Rutherford County Schools & Education
Rutherford County, Tennessee
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,512
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,215
School Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 47/100
State Score Position
#25
of 95 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Rutherford County
Measured School Summary
Rutherford County performs at an average level with a school score of 57/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.0%.
Funding Context
At $6,512 per pupil, Rutherford County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 20% above the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Rutherford 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
64 public schools and 2 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
57/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #25 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.
Completion
95.0%
1.7 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,512
$297 above the state average
School coverage
64
2 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Rutherford County has 64 public schools across 2 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 Rutherford 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
Rutherford County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 51 of 64 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#25
of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 10 points above 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.
Rutherford County
Elementary to high school visible
50,707 students
51 listed schools in this county slice.
Murfreesboro
Elementary school only in this slice
9,408 students
13 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Rutherford County is the largest listed district slice, with 51 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 Rutherford County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Rutherford 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?
Comparison context
Compare Rutherford County With Nearby School Markets
Rutherford County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.
Nashville area
Davidson County vs Williamson County vs Rutherford County Schools
This comparison is built for families weighing Nashville proper against high-growth suburban county choices.
Compared with
Davidson County, TN and Williamson County, TN
Current leader
Williamson County, TN at 66/100
Graduation-rate leader: Williamson County, TN at 96.0%
Education Overview
About Schools in Rutherford County, Tennessee
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-Scale Suburban Education Powerhouse
Rutherford County manages a massive educational infrastructure with 64 public schools serving over 60,115 students. The system is distributed across 38 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, and 13 high schools. Two distinct districts collaborate to provide comprehensive coverage for this rapidly growing population center.
Managing High-Enrollment Districts
The Rutherford County district is the largest, managing 51 schools and 50,707 students, while the Murfreesboro district serves 9,408 students across 13 schools. High schools here are significantly large, with Stewarts Creek High and Rockvale High each enrolling over 2,200 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, as traditional districts handle the total enrollment.
A Thriving Mix of Suburbs and Cities
The educational landscape is heavily suburban and urban, with 27 schools in suburbs and 24 in city settings. With an average school size of 954 students, attending school here feels bustling and dynamic. Large flagship schools like Smyrna and Blackman High Schools provide a high-energy environment with extensive resources for their 2,100+ students.
School Overview
Total Schools
64
in Rutherford County
Reported Enrollment
60,115
64 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Rutherford County
64 Public Schools in Rutherford County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 27 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 64 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewarts Creek High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Smyrna, 37167Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,391 |
| Rockvale High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Rockvale, 37153Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 2,292 |
| Smyrna High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Smyrna, 37167Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,200 |
| Blackman High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37128City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,194 |
| Lavergne High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Lavergne, 37086Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,100 |
| Riverdale High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37128City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,043 |
| Oakland High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37130City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,980 |
| Siegel High School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37129City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,861 |
| Blackman Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37128City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 1,625 |
| Rockvale Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | Rockvale, 37153Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 1,383 |
| Roy L Waldron Elementary | Profile | Rutherford County | Lavergne, 37086Suburb: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 1,339 |
| Stewarts Creek Elementary School | Profile | Rutherford County | Smyrna, 37167Suburb: Large | KG–5 | Primary | 1,256 |
| Central Magnet School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37130City: Midsize | 6–12 | High | 1,210 |
| Rock Springs Elementary | Profile | Rutherford County | Lavergne, 37086Suburb: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 1,189 |
| Siegel Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37129City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 1,185 |
| Oakland Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37130Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 1,103 |
| LaVergne Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | La Vergne, 37086Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,091 |
| Blackman Elementary School | Profile | Rutherford County | Murfreesboro, 37128City: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 1,075 |
| Rock Springs Middle School | Profile | Rutherford County | Smyrna, 37167Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 1,066 |
| Scales Elementary School | Profile | Murfreesboro | Murfreesboro, 37128City: Midsize | KG–6 | Primary | 1,049 |
Stewarts Creek High School
Rutherford County
Smyrna, 37167 / Suburb: Large
Rockvale High School
Rutherford County
Rockvale, 37153 / Rural: Fringe
Smyrna High School
Rutherford County
Smyrna, 37167 / Suburb: Large
Blackman High School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37128 / City: Midsize
Lavergne High School
Rutherford County
Lavergne, 37086 / Suburb: Large
Riverdale High School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37128 / City: Midsize
Oakland High School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37130 / City: Midsize
Siegel High School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37129 / City: Midsize
Blackman Middle School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37128 / City: Midsize
Rockvale Middle School
Rutherford County
Rockvale, 37153 / Rural: Fringe
Roy L Waldron Elementary
Rutherford County
Lavergne, 37086 / Suburb: Large
Stewarts Creek Elementary School
Rutherford County
Smyrna, 37167 / Suburb: Large
Central Magnet School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37130 / City: Midsize
Rock Springs Elementary
Rutherford County
Lavergne, 37086 / Suburb: Large
Siegel Middle School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37129 / City: Midsize
Oakland Middle School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37130 / Rural: Fringe
LaVergne Middle School
Rutherford County
La Vergne, 37086 / Suburb: Large
Blackman Elementary School
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, 37128 / City: Midsize
Rock Springs Middle School
Rutherford County
Smyrna, 37167 / Suburb: Large
Scales Elementary School
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, 37128 / City: Midsize
Additional School Profiles
Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,512
State avg $6,215
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Rutherford 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 Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
How should I read the school score in Rutherford County?
What is the graduation rate in Rutherford County?
How much does Rutherford County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Rutherford County, Tennessee — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
Rutherford County manages a massive educational infrastructure with 64 public schools serving over 60,115 students. The system is distributed across 38 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, and 13 high schools. Two distinct districts collaborate to provide comprehensive coverage for this rapidly growing population center.
What are the major school districts in Rutherford County, Tennessee?
The Rutherford County district is the largest, managing 51 schools and 50,707 students, while the Murfreesboro district serves 9,408 students across 13 schools. High schools here are significantly large, with Stewarts Creek High and Rockvale High each enrolling over 2,200 students. There are currently no charter schools in the county, as traditional districts handle the total enrollment.
What is the school experience like in Rutherford County?
The educational landscape is heavily suburban and urban, with 27 schools in suburbs and 24 in city settings. With an average school size of 954 students, attending school here feels bustling and dynamic. Large flagship schools like Smyrna and Blackman High Schools provide a high-energy environment with extensive resources for their 2,100+ students.
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.