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

54/100

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 County61/100
Lincoln County61/100
Pend Oreille County59/100
Skamania County58/100
Whitman County58/100
Douglas County57/100
Snohomish County57/100
Island County57/100
King County57/100
Jefferson County57/100
Garfield County56/100
Kittitas County56/100
Klickitat County56/100
Kitsap County56/100
Okanogan County56/100
Spokane County55/100
Chelan County55/100
Benton County55/100
Clark County55/100
Mason County54/100
San Juan County54/100
Grays Harbor County54/100
Thurston County54/100
Lewis County54/100
Skagit County54/100
Walla Walla County54/100
Cowlitz County54/100
Pierce County54/100
Whatcom County54/100
Franklin County53/100
Grant County52/100
Yakima County51/100
Asotin County51/100
Adams County50/100
Columbia County49/100
Pacific County48/100
Stevens County48/100
Clallam County40/100
Ferry County39/100

— = data pending from NCES pipeline.

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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.

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