Howard County Public Schools

Ellicott City, Maryland — 76 schools

57,676
Total Enrollment
76
Schools
$20,893
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Howard County Public Schools operates 76 public schools serving 57,676 students, placing it among the larger districts in Maryland. The school portfolio breaks down into 33 other, 20 middle, 12 high, 11 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 56,347 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Howard County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,893 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 62.7% local, 29.5% state, and 7.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $125,043 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 46/100, ranked #14 of 24 in Maryland against a state average of 52 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 13 of 76 schools offering Advanced Placement (362 AP courses district-wide), a 398.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 29.7% White, 25.9% African American, 22.0% Asian across the district's schools.

Howard County Public Schools school enrollment varies 16× across entities

Howard County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 109 students (lowest) to 1,741 students (highest), a spread of 1,632 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

Howard County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 399:1 — 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

Howard County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 22.7% — 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 Howard County Public Schools is typically wider than the Howard 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?

7.7%
Federal
29.5%
State
62.7%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
14 / 24
State Rank
52
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Howard County county, where this district is located.

$1,362
Studio/mo
$1,511
1 BR/mo
$1,857
2 BR/mo
$2,358
3 BR/mo
$2,611
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$125,043
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 76 schools in Howard County Public Schools.

White 29.7%
Hispanic or Latino 14.8%
African American 25.9%
Asian 22.0%
Multiracial 7.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

13 / 76
Schools with AP
362 AP courses total
398.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Howard County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Marriotts Ridge High
1,741
Reservoir High
1,597
Atholton High
1,540
Howard High
1,493
Mount Hebron High
1,455
Oakland Mills High
1,413
River Hill High
1,383
Centennial High
1,377
Glenelg High
1,363
Long Reach High
1,334
Wilde Lake High
1,197
Hammond High
1,159
Veterans Elementary
883
Mount View Middle
881
Hanover Hills
875
Fulton Elementary
872
Patuxent Valley Middle
840
Pointers Run Elementary
835
Waverly Elementary
827
Bellows Spring Elementary
806
Elkridge Elementary
798
Burleigh Manor Middle School
777
Bollman Bridge Elementary
775
Northfield Elementary
764
Hammond Elementary
763
Thomas Viaduct
758
Gorman Crossing Elementary
750
Centennial Lane Elementary
749
Bonnie Branch Middle
739
Dayton Oaks
739
Mayfield Woods Middle
731
Ellicott Mills Middle
698
Manor Woods Elementary
697
Elkridge Landing Middle
686
Folly Quarter Middle
682
Phelps Luck Elementary
681
Clarksville Middle
679
Hollifield Station Elementary
677
Lime Kiln Middle
675
Patapsco Middle
670
Waterloo Elementary
666
Forest Ridge Elementary
659
Rockburn Elementary
649
Wilde Lake Middle
643
Deep Run Elementary
638
St. Johns Lane Elementary
636
Bushy Park Elementary
631
Laurel Woods Elementary
625
Dunloggin Middle
623
Triadelphia Ridge Elementary
619
Murray Hill Middle
616
Hammond Middle School
604
Swansfield Elementary
594
Ducketts Lane
573
Lake Elkhorn Middle
569
Clarksville Elementary
543
Atholton Elementary
516
Glenwood Middle
494
Ilchester Elementary
482
Clemens Crossing Elementary
481
Lisbon Elementary
480
Harpers Choice Middle
471
Talbott Springs Elementary
461
Thunder Hill Elementary
459
Cradlerock Elementary
453
Longfellow Elementary
446
Guilford Elementary
437
Oakland Mills Middle
415
Running Brook Elementary
407
Jeffers Hill Elementary
406
Worthington Elementary
403
West Friendship Elementary
367
Bryant Woods Elementary
366
Stevens Forest Elementary
314
Cedar Lane Special Center
133
Homewood School
109

Nearby Districts in Maryland

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

Montgomery County Public Schools
160,554 students · 210 schools · $20,473/pupil
Compare vs Howard County Public Schools →
Baltimore County Public Schools
111,082 students · 178 schools · $18,242/pupil
Compare vs Howard County Public Schools →
Baltimore City Public Schools
75,995 students · 154 schools · $23,862/pupil
Compare vs Howard County Public Schools →

Compare Howard 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 Howard County Public Schools?

Howard County Public Schools has 76 schools, including 12 high, 33 other, 20 middle, 11 elementary. Total enrollment is 57,676 students.

How much does Howard County Public Schools spend per student?

Howard County Public Schools spends $20,893 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #14 in Maryland.

What is the average teacher salary in Howard County Public Schools?

The average teacher salary in Howard County Public Schools is $125,043 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Howard County Public Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Howard County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Howard County Public Schools?

Howard County Public Schools students are 29.7% White, 25.9% African American, 22.0% Asian, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 76 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Howard County Public Schools?

Howard County Public Schools has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #14 out of 24 districts in Maryland. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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