,918 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

Harrisburg City SD

Elementary to high school visible

6,267 students

Elementary 5Middle 4High 2Other 1

12 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Central Dauphin SD is the largest listed district slice, with 19 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 Dauphin County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dauphin County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

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 Large and Diverse Educational Hub

Dauphin County hosts 73 public schools across 18 districts, serving a massive 64,486 students. This includes 39 elementary, 15 middle, and 16 high schools, reflecting the county's role as a major regional center.

Central Dauphin and the Charter School Impact

Central Dauphin SD is the largest traditional district with 12,393 students. However, the county also hosts 7 charter schools, including the massive Commonwealth Charter Academy which enrolls over 20,000 students.

Urban and Suburban Learning on a Large Scale

Most schools are in suburban (43) or city (17) settings, with an average enrollment of 883 students. Large campuses like Central Dauphin Senior High serve nearly 2,000 students, offering a broad range of programs and facilities.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Dauphin County

Reported Enrollment

64,486

73 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary39

Middle15

High16

Other3

18 School Districts in Dauphin County

Commonwealth Charter Academy CS

Central Dauphin SD

Reach Cyber CS

Harrisburg City SD

Lower Dauphin SD

Derry Township SD

5 schools

3,151 students

Susquehanna Township SD

4 schools

3,041 students

Middletown Area SD

5 schools

2,361 students

Steelton-Highspire SD

2 schools

1,337 students

Dauphin County Technical School

1 school

1,125 students

73 Public Schools in Dauphin 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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 73 matching schools

Public schools in Dauphin County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Commonwealth Charter Academy CS	Profile	Commonwealth Charter Academy CS	Harrisburg, 17110City: Small	KG–12	CharterVirtual	20,355
Reach Cyber CS	Profile	Reach Cyber CS	Harrisburg, 17111Suburb: Large	KG–12	CharterVirtual	6,918
Central Dauphin SHS	Profile	Central Dauphin SD	Harrisburg, 17112Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,975
Central Dauphin East SHS	Profile	Central Dauphin SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,590
Harrisburg HS	Profile	Harrisburg City SD	Harrisburg, 17103City: Small	9–12	High	1,230
Dauphin County Technical School	Profile	Dauphin County Technical School	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	9–12	Vocational	1,125
Hershey HS	Profile	Derry Township SD	Hershey, 17033Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,093
Lower Dauphin HS	Profile	Lower Dauphin SD	Hummelstown, 17036Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,085
Lower Dauphin MS	Record	Lower Dauphin SD	Hummelstown, 17036Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	883
Central Dauphin MS	Record	Central Dauphin SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	848
Thomas W Holtzman Jr El Sch	Record	Susquehanna Township SD	Harrisburg, 17110Suburb: Large	3–5	Primary	820
Linglestown MS	Record	Central Dauphin SD	Harrisburg, 17112Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	808
Benjamin Franklin Sch	Record	Harrisburg City SD	Harrisburg, 17110City: Small	PK–5	Primary	786
Central Dauphin East MS	Record	Central Dauphin SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	779
Sara Lindemuth El Sch	Record	Susquehanna Township SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	KG–2	Primary	755
Middletown Area HS	Record	Middletown Area SD	Middletown, 17057Suburb: Large	9–12	High	747
Susquehanna Twp HS	Record	Susquehanna Township SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	9–12	High	743
Steelton-Highspire El Sch	Record	Steelton-Highspire SD	Steelton, 17113Suburb: Large	KG–6	Primary	738
Hershey MS	Record	Derry Township SD	Hershey, 17033Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	731
Susquehanna Twp MS	Record	Susquehanna Township SD	Harrisburg, 17109Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	723

Commonwealth Charter Academy CS

Harrisburg, 17110 / City: Small

ProfileKG–12CharterVirtual20,355 students

Reach Cyber CS

Harrisburg, 17111 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12CharterVirtual6,918 students

Central Dauphin SHS

Central Dauphin SD

Harrisburg, 17112 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,975 students

Central Dauphin East SHS

Central Dauphin SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,590 students

Harrisburg HS

Harrisburg City SD

Harrisburg, 17103 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,230 students

Dauphin County Technical School

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12Vocational1,125 students

Hershey HS

Derry Township SD

Hershey, 17033 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,093 students

Lower Dauphin HS

Lower Dauphin SD

Hummelstown, 17036 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,085 students

Lower Dauphin MS

Lower Dauphin SD

Hummelstown, 17036 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle883 students

Central Dauphin MS

Central Dauphin SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle848 students

Thomas W Holtzman Jr El Sch

Susquehanna Township SD

Harrisburg, 17110 / Suburb: Large

Record3–5Primary820 students

Linglestown MS

Central Dauphin SD

Harrisburg, 17112 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle808 students

Benjamin Franklin Sch

Harrisburg City SD

Harrisburg, 17110 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary786 students

Central Dauphin East MS

Central Dauphin SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle779 students

Sara Lindemuth El Sch

Susquehanna Township SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–2Primary755 students

Middletown Area HS

Middletown Area SD

Middletown, 17057 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High747 students

Susquehanna Twp HS

Susquehanna Township SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High743 students

Steelton-Highspire El Sch

Steelton-Highspire SD

Steelton, 17113 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–6Primary738 students

Hershey MS

Derry Township SD

Hershey, 17033 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle731 students

Susquehanna Twp MS

Susquehanna Township SD

Harrisburg, 17109 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle723 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,874

State avg $10,336

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dauphin 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 Dauphin County?

Dauphin County has a school score of 41/100, which is a midrange 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 Dauphin County?

The high school graduation rate in Dauphin County is 76.2%, which is below 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 Dauphin County spend per student?

Dauphin County spends $8,874 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania?

What are the major school districts in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania?

What is the school experience like in Dauphin County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Beaver County

Pennsylvania

+1 pts

43/100

School score

Philadelphia County

Pennsylvania

-8 pts

34/100

School score

Northumberland County

Pennsylvania

+9 pts

51/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 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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