schoolsbycounty

Washington Schools & Education

School quality and education data for all 39 counties.

Avg Graduation Rate

81.4%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$9,250

Avg School Score

51/100

Total Schools

2,549

329 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Washington

Washington Lags in Spending and Graduation Rates

Washington's 81.4% graduation rate falls significantly below the national average of 87.0%. Despite a school score of 53.9 which beats the national median, the state spends only $9,250 per pupil compared to the $13,000 national benchmark.

A Massive Performance Gap Across 39 Counties

Education quality varies wildly across Washington’s 39 counties, with graduation rates ranging from a high of 95.0% in Wahkiakum County to a low of 48.5% in Ferry County. School scores mirror this disparity, peaking at a score of 61.3 while the lowest performing districts struggle at 39.0.

Lower Spending Meets Mixed Graduation Results

While Washington spends $3,750 less per student than the national average, some districts find ways to excel with limited funds. However, the correlation between investment and outcome remains inconsistent, as Ferry County spends a high of $10,380 yet reports the state's lowest graduation rate.

Rural Counties Lead the State in Performance

Wahkiakum County tops the state with a 61.3 score and a dominant 95.0% graduation rate while spending just $9,388 per student. Lincoln and Pend Oreille counties follow closely, both maintaining graduation rates above 86% with budgets around $10,000 per pupil.

Strong Median Performance Hides Local Inequities

Washington is a solid choice for education with a state average score above the national median, but families should target top-tier counties like Wahkiakum and Lincoln for the best outcomes. Addressing the sharp decline in results in counties like Ferry and Clallam remains a critical challenge for the state’s public school system.

All Washington Counties

CountySchool Score
Wahkiakum County85/100
Lincoln County74/100
Whitman County61/100
Douglas County61/100
Garfield County60/100
Pend Oreille County59/100
Island County58/100
Jefferson County57/100
Kittitas County56/100
Skamania County55/100
Snohomish County54/100
King County54/100
Okanogan County53/100
Kitsap County52/100
Spokane County52/100
Klickitat County52/100
Benton County50/100
Chelan County50/100
Clark County49/100
Mason County48/100
San Juan County48/100
Grays Harbor County48/100
Skagit County48/100
Thurston County48/100
Lewis County47/100
Cowlitz County47/100
Walla Walla County46/100
Whatcom County46/100
Pierce County46/100
Franklin County45/100
Columbia County45/100
Ferry County44/100
Grant County43/100
Clallam County43/100
Pacific County42/100
Yakima County41/100
Adams County40/100
Asotin County40/100
Stevens County34/100

— = data pending from NCES pipeline.

Looking for homes near top schools in Washington?

Zillow lets you filter homes by school ratings in your area.

Search Homes →

Sponsored

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

← Back to All States

Explore more data for Washington

Property TaxCost of LivingCrimeIncomeHealthDisaster RiskWater QualityWeatherCounty Score