33 public K-12 schools in Columbia from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.
33 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.
The highest-ranked of Columbia's 33 public schools is David H. Hickman High, scoring 45/100, against a city average of 50.1/100. Computed live across every Columbia campus reporting to NCES.
How the Columbia Public-School Landscape Breaks Down
Columbia, MO enrolls 17,534 students across 33 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 13.1:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 50.1/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.
The most-resourced campus in Columbia on this index is David H. Hickman High, at 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 2,007 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.
Columbia spans 2 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.
Columbia school enrollment varies 251× across entities
Columbia school enrollment ranges from 8 students (lowest) to 2,007 students (highest), a spread of 1,999 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.
Columbia student-teacher ratio is 13.1:1 — low (typically associated with smaller schools or per-school staffing investment that often correlates with stronger per-student supports)
student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Columbia
Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.
The highest-ranked school in Columbia is David H. Hickman High with a quality score of 45/100. There are 33 public schools in Columbia with 17,534 total students.
How many schools are in Columbia, MO? ▼
Columbia has 33 public schools with a total enrollment of 17,534 students. Average student-teacher ratio: 13.1:1.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio,
counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology, which explains how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
