Erie County Schools & Education
Erie County, Pennsylvania
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
55/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
86.1%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
86.1%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 90.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$9,364
National avg $13,239
State avg $10,336
School Score
55/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 72/100
State Score Position
#63
of 67 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Erie County
Measured School Summary
Erie County performs at an average level with a school score of 55/100 and a solid graduation rate of 86.1%.
Funding Context
Erie County spends $9,364 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 23% below the Pennsylvania average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Erie 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
68 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
55/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #63 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data.
Completion
86.1%
4.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$9,364
$972 below the state average
School coverage
68
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
Erie County has 68 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.
What Erie 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
Erie 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
#63
of 67 Pennsylvania counties with school score data. The county score is 17 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.
Erie City SD
Elementary to high school visible
10,061 students
15 listed schools in this county slice.
Millcreek Township SD
Elementary to high school visible
6,356 students
9 listed schools in this county slice.
General McLane SD
Elementary to high school visible
2,106 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Harbor Creek SD
Elementary to high school visible
2,074 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Erie City SD is the largest listed district slice, with 15 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 Erie County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Erie 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?
Data Story
Erie City School District Manages Significant Share of County Enrollment
Education data brief for Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Erie City School District anchors the county education system, enrolling 10,061 students across 15 schools—nearly 30% of the county's total population of 35,548. This centralized urban hub contrasts with a broad regional structure comprising 18 school districts and a mix of suburban, rural, and town locales. Data shows a county graduation rate of 86.1%, which is slightly below the national benchmark of 87.0% and notably lower than the Pennsylvania state average of 90.3%. Financial reporting indicates per-pupil expenditure is $9,364, falling approximately $3,636 below the national average of $13,000. The county’s composite school score of 55.1 is above the national median of 50.0 but remains lower than the state average of 72.0. In addition to the largest district, Millcreek Township SD serves 6,356 students, including those at McDowell High School. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
68
in Erie County
Reported Enrollment
35,548
68 schools reporting
School Districts
18
districts
Charter Schools
4
6% of total
School Level Breakdown
18 School Districts in Erie County
Erie City SD
GuideMillcreek Township SD
GuideGeneral McLane SD
Harbor Creek SD
Fort LeBoeuf SD
Fairview SD
Corry Area SD
Girard SD
North East SD
Wattsburg Area SD
68 Public Schools in Erie County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 68 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie HS | Profile | Erie City SD | Erie, 16508City: Small | 9–12 | High | 2,317 |
| McDowell HS | Profile | Millcreek Township SD | Erie, 16506Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,205 |
| Woodrow Wilson MS | Record | Erie City SD | Erie, 16504City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 756 |
| Northwest PA Collegiate Academy | Record | Erie City SD | Erie, 16508City: Small | 9–12 | High | 753 |
| Strong Vincent MS | Record | Erie City SD | Erie, 16502City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 729 |
| Fairview El Sch | Record | Fairview SD | Fairview, 16415Rural: Fringe | KG–4 | Primary | 717 |
| General McLane HS | Record | General McLane SD | Edinboro, 16412Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 698 |
| Fort LeBoeuf SHS | Record | Fort LeBoeuf SD | Waterford, 16441Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 663 |
| Grandview El Sch | Record | Millcreek Township SD | Erie, 16506Suburb: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 659 |
| East MS | Record | Erie City SD | Erie, 16503City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 654 |
| James W Parker MS | Record | General McLane SD | Edinboro, 16412Rural: Fringe | 5–8 | Middle | 652 |
| Harbor Creek Senior HS | Record | Harbor Creek SD | Harborcreek, 16421Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 614 |
| Corry Area HS | Record | Corry Area SD | Corry, 16407Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 613 |
| Belle Valley El Sch | Record | Millcreek Township SD | Erie, 16509Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 610 |
| Perseus House CS of Excellence | Record | Perseus House CS of Excellence | Erie, 16501City: Small | 6–12 | Charter | 610 |
| Harding Sch | Record | Erie City SD | Erie, 16505City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 590 |
| Fairview HS | Record | Fairview SD | Fairview, 16415Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 588 |
| Montessori Regional CS | Record | Montessori Regional CS | Erie, 16505Suburb: Midsize | KG–8 | Charter | 583 |
| Elk Valley El Sch | Record | Girard SD | Lake City, 16423Suburb: Midsize | PK–4 | Primary | 573 |
| Fairview MS | Record | Fairview SD | Fairview, 16415Rural: Fringe | 5–8 | Middle | 571 |
Erie HS
Erie City SD
Erie, 16508 / City: Small
McDowell HS
Millcreek Township SD
Erie, 16506 / Suburb: Midsize
Perseus House CS of Excellence
Perseus House CS of Excellence
Erie, 16501 / City: Small
Montessori Regional CS
Montessori Regional CS
Erie, 16505 / Suburb: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$9,364
State avg $10,336
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Erie 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 Pennsylvania counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Pennsylvania?
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What is the graduation rate in Erie County?
How much does Erie County spend per student?
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.