South Carolina Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 46 counties.

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

Avg Graduation Rate

84.2%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$7,165

Avg School Score

33/100

Total Schools

1,236

90 districts

State Overview

About Schools in South Carolina

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

Lean Funding Challenges Graduation Goals

South Carolina reports an average graduation rate of 84.2%, trailing the national average of 87.0%. The state operates with a lean budget, spending only $7,165 per pupil compared to the $13,000 national benchmark.

A State of Sharp Performance Gaps

Across 46 counties, graduation rates fluctuate drastically from a high of 92.0% in Lee County to a low of 67.3% in Richland County. School scores mirror this volatility, with the top-performing county outscoring the lowest by nearly 16 points.

Stretching the Dollar for Student Success

The state struggles with a massive spending range, as Fairfield County invests $11,084 per student while Dillon County spends just $5,650. Despite these disparities, the state average school score of 50.8 remains slightly above the national median of 50.0.

Fairfield and Darlington Lead the Pack

Fairfield County holds the top school score of 60.8, supported by the state's highest per-pupil investment. Meanwhile, Darlington County proves highly efficient, securing a 91.1% graduation rate with a more modest budget of $7,295.

Mixed Results Amidst Limited Resources

South Carolina delivers school performance that meets national medians despite spending nearly 45% less than the typical U.S. school district. Families find the strongest academic outcomes in Fairfield and Darlington, where graduation rates consistently exceed 87%.

State Score Context

How South Carolina Counties Are Distributed

46 of 46 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

100%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Highest Measured School Signals

Fairfield County

63/100

School score

Darlington County

53/100

School score

Aiken County

51/100

School score

Beaufort County

51/100

School score

Bamberg County

48/100

School score

Lowest Measured School Signals

#1 lowest

Marlboro County

11/100

School score

#2 lowest

Sumter County

14/100

School score

#3 lowest

Dillon County

14/100

School score

#4 lowest

Berkeley County

15/100

School score

#5 lowest

Saluda County

15/100

School score

All South Carolina Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for South Carolina.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Fairfield County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $11,084	63/100	87.0%	$11,084
Darlington County Graduation 91.1% Per pupil $7,295	53/100	91.1%	$7,295
Aiken County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $7,209	51/100	91.0%	$7,209
Beaufort County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $8,656	51/100	86.0%	$8,656
Bamberg County Graduation 86.1% Per pupil $8,239	48/100	86.1%	$8,239
Dorchester County Graduation 91.1% Per pupil $6,873	47/100	91.1%	$6,873
Allendale County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,852	47/100	87.0%	$7,852
Calhoun County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,827	47/100	87.0%	$7,827
Richland County Graduation 67.3% Per pupil $10,146	44/100	67.3%	$10,146
Hampton County Graduation 83.3% Per pupil $8,378	44/100	83.3%	$8,378
York County Graduation 89.7% Per pupil $7,031	44/100	89.7%	$7,031
Charleston County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $7,500	43/100	87.0%	$7,500
Oconee County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $7,717	43/100	86.0%	$7,717
Spartanburg County Graduation 87.6% Per pupil $7,232	41/100	87.6%	$7,232
Georgetown County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $7,161	41/100	88.0%	$7,161
McCormick County Graduation 74.0% Per pupil $8,932	40/100	74.0%	$8,932
Lee County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,736	38/100	92.0%	$5,736
Marion County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $6,692	37/100	89.0%	$6,692
Newberry County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $7,575	37/100	84.0%	$7,575
Williamsburg County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $7,571	37/100	84.0%	$7,571
Abbeville County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $7,228	36/100	86.0%	$7,228
Edgefield County Graduation 85.0% Per pupil $7,273	35/100	85.0%	$7,273
Cherokee County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $7,483	33/100	82.0%	$7,483
Clarendon County Graduation 86.3% Per pupil $6,865	32/100	86.3%	$6,865
Laurens County Graduation 78.4% Per pupil $7,672	32/100	78.4%	$7,672
Horry County Graduation 83.0% Per pupil $7,290	32/100	83.0%	$7,290
Florence County Graduation 83.1% Per pupil $7,285	32/100	83.1%	$7,285
Anderson County Graduation 87.8% Per pupil $6,401	31/100	87.8%	$6,401
Chesterfield County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $6,554	30/100	87.0%	$6,554
Barnwell County Graduation 82.4% Per pupil $7,189	30/100	82.4%	$7,189
Greenwood County Graduation 83.9% Per pupil $6,929	28/100	83.9%	$6,929
Greenville County Graduation 86.2% Per pupil $6,525	28/100	86.2%	$6,525
Pickens County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $6,088	28/100	88.0%	$6,088
Kershaw County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $6,467	27/100	86.0%	$6,467
Lexington County Graduation 74.1% Per pupil $7,338	25/100	74.1%	$7,338
Lancaster County Graduation 86.0% Per pupil $6,308	25/100	86.0%	$6,308
Orangeburg County Graduation 79.0% Per pupil $6,724	20/100	79.0%	$6,724
Chester County Graduation 83.0% Per pupil $6,311	19/100	83.0%	$6,311
Colleton County Graduation 78.0% Per pupil $6,660	19/100	78.0%	$6,660
Union County Graduation 77.0% Per pupil $6,513	17/100	77.0%	$6,513
Jasper County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $6,202	17/100	82.0%	$6,202
Saluda County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $6,071	15/100	82.0%	$6,071
Berkeley County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $5,757	15/100	84.0%	$5,757
Dillon County Graduation 84.2% Per pupil $5,650	14/100	84.2%	$5,650
Sumter County Graduation 81.0% Per pupil $6,096	14/100	81.0%	$6,096
Marlboro County Graduation 78.0% Per pupil $6,011	11/100	78.0%	$6,011

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in South Carolina

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About South Carolina Schools

Which South Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?

Lee County (92.0%), Darlington County (91.1%), and Dorchester County (91.1%) currently lead South Carolina 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 South Carolina?

Across South Carolina counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,165. The highest current county values are Fairfield County ($11,084), Richland County ($10,146), and McCormick County ($8,932). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

Which South Carolina county has the strongest measured school score?

Fairfield County has the highest school score in South Carolina with a score of 63/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in South Carolina?

The average high school graduation rate across South Carolina counties is 84.2%, based on NCES data.

Which county in South Carolina has the lowest school score?

Marlboro County has the lowest school score in South Carolina with a score of 11/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

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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