Baltimore County Public Schools School District
School District · Towson, Maryland
Avg Rating
5.3
out of 10
Schools
176
112 elem, 29 mid, 31 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,666
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
Avg Rating
5.3
out of 10
Schools
176
112 elem, 29 mid, 31 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,666
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
Evaluating Baltimore County Public Schools?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Baltimore County Public Schools as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Riderwood Elementary
Towson · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Carroll Manor Elementary
Baldwin · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Fort Garrison Elementary
Baltimore · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Maryland rank
#23 of 24
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-1.0
below Maryland avg
Per-pupil spending
$18,666
+$376 vs Maryland median
District size
110,275 students
Much larger than Maryland median
The short answer
Baltimore County Public Schools ranks #23 of 24 Maryland districts by overall school rating. Baltimore County Public Schools's schools with real test data average 5.3/10 across 167 schools. Its top-rated schools are Riderwood Elementary (9.7/10), Carroll Manor Elementary (9.5/10), and Fort Garrison Elementary (9.5/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.4/10 despite 61% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Baltimore County Public Schools schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Baltimore County Public Schools
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (167 of 176). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riderwood Elementary | 9.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Carroll Manor Elementary | 9.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Fort Garrison Elementary | 9.5 / 10 |
| 4 | Timonium Elementary | 9.4 / 10 |
| 5 | Pinewood Elementary | 9.3 / 10 |
| 6 | Fifth District Elementary | 9.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Honeygo Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Sparks Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 9 | West Towson Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
| 10 | Rodgers Forge Elementary | 9.2 / 10 |
See all 176 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore County Public Schools serves 110,275 students across 179 schools, making it one of Maryland's largest public school systems. Of those schools, 169 carry a ranking on MySchoolScout, with an average score of 6.1 out of 10. That average reflects a broad mix of schools serving diverse communities throughout the county, from urban neighborhoods to suburban corridors.
Performance across the district varies considerably, but the top tier stands out. Chatsworth School leads all ranked schools with a 9.3 out of 10, the highest score in the district. Oliver Beach Elementary follows at 9.0, with Fort Garrison Elementary and Powhatan Elementary both earning 8.9. Martin Boulevard Elementary rounds out the top five at 8.8. All five are elementary schools, which signals particular strength at the foundational grade levels. Parents zoned for these schools are looking at some of the strongest elementary options in the county.
The district's 6.1 average score tells a practical story for parents comparing options. Roughly a third of the ranked schools score above that average, meaning families willing to explore attendance boundaries or open enrollment options may find meaningful differences in school quality within the same district. The gap between the district average and the top performers — nearly 3.2 points in Chatsworth's case — is wide enough to warrant a close look at individual school scores rather than relying on the district's overall standing.
Baltimore County Public Schools covers a large geographic footprint, and school quality is not uniform across it. Parents should use individual school scores, not the district average, as their primary reference point when evaluating options. The concentration of high-performing schools in the elementary tier is a genuine strength for families with younger children, while the district's scale means more options overall — including specialty programs and magnet pathways that larger systems typically support. Checking school-level data on MySchoolScout gives the clearest picture of what each campus actually delivers.
District Map
Schools in Baltimore County Public Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Baltimore County Public Schools with test data.
Schools in Baltimore County Public Schools
176 schools Elementary Schools 112
Middle Schools 29
High Schools 31
District Details
- State
- Maryland
- City
- Towson
- Total Enrollment
- 110,275
- Teachers (FTE)
- 7,495
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Baltimore County Public Schools?
Baltimore County Public Schools has 176 schools in total — 112 elementary, 29 middle, and 31 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Baltimore County Public Schools?
The average composite rating for Baltimore County Public Schools is 5.3/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Baltimore County Public Schools?
Baltimore County Public Schools spends $18,666 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Baltimore County Public Schools?
The average student-teacher ratio in Baltimore County Public Schools is 14.7:1.
What is the top-rated school in Baltimore County Public Schools?
Riderwood Elementary is the highest-rated school in Baltimore County Public Schools with a composite score of 9.7/10.
What are the test scores in Baltimore County Public Schools?
Across schools in Baltimore County Public Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 48.6% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 55.5%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Baltimore County Public Schools compare to other districts in Maryland?
Baltimore County Public Schools has an average school rating of 5.3/10 across 176 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Maryland by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.3/10
- Math Proficiency
- 48.6%
- ELA Proficiency
- 55.5%
Resources
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in MD
Compare Baltimore County Public Schools with neighboring districts in the state.
- Montgomery County Public Schools (211)
- Prince George's County Public Schools (199)
- Baltimore City Public Schools (151)
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools (126)
- Howard County Public Schools (78)
- Frederick County Public Schools (69)
- Harford County Public Schools (55)
- Carroll County Public Schools (44)
- Washington County Public Schools (43)
- Charles County Public Schools (40)
- Cecil County Public Schools (29)
- St. Mary's County Public Schools (27)
- Calvert County Public Schools (25)
- Wicomico County Public Schools (25)
- Allegany County Public Schools (22)
- Queen Anne's County Public Schools (14)
- Worcester County Public Schools (14)
- Dorchester County Public Schools (13)
- Garrett County Public Schools (12)
- Caroline County Public Schools (10)
- Somerset County Public Schools (8)
- Talbot County Public Schools (8)
- Kent County Public Schools (5)
- Dyrs (2)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Maryland Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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