Top Rankings
Howard County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Maryland for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 16 public high schools serving 18,512 students in Howard County School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public high schools in Maryland.
Public High Schools in Howard County School District have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the Maryland public high school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 70% (versus the 56% statewide average).
Public High School in Howard County School District have a Graduation Rate of 93%, which is more than the Maryland average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Marriotts Ridge High School, with ≥99% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Maryland or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Black and Asian), which is more than the Maryland public high school average of 69% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MD)
# Schools
78 Schools
281 Schools
# Students
57,565 Students
286,035 Students
# Teachers
4,256 Teachers
18,321 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Howard County School District, which is ranked within the top 10% of all 25 school districts in Maryland (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#2 out of 25 school districts
(Top 10%)
(Top 10%)
Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
27%
Showing 2012–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
58%
45%
Showing 2011–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
52%
36%
Graduation Rate
92%
85.8%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)19.6%
32.4%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.78
0.74
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
24%
7%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% Hispanic
14%
23%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
25%
34%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% White
30%
31%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $22,300 is higher than the state median of $22,239. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,469 is less than the state median of $21,504. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$1,284 MM
$19,842 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$1,236 MM
$19,186 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$22,300
$22,239
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$21,469
$21,504
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Howard County School District Public High Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
River Hill High School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
12101 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7120
Clarksville, MD 21029
(410) 313-7120
Gr: 9-12 | 1,383 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #22.
Centennial High School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 88%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
4300 Centennial Ln
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2856
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2856
Gr: 9-12 | 1,377 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #33.
Mount Hebron High School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
9440 Old Frederick Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2880
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-2880
Gr: 9-12 | 1,455 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 63%
Rank: #44.
Marriotts Ridge High School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
12100 Woodford Dr
Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 313-5568
Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 313-5568
Gr: 9-12 | 1,741 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 69%
Rank: #55.
Glenelg High School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
14025 Burnt Woods Rd
Glenelg, MD 21737
(410) 313-5528
Glenelg, MD 21737
(410) 313-5528
Gr: 9-12 | 1,363 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #66.
Howard High School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
8700 Old Annapolis Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2867
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 313-2867
Gr: 9-12 | 1,493 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 65%
Rank: #77.
Atholton High School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6520 Freetown Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-7065
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-7065
Gr: 9-12 | 1,540 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #88.
Reservoir High School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
11550 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8850
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8850
Gr: 9-12 | 1,597 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #99.
Hammond High School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
8800 Guilford Rd
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-7615
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 313-7615
Gr: 9-12 | 1,159 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: #1010.
Oakland Mills High School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
9410 Kilimanjaro Rd
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6945
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-6945
Gr: 9-12 | 1,413 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #1111.
Wilde Lake High School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 36%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
5460 Trumpeter Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6965
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 313-6965
Gr: 9-12 | 1,197 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 78%
Rank: #1212.
Long Reach High School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
6101 Old Dobbin Ln
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7117
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 313-7117
Gr: 9-12 | 1,334 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #1313.
Homewood School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
10914 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-7081
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-7081
Gr: 6-12 | 109 students Student-teacher ratio: 3:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #1414.
Cedar Lane Special Center
Special Education School
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
11630 Scaggsville Rd
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Fulton, MD 20759
(410) 888-8800
Gr: PK-12 | 133 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: n/an/a
Applications And Research Laboratory
Alternative School
10920 Clarksville Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-6698
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 313-6698
Gr: 9-12
Rank: n/an/a
8500 Ridgelys Run Rd
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 313-7430
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 313-7430
Gr: 9-12 | 1,218 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
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