Tennessee Schools & Education
Public school metrics and education data for all 95 counties.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataAvg Graduation Rate
93.3%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$6,215
Avg School Score
47/100
Total Schools
1,897
148 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Tennessee
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.
Tennessee Graduation Rates Outpace the National Average
Tennessee boasts an impressive 93.3% average graduation rate, significantly exceeding the national average of 87.0%. Despite this high achievement, the state operates with a leaner budget, spending only $6,215 per pupil compared to the $13,000 national benchmark.
High Efficiency in Educational Spending
Tennessee demonstrates a strong return on investment by maintaining high graduation rates despite low per-pupil spending. Interestingly, Davidson County spends the most at $7,324 per student but records the state's lowest graduation rate at 78.1%.
Top Performers Lead with High Graduation Marks
Benton, Perry, and Morgan counties represent the state's academic peak, all maintaining school scores above 56. Morgan County is particularly notable for achieving a 99.0% graduation rate while spending just $6,304 per student.
State Score Context
How Tennessee Counties Are Distributed
95 of 95 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
69
Lower measured signal
Score range 0-39
26
Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.
Best school counties
Best Counties for Public School Research in Tennessee
For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee
Benton County is the strongest county-level starting point in Tennessee by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 68/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.
Ranking methodology
95 of 95 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: $6,215.
Top measured county school signals
Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.
Morgan County
99.0%
Morgan County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Tennessee. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.
Davidson County
$7,324
Davidson County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.
Jackson County
13/100
Jackson County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Tennessee. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.
District research
Compare Tennessee public school districts before narrowing by address
Tennessee has 148 public school district records and 1,897 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.
Regional comparison guides
Compare Tennessee Counties in Real Relocation Shortlists
These static guides connect Tennessee county profiles to common metro-area school decisions. Each guide gives a direct answer, side-by-side NCES metrics, and links back into county profiles for deeper school and district research.
Which Nashville-area county is strongest for public school research?
Compare Nashville-area school signals for Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford counties using school score, graduation, and spending.
Open guideBuild a three-county school comparison
Compare any Tennessee county with other county profiles using the same school score, graduation-rate, and spending fields.
Open compare toolAll Tennessee Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
Benton County
| 68/100 |
Perry County
| 68/100 |
Williamson County
| 66/100 |
Dyer County
| 63/100 |
Blount County
| 63/100 |
Hancock County
| 62/100 |
McNairy County
| 62/100 |
Lauderdale County
| 62/100 |
Van Buren County
| 61/100 |
Morgan County
| 61/100 |
Lincoln County
| 60/100 |
Meigs County
| 60/100 |
Henry County
| 60/100 |
Sumner County
| 59/100 |
Washington County
| 58/100 |
Moore County
| 58/100 |
Anderson County
| 58/100 |
Scott County
| 57/100 |
Clay County
| 57/100 |
Hawkins County
| 57/100 |
Chester County
| 57/100 |
Henderson County
| 57/100 |
Decatur County
| 57/100 |
Claiborne County
| 57/100 |
Rutherford County
| 57/100 |
Greene County
| 56/100 |
Wilson County
| 56/100 |
Union County
| 56/100 |
Polk County
| 55/100 |
Coffee County
| 55/100 |
Pickett County
| 55/100 |
Sullivan County
| 55/100 |
Roane County
| 55/100 |
Carroll County
| 54/100 |
Giles County
| 54/100 |
Hamblen County
| 54/100 |
Warren County
| 54/100 |
Hickman County
| 53/100 |
Grainger County
| 52/100 |
Trousdale County
| 52/100 |
Jefferson County
| 52/100 |
Fentress County
| 52/100 |
Loudon County
| 51/100 |
Lawrence County
| 51/100 |
Stewart County
| 51/100 |
Johnson County
| 50/100 |
Dickson County
| 50/100 |
Monroe County
| 50/100 |
Crockett County
| 49/100 |
Humphreys County
| 49/100 |
Tipton County
| 49/100 |
Bradley County
| 49/100 |
Bledsoe County
| 49/100 |
Weakley County
| 48/100 |
White County
| 48/100 |
Gibson County
| 47/100 |
Wayne County
| 47/100 |
Cocke County
| 47/100 |
Montgomery County
| 46/100 |
Sequatchie County
| 46/100 |
Franklin County
| 46/100 |
Haywood County
| 46/100 |
Robertson County
| 45/100 |
Sevier County
| 45/100 |
Unicoi County
| 44/100 |
Marshall County
| 44/100 |
Obion County
| 44/100 |
Houston County
| 43/100 |
Lewis County
| 41/100 |
Smith County
| 39/100 |
DeKalb County
| 39/100 |
Carter County
| 38/100 |
Cannon County
| 38/100 |
Cumberland County
| 38/100 |
Grundy County
| 38/100 |
Hardin County
| 37/100 |
Cheatham County
| 37/100 |
Bedford County
| 36/100 |
Knox County
| 35/100 |
Putnam County
| 34/100 |
Rhea County
| 33/100 |
Hamilton County
| 31/100 |
Campbell County
| 31/100 |
Overton County
| 31/100 |
Hardeman County
| 30/100 |
McMinn County
| 30/100 |
Fayette County
| 29/100 |
Davidson County
| 28/100 |
Lake County
| 27/100 |
Marion County
| 27/100 |
Madison County
| 26/100 |
Maury County
| 26/100 |
Macon County
| 24/100 |
Shelby County
| 19/100 |
Jackson County
| 13/100 |
— = data not available for this county.
Compare county school profiles in Tennessee
Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennessee Schools
Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
Which regional school comparisons include Tennessee counties?
What are the best school counties in Tennessee?
Which Tennessee county has the strongest measured school score?
What is the average graduation rate in Tennessee?
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.