Orangeburg County Schools & Education
Orangeburg County, South Carolina
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
79.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
79.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.2%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,724
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,165
School Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 33/100
State Score Position
#37
of 46 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Orangeburg County
Measured School Summary
Orangeburg County faces educational challenges with a school score of 20/100 and a graduation rate of 79.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,724 per pupil, Orangeburg County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 40% below the South Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 5.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Orangeburg 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
30 public schools and 3 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
20/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #37 of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data.
Completion
79.0%
5.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,724
$441 below the state average
School coverage
30
3 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Orangeburg County has 30 public schools across 3 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 Orangeburg 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.
Dominant-district county
Orangeburg carries most of the listed public-school system, with 27 of 30 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#37
of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 13 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.
Orangeburg
Elementary to high school visible
10,979 students
27 listed schools in this county slice.
Orangeburg 80
High school only in this slice
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Orangeburg 81
High school only in this slice
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Orangeburg is the largest listed district slice, with 27 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 Orangeburg County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Orangeburg 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 Orangeburg County, South Carolina
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 Network Serving Diverse Needs
Orangeburg County operates an extensive educational infrastructure with 30 public schools serving 11,296 students. The system is primary-focused, with 17 elementary schools complemented by four middle schools and nine high schools. While three districts exist, the vast majority of schools are consolidated under one main administration.
Consolidated District Power with Charter Options
The Orangeburg district is the dominant force in the county, managing 27 schools and nearly 11,000 students. The county also offers school choice through one charter school, representing 3.3% of the total school landscape. Two additional districts exist but currently report zero enrollment, reflecting recent consolidation efforts to streamline education.
A Blend of Rural and Town Campuses
With 20 rural schools and 10 in town settings, Orangeburg offers a diverse mix of locales for its 11,296 students. The average school size is 403 students, providing a middle-ground between intimate rural schools and large city campuses. Orangeburg Wilkinson High is the largest in the county, serving 1,073 students as the primary secondary hub.
School Overview
Total Schools
30
in Orangeburg County
Reported Enrollment
11,296
30 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
1
3% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Orangeburg County
Orangeburg
GuideOrangeburg 80
Orangeburg 81
30 Public Schools in Orangeburg County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 30 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg Wilkinson High | Profile | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29118Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 1,073 |
| Lake Marion High School | Record | Orangeburg | Santee, 29142Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 692 |
| William J. Clark Middle | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29115Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 687 |
| Edisto High | Record | Orangeburg | Cordova, 29039Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 677 |
| Marshall Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29118Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 651 |
| Edisto Primary | Record | Orangeburg | Cordova, 29039Rural: Fringe | PK–2 | Primary | 554 |
| Carver Edisto Middle | Record | Orangeburg | Cope, 29038Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 515 |
| Sheridan Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29115Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 486 |
| Edisto Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29515Rural: Distant | 3–5 | Primary | 444 |
| Holly Hill-Roberts Middle | Record | Orangeburg | Holly Hill, 29059Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 418 |
| Whittaker Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29115Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 415 |
| Robert E. Howard Middle | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29115Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 396 |
| Elloree Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Elloree, 29047Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 387 |
| Bethune-Bowman Middle/High | Record | Orangeburg | Rowesville, 29133Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 374 |
| Holly Hill Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Holly Hill, 29059Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 326 |
| Felton Laboratory Charter School | Record | SC Public Charter School District | Orangeburg, 29116Town: Distant | KG–8 | Charter | 317 |
| Branchville High | Record | Orangeburg | Branchville, 29432Rural: Remote | 6–12 | High | 316 |
| Bethune-Bowman Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Rowesville, 29133Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 288 |
| North Middle/High | Record | Orangeburg | North, 29112Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 257 |
| Brookdale Elementary | Record | Orangeburg | Orangeburg, 29115Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 244 |
Orangeburg Wilkinson High
Orangeburg
Orangeburg, 29118 / Town: Distant
Felton Laboratory Charter School
SC Public Charter School District
Orangeburg, 29116 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,724
State avg $7,165
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Orangeburg 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 South Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in South Carolina?
How should I read the school score in Orangeburg County?
What is the graduation rate in Orangeburg County?
How much does Orangeburg County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Orangeburg County, South Carolina — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
Orangeburg County operates an extensive educational infrastructure with 30 public schools serving 11,296 students. The system is primary-focused, with 17 elementary schools complemented by four middle schools and nine high schools. While three districts exist, the vast majority of schools are consolidated under one main administration.
What are the major school districts in Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
The Orangeburg district is the dominant force in the county, managing 27 schools and nearly 11,000 students. The county also offers school choice through one charter school, representing 3.3% of the total school landscape. Two additional districts exist but currently report zero enrollment, reflecting recent consolidation efforts to streamline education.
What is the school experience like in Orangeburg County?
With 20 rural schools and 10 in town settings, Orangeburg offers a diverse mix of locales for its 11,296 students. The average school size is 403 students, providing a middle-ground between intimate rural schools and large city campuses. Orangeburg Wilkinson High is the largest in the county, serving 1,073 students as the primary secondary hub.
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.