Tennessee Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 95 counties.

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

Avg 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.

Consistency and Contrast Across 95 Districts

Across Tennessee's 95 counties, school scores average 53.6, which sits slightly above the national median of 50.0. While Benton County leads with a score of 57.3, Jackson County trails at 46.9, illustrating a modest but significant variation in district performance.

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

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

Benton County

68/100

School score

Perry County

68/100

School score

Williamson County

66/100

School score

Dyer County

63/100

School score

Blount County

63/100

School score

Lowest Measured School Signals

#1 lowest

Jackson County

13/100

School score

#2 lowest

Shelby County

19/100

School score

#3 lowest

Macon County

24/100

School score

#4 lowest

Maury County

26/100

School score

#5 lowest

Madison County

26/100

School score

All Tennessee Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Tennessee.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Benton County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $7,058	68/100	97.0%	$7,058
Perry County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,997	68/100	97.0%	$6,997
Williamson County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $7,061	66/100	96.0%	$7,061
Dyer County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,649	63/100	97.0%	$6,649
Blount County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,976	63/100	95.0%	$6,976
Hancock County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,953	62/100	95.0%	$6,953
McNairy County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,772	62/100	96.0%	$6,772
Lauderdale County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,919	62/100	95.0%	$6,919
Van Buren County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,888	61/100	95.0%	$6,888
Morgan County Graduation 99.0% Per pupil $6,304	61/100	99.0%	$6,304
Lincoln County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,374	60/100	97.0%	$6,374
Meigs County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,369	60/100	97.0%	$6,369
Henry County Graduation 98.0% Per pupil $6,238	60/100	98.0%	$6,238
Sumner County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,473	59/100	96.0%	$6,473
Washington County Graduation 94.7% Per pupil $6,740	58/100	94.7%	$6,740
Moore County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,623	58/100	95.0%	$6,623
Anderson County Graduation 93.8% Per pupil $6,864	58/100	93.8%	$6,864
Scott County Graduation 95.7% Per pupil $6,390	57/100	95.7%	$6,390
Clay County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,156	57/100	97.0%	$6,156
Hawkins County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,319	57/100	96.0%	$6,319
Chester County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,314	57/100	96.0%	$6,314
Henderson County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,141	57/100	97.0%	$6,141
Decatur County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,107	57/100	97.0%	$6,107
Claiborne County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,283	57/100	96.0%	$6,283
Rutherford County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,512	57/100	95.0%	$6,512
Greene County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,482	56/100	95.0%	$6,482
Wilson County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,065	56/100	97.0%	$6,065
Union County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $6,027	56/100	97.0%	$6,027
Polk County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $5,997	55/100	97.0%	$5,997
Coffee County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,857	55/100	93.0%	$6,857
Pickett County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,366	55/100	95.0%	$6,366
Sullivan County Graduation 94.4% Per pupil $6,522	55/100	94.4%	$6,522
Roane County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,340	55/100	95.0%	$6,340
Carroll County Graduation 94.7% Per pupil $6,404	54/100	94.7%	$6,404
Giles County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $6,064	54/100	96.0%	$6,064
Hamblen County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,268	54/100	95.0%	$6,268
Warren County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,261	54/100	95.0%	$6,261
Hickman County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $6,431	53/100	94.0%	$6,431
Grainger County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,647	52/100	93.0%	$6,647
Trousdale County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $5,649	52/100	97.0%	$5,649
Jefferson County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $5,833	52/100	96.0%	$5,833
Fentress County Graduation 93.6% Per pupil $6,399	52/100	93.6%	$6,399
Loudon County Graduation 94.2% Per pupil $6,227	51/100	94.2%	$6,227
Lawrence County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $6,009	51/100	95.0%	$6,009
Stewart County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $5,444	51/100	97.0%	$5,444
Johnson County Graduation 97.0% Per pupil $5,359	50/100	97.0%	$5,359
Dickson County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $5,672	50/100	96.0%	$5,672
Monroe County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $6,177	50/100	94.0%	$6,177
Crockett County Graduation 96.0% Per pupil $5,540	49/100	96.0%	$5,540
Humphreys County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $5,839	49/100	95.0%	$5,839
Tipton County Graduation 95.0% Per pupil $5,837	49/100	95.0%	$5,837
Bradley County Graduation 92.5% Per pupil $6,470	49/100	92.5%	$6,470
Bledsoe County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,694	49/100	92.0%	$6,694
Weakley County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,286	48/100	93.0%	$6,286
White County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $6,025	48/100	94.0%	$6,025
Gibson County Graduation 94.1% Per pupil $5,891	47/100	94.1%	$5,891
Wayne County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,533	47/100	92.0%	$6,533
Cocke County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,153	47/100	93.0%	$6,153
Montgomery County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $5,830	46/100	94.0%	$5,830
Sequatchie County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,453	46/100	92.0%	$6,453
Franklin County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $5,772	46/100	94.0%	$5,772
Haywood County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,407	46/100	92.0%	$6,407
Robertson County Graduation 93.0% Per pupil $6,029	45/100	93.0%	$6,029
Sevier County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $6,795	45/100	91.0%	$6,795
Unicoi County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,299	44/100	92.0%	$6,299
Marshall County Graduation 94.0% Per pupil $5,608	44/100	94.0%	$5,608
Obion County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,280	44/100	92.0%	$6,280
Houston County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,236	43/100	92.0%	$6,236
Lewis County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $6,032	41/100	92.0%	$6,032
Smith County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,812	39/100	92.0%	$5,812
DeKalb County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,797	39/100	92.0%	$5,797
Carter County Graduation 89.3% Per pupil $6,716	38/100	89.3%	$6,716
Cannon County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,765	38/100	92.0%	$5,765
Cumberland County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,735	38/100	92.0%	$5,735
Grundy County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,711	38/100	92.0%	$5,711
Hardin County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,656	37/100	92.0%	$5,656
Cheatham County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,611	37/100	92.0%	$5,611
Bedford County Graduation 92.0% Per pupil $5,484	36/100	92.0%	$5,484
Knox County Graduation 90.8% Per pupil $5,970	35/100	90.8%	$5,970
Putnam County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $5,824	34/100	91.0%	$5,824
Rhea County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $6,317	33/100	89.0%	$6,317
Hamilton County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $6,663	31/100	87.0%	$6,663
Campbell County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $5,449	31/100	91.0%	$5,449
Overton County Graduation 91.0% Per pupil $5,412	31/100	91.0%	$5,412
Hardeman County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $6,280	30/100	88.0%	$6,280
McMinn County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $6,023	30/100	89.0%	$6,023
Fayette County Graduation 90.0% Per pupil $5,685	29/100	90.0%	$5,685
Davidson County Graduation 78.1% Per pupil $7,324	28/100	78.1%	$7,324
Lake County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $6,839	27/100	84.0%	$6,839
Marion County Graduation 89.1% Per pupil $5,685	27/100	89.1%	$5,685
Madison County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $5,968	26/100	88.0%	$5,968
Maury County Graduation 89.0% Per pupil $5,706	26/100	89.0%	$5,706
Macon County Graduation 88.0% Per pupil $5,692	24/100	88.0%	$5,692
Shelby County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $6,387	19/100	82.0%	$6,387
Jackson County Graduation 82.0% Per pupil $5,899	13/100	82.0%	$5,899

— = 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.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Tennessee Schools

Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?

Morgan County (99.0%), Henry County (98.0%), and Benton County (97.0%) currently lead Tennessee 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 Tennessee?

Across Tennessee counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,215. The highest current county values are Davidson County ($7,324), Williamson County ($7,061), and Benton County ($7,058). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

Which Tennessee county has the strongest measured school score?

Benton County has the highest school score in Tennessee with a score of 68/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Tennessee?

The average high school graduation rate across Tennessee counties is 93.3%, based on NCES data.

Which county in Tennessee has the lowest school score?

Jackson County has the lowest school score in Tennessee with a score of 13/100. 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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