Harford County Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Bel Air, Maryland - 55 schools

An equity score of 26/100 ranks Harford County Public Schools #21 of 24 districts in Maryland (state average 52). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,192 per pupil, Harford County Public Schools ranks #22 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending (Maryland districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

38,037
Total Enrollment
55
Schools
$15,192
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Harford County Public Schools operates 55 public schools serving 38,037 students, placing it among the larger districts in Maryland. The school portfolio breaks down into 26 combined, 10 high, 10 elementary, 9 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Harford County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,192 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 3 of 24 Maryland districts by per-pupil spending. See how Maryland compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 52.6% local, 35.4% state, and 12.0% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 26/100, ranked #21 of 24 in Maryland against a state average of 52, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 11 of 55 schools offering Advanced Placement (178 AP courses district-wide), a 440.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 28.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 57.7% White, 21.0% African American, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Roye-Williams Elementary, with a diversity index of 72.3/100.

Its largest campus is Edgewood High, enrolling 1,440 students (4% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Darlington Elementary, at 96 students, a 15x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Harford County Public Schools school enrollment varies 15× across entities

Harford County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 96 students (lowest) to 1,440 students (highest), a spread of 1,344 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Harford County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 440:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Harford County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 28.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Harford County Public Schools is typically wider than the Harford County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.0%
Federal
35.4%
State
52.6%
Local

Funding Equity

26
Equity Score
21 / 24
State Rank
52
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 55 schools in Harford County Public Schools.

White 57.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
African American 21.0%
Asian 3.0%
Multiracial 8.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Harford County Public Schools's schools, about the same as the Maryland average of 52.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Roye-Williams Elementary 72.3
  2. 2 Old Post Road Elementary 72.1
  3. 3 Bakerfield Elementary 71.4
  4. 4 Aberdeen High 71.2
  5. 5 Riverside Elementary 70.5

Programs & Resources

11 / 55
Schools with AP
178 AP courses total
440.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
28.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Harford County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Edgewood High
1,440
Aberdeen High
1,396
Bel Air High
1,341
C. Milton Wright High
1,291
North Harford High
1,204
Southampton Middle
1,192
Youths Benefit Elementary
1,151
Bel Air Middle
1,080
Aberdeen Middle
1,071
Homestead/Wakefield Elementary
1,071
Fallston Middle School
1,068
Fallston High
1,036
Harford Technical High
954
Edgewood Middle
936
Joppatowne High
882
Old Post Road Elementary
850
North Harford Middle
849
Patterson Mill High School
839
Havre De Grace High
822
Church Creek Elementary
732
Patterson Mill Middle School
716
Deerfield Elementary
708
Red Pump Elementary School
696
Magnolia Middle
689
Abingdon Elementary
641
Hickory Elementary
635
Havre De Grace Middle
617
Havre De Grace Elementary
593
Emmorton Elementary
584
Prospect Mill Elementary
579
Meadowvale Elementary
552
Magnolia Elementary
545
Ring Factory Elementary
541
G. Lisby Elementary at Hillsdale
528
Bel Air Elementary
521
Joppatowne Elementary
495
Riverside Elementary
481
Jarrettsville Elementary
467
North Bend Elementary
467
William S. James Elementary
463
Bakerfield Elementary
460
Forest Hill Elementary
451
Forest Lakes Elementary
447
Roye-Williams Elementary
444
Fountain Green Elementary
443
Edgewood Elementary
428
Halls Cross Roads Elementary
425
North Harford Elementary
424
Swan Creek School
368
Churchville Elementary
364
Dublin Elementary
222
Norrisville Elementary
213
Harford Academy at Campus Hills
141
Center for Educational Opportunity
122
Darlington Elementary
96

How Harford County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Maryland districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Frederick County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Charles County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Carroll County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Washington County Public Schools Smaller Similar spending Less locally funded
Howard County Public Schools Larger Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Harford County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Maryland

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Harford County Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Montgomery County Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Harford County Public Schools?

Harford County Public Schools has 55 schools, including 10 high, 9 middle, 26 combined, 10 elementary. Total enrollment is 38,037 students.

How much does Harford County Public Schools spend per student?

Harford County Public Schools spends $15,192 per student. The district has an equity score of 26/100, ranking #21 in Maryland.

What is the demographic composition of Harford County Public Schools?

Harford County Public Schools students are 57.7% White, 21.0% African American, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.0% Asian, averaged across 55 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Harford County Public Schools?

Harford County Public Schools has an equity score of 26/100, ranking #21 out of 24 districts in Maryland.