Saluda County Schools & Education
Saluda County, South Carolina
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
15/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
82.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
82.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.2%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,071
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,165
School Score
15/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 33/100
State Score Position
#42
of 46 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Saluda County
Measured School Summary
Saluda County faces educational challenges with a school score of 15/100 and a graduation rate of 82.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,071 per pupil, Saluda County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 54% below the South Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Saluda 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
6 public schools and 1 district 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
15/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #42 of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data.
Completion
82.0%
2.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,071
$1,094 below the state average
School coverage
6
1 district 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
Saluda County has 6 public schools across 1 district, 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 Saluda 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.
Small-system county
Saluda County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#42
of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 18 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.
Saluda 01
Elementary to high school visible
2,480 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Saluda 01 is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Saluda County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Saluda 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 Consolidated Rural Learning Network
Saluda County operates a focused education system consisting of 6 public schools serving 2,833 total students. This infrastructure includes four elementary facilities, one middle school, and one high school, all managed under a single unified district.
The Central Role of Saluda 01
The Saluda 01 district anchors the county, managing five of the six schools and educating 2,480 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, meaning traditional public schools remain the primary choice for local families.
Small-Town Feel Across Rural Settings
Education here is predominantly rural, with four schools in rural locales and two in town settings. Schools maintain an intimate average size of 472 students, ranging from Saluda High at 652 students to Saluda Elementary at 358.
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Saluda County
Reported Enrollment
2,833
6 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Saluda County
Saluda 01
6 Public Schools in Saluda County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda High | Record | Saluda 01 | Saluda, 29138Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 652 |
| Saluda Middle | Record | Saluda 01 | Saluda, 29138Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 556 |
| Saluda Primary | Record | Saluda 01 | Saluda, 29138Town: Distant | PK–2 | Primary | 493 |
| Hollywood Elementary | Record | Saluda 01 | Saluda, 29138Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 421 |
| Saluda Elementary | Record | Saluda 01 | Saluda, 29138Town: Distant | 3–5 | Primary | 358 |
| Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary | Record | Aiken 01 | Ridge Spring, 29129Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 353 |
Ridge Spring-Monetta Elementary
Aiken 01
Ridge Spring, 29129 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,071
State avg $7,165
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Saluda 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 Saluda County?
What is the graduation rate in Saluda County?
How much does Saluda County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Saluda County, South Carolina — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Saluda County, South Carolina?
Saluda County operates a focused education system consisting of 6 public schools serving 2,833 total students. This infrastructure includes four elementary facilities, one middle school, and one high school, all managed under a single unified district.
What are the major school districts in Saluda County, South Carolina?
The Saluda 01 district anchors the county, managing five of the six schools and educating 2,480 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, meaning traditional public schools remain the primary choice for local families.
What is the school experience like in Saluda County?
Education here is predominantly rural, with four schools in rural locales and two in town settings. Schools maintain an intimate average size of 472 students, ranging from Saluda High at 652 students to Saluda Elementary at 358.
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.