Education (K-12) · 2024–25 school year
Maryland Public Schools
Public K-12 education statistics for Maryland — 891,525 students in 1,414 schools in 2024–25, with enrollment history back to 1986 and county-level detail from 2002.
| Statistic | Value | School year |
|---|---|---|
| Student enrollment | 891,525 | 2024–25 |
| Public schools | 1,414 | 2024–25 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 61,768 | 2024–25 |
| Pupil-teacher ratio | 14.4 | 2024–25 |
| Free/reduced-price lunch students | 51.3% | 2024–25 |
| School poverty rate (MEPS) | 10.9% | 2022–23 |
| Charter school enrollment | 2.8% | 2024–25 |
| High school graduation rate | 86.4% | 2024–25 |
| Math proficiency (of tested) | 24.6% | 2021–22 |
| Reading proficiency (of tested) | 45.1% | 2021–22 |
| Chronically absent students | 31.2% | 2021–22 |
| White students | 31.3% | 2024–25 |
| Black students | 32.3% | 2024–25 |
| Hispanic students | 23.7% | 2024–25 |
| Asian students | 6.8% | 2024–25 |
Not every statistic is collected every year — each row shows its most recent available school year (amber when older than 2024–25). Blank/absent means not collected or below reliability floors, never zero. Some universal-meals states no longer report free/reduced-price lunch — school poverty (MEPS) is the better lens there. A 0% charter share in a state without a charter-school law is a true zero.
Maryland state report card
Outcomes reported directly by Maryland’s education agency — often more current than the federal series above. Because each state uses its own tests, definitions, and reporting windows, these figures are not comparable state-to-state; each row notes how Maryland measures it.
| Measure | Latest | Trend | School year |
|---|---|---|---|
5-year graduation rate How Maryland measures this5-year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate published for Academic Year 2024; evidence indicates it tracks the SAME entering cohort as the AY2024 4-year rate (entered grade 9 fall 2020, expected Class of 2024) allowed a 5th year through 2025 | 89.2% | 2023–24 | |
Dropout rate How Maryland measures thisFour-Year Adjusted Cohort Dropout Rate, Class of 2025 cohort, statewide 'All Maryland Schools' row; Dropouts / Adjusted Cohort Count | 9.9% | 2024–25 | |
Math proficiency (state test) How Maryland measures thisMCAP Mathematics, percent proficient (Levels 3-4), state-published ' Mathematics All Grades' aggregate = grades 3-8 plus Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry end-of-course; State_Level sheet, All Students | 26.5% | 2024–25 | |
Reading / ELA proficiency (state test) How Maryland measures thisMCAP English Language Arts, percent proficient (Levels 3-4), state-published ' English Language Arts All Grades' aggregate = grades 3-8 plus ELA 10; State_Level sheet, All Students | 50.8% | 2024–25 | |
Chronic absenteeism (recent) How Maryland measures thisPercent of students chronically absent (absent 10% or more of days enrolled), all public schools PK-12; statewide 'All Maryland Schools' row with School Type='All'; Chronic Absentee Cnt / Chronic Absentee Denom as published | 25.2% | 2024–25 |
Source: MarylandDepartment of Education (public reporting), 2026 collection. Not comparable across states — proficiency reflects different assessments and cut scores; graduation, dropout, and college-going use each state’s own cohort definitions and windows. Absent rows mean the state doesn’t publish that measure in a comparable file.
Maryland schools by county
Students enrolled, 2024–25.
Maryland schools — FAQ
How many students attend public school in Maryland?+
891,525 students were enrolled in Maryland's 1,414 public K-12 schools in the 2024–25 school year, taught by 61,768 full-time-equivalent teachers (NCES Common Core of Data).
What share of Maryland students get free or reduced-price lunch?+
51.3% of Maryland public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–25 — a common proxy for student economic need.
What is Maryland's high school graduation rate?+
86.4% of Maryland's adjusted cohort graduated in the 2024–25 school year — reported by Maryland's education agency (its 4-year ACGR, more current than the federal series, which lags to 2021–22). Graduation rates run from 2010–11 onward.
Where does this data come from?+
Core statistics (enrollment, schools, teachers, poverty, demographics) come from the National Center for Education Statistics — the Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Civil Rights Data Collection. The most recent graduation rates and the state report-card outcomes (proficiency, college-going, dropout, chronic absenteeism) come directly from state education agencies, which publish sooner than the federal series. Full source and license details are on the methodology page. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with NCES or any state agency.
Other states
Data: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (CCD, EDFacts, CRDC) and ED Data Express, plus current-year graduation and report-card outcomes from state education agencies. Full source and license details on the methodology page.