Orangeburg

Orangeburg, South Carolina — 27 schools

10,979
Total Enrollment
27
Schools
$16,538
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Orangeburg operates 27 public schools serving 10,979 students, placing it in the mid-size range in South Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 18 other, 4 middle, 3 high, 2 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 10,228 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Orangeburg County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,538 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 33.7% local, 46.7% state, and 19.6% 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 $69,487 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 56/100, ranked #30 of 73 in South Carolina against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 27 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 263.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 71.5% African American, 18.6% White, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Orangeburg school enrollment varies 6.9× across entities

Orangeburg school enrollment ranges from 144 students (lowest) to 992 students (highest), a spread of 848 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Orangeburg has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 100.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Orangeburg student-counselor ratio is 264:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Orangeburg is typically wider than the Orangeburg-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Orangeburg chronic absenteeism rate is 31.7% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

19.6%
Federal
46.7%
State
33.7%
Local

Funding Equity

56
Equity Score
30 / 73
State Rank
51
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 Orangeburg County county, where this district is located.

$709
Studio/mo
$750
1 BR/mo
$910
2 BR/mo
$1,091
3 BR/mo
$1,205
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$69,487
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 27 schools in Orangeburg.

White 18.6%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%
African American 71.5%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 3.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

2 / 27
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
263.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Orangeburg

School Enrollment
Orangeburg Wilkinson High
992
Lake Marion High School
692
Edisto Primary
635
Marshall Elementary
625
Edisto High
614
William J. Clark Middle
587
Sheridan Elementary
450
Carver Edisto Middle
439
Edisto Elementary
419
Holly Hill-Roberts Middle
418
Robert E. Howard Middle
396
Holly Hill Elementary
356
Bethune-Bowman Middle/High
349
Whittaker Elementary
325
Branchville High
317
Bethune-Bowman Elementary
259
Elloree Elementary
252
Lockett Elementary
239
Dover Elementary
237
North Middle/High
227
Rivelon Elementary
222
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High
220
Brookdale Elementary
215
St. James-Gaillard Elementary
211
Vance-Providence Elementary
209
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary
179
Mellichamp Elementary
144

Nearby Districts in South Carolina

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

Greenville 01
77,978 students · 92 schools · $13,261/pupil
Compare vs Orangeburg →
Charleston 01
49,929 students · 82 schools · $20,688/pupil
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Horry 01
47,357 students · 57 schools · $14,530/pupil
Compare vs Orangeburg →
Berkeley 01
37,932 students · 46 schools · $13,148/pupil
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Richland 02
28,510 students · 32 schools · $18,376/pupil
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Compare Orangeburg

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

Compare vs Greenville 01 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Orangeburg?

Orangeburg has 27 schools, including 3 high, 18 other, 4 middle, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 10,979 students.

How much does Orangeburg spend per student?

Orangeburg spends $16,538 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #30 in South Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Orangeburg?

The average teacher salary in Orangeburg is $69,487 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Orangeburg?

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

What is the demographic composition of Orangeburg?

Orangeburg students are 71.5% African American, 18.6% White, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 27 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Orangeburg?

Orangeburg has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #30 out of 73 districts in South Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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