Top Rankings
Howard County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Maryland for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 5%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 5%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 16 public high schools serving 18,517 students in Howard County School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public high schools in Maryland.
Public High Schools in Howard County School District have an average math proficiency score of 55% (versus the Maryland public high school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 70% (versus the 56% statewide average).
Public High School in Howard County School District have a Graduation Rate of 95%, which is more than the Maryland average of 87%.
The school with highest graduation rate is River Hill High School, with ≥99% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Maryland or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 70% of the student body (majority Black and Asian), which is more than the Maryland public high school average of 68% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MD)
# Schools
78 Schools
287 Schools
# Students
57,633 Students
285,722 Students
# Teachers
4,331 Teachers
18,478 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Howard County School District, which is ranked within the top 5% of all 25 school districts in Maryland (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#1 out of 25 school districts
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(22-23)46%
27%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
58%
45%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
52%
36%
Graduation Rate
(22-23)92%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.77
0.73
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
24%
7%
% Hispanic
14%
22%
% Black
25%
34%
% White
30%
32%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $20,108 is higher than the state median of $19,554. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $18,798 is higher than the state median of $18,481. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$1,159 MM
$17,412 MM
Spending
$1,083 MM
$16,456 MM
Revenue / Student
$20,108
$19,554
Spending / Student
$18,798
$18,481
Best Howard County School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
River Hill High School
(Math: 85% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
12101 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7120
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7120
Grades: 9-12
| 1,462 students
Rank: #22.
Centennial High School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 88%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
4300 Centennial Ln
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2856
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2856
Grades: 9-12
| 1,364 students
Rank: #33.
Mount Hebron High School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
9440 Old Frederick Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2880
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2880
Grades: 9-12
| 1,518 students
Rank: #44.
Marriotts Ridge High School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
12100 Woodford Dr
Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 313-5568
Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 313-5568
Grades: 9-12
| 1,701 students
Rank: #55.
Glenelg High School
(Math: 69% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
14025 Burnt Woods Rd
Glenelg, MD 21737
(410) 313-5528
Glenelg, MD 21737
(410) 313-5528
Grades: 9-12
| 1,367 students
Rank: #66.
Howard High School
(Math: 56% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
8700 Old Annapolis Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2867
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2867
Grades: 9-12
| 1,529 students
Rank: #77.
Atholton High School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6520 Freetown Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-7065
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-7065
Grades: 9-12
| 1,498 students
Rank: #88.
Reservoir High School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
11550 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8850
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8850
Grades: 9-12
| 1,729 students
Rank: #99.
Homewood School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
10914 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-7081
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-7081
Grades: 6-12
| 131 students
Rank: #1010.
Oakland Mills High School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
9410 Kilimanjaro Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6945
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6945
Grades: 9-12
| 1,422 students
Rank: #1111.
Hammond High School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
8800 Guilford Rd
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-7615
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-7615
Grades: 9-12
| 1,167 students
Rank: #1212.
Wilde Lake High School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5460 Trumpeter Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6965
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6965
Grades: 9-12
| 1,270 students
Rank: #1313.
Long Reach High School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
6101 Old Dobbin Ln
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7117
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7117
Grades: 9-12
| 1,448 students
Rank: #1414.
Cedar Lane Special Center
Special Education School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
11630 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Grades: PK-12
| 132 students
Rank: n/an/a
Applications And Research Laboratory
Alternative School
10920 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-6698
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-6698
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
8500 Ridgelys Run Rd
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 313-7430
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 313-7430
Grades: 9-10
| 779 students
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