schoolsbycounty

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.

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

0

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

16

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

30

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

Best school counties

Best Counties for Public School Research in South Carolina

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in South Carolina, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.

Short answer for South Carolina

Fairfield County is the strongest county-level starting point in South Carolina by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 63/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

46 of 46 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.

State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $7,165.

Top measured county school signals

Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.

1Fairfield CountyGraduation 87.0% · Spending $11,08463/1002Darlington CountyGraduation 91.1% · Spending $7,29553/1003Aiken CountyGraduation 91.0% · Spending $7,20951/1004Beaufort CountyGraduation 86.0% · Spending $8,65651/1005Bamberg CountyGraduation 86.1% · Spending $8,23948/1006Dorchester CountyGraduation 91.1% · Spending $6,87347/1007Allendale CountyGraduation 87.0% · Spending $7,85247/100
Graduation-focused starting point

Lee County

92.0%

Lee County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in South Carolina. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.

Funding context to inspect

Fairfield County

$11,084

Fairfield County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.

Counties to research carefully

Marlboro County

11/100

Marlboro County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in South Carolina. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.

District research

Compare South Carolina public school districts before narrowing by address

South Carolina has 90 public school district records and 1,236 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.

View District Rankings

All South Carolina Counties

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

— = 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.
What are the best school counties in South Carolina?
Fairfield County, Darlington County, Aiken County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in South Carolina, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.
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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