Total enrollment
7,580
-324 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
Saline County
Kansas · Public K-12
Saline County's public schools total 17 across the county, with enrollment of about 7,580 and Salina the largest single district. That works out to 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Saline County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
+1 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Saline County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Kansas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 33.2% | #40 of 57 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 7,580 | #12 of 61 | #991 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 17 | #20 of 61 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.8:1 | #40 of 61 | #844 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 58.0% | #20 of 61 | #1,205 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 56.5% | #7 of 60 | #760 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Saline County school rankings
Residents
53,668
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
17
3 districts
Enrollment
7,580
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$65,422
Below Kansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
58.0%
Above Kansas avg
Elementary
10
3,594 students
Middle
2
1,429 students
High
5
2,557 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Salina
6,441 students · 3 districts in Saline County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Saline County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
29.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
22.7% under 18
Test scores in Saline County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Kansas state average: 44.5%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Meadowlark Ridge Elem· 67.1%
- Stewart Elem· 51.2%
- Southeast Saline Elem· 51.0%
- Cottonwood Elementary School· 45.4%
- Southeast Saline High· 44.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Schilling Elem· 30.5%
- Sunset Elem· 32.0%
- Salina High Central· 32.1%
- Oakdale Elem· 33.3%
- Salina High South· 34.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salina High South | Salina | High | 09-12 | 1,046 | · |
| Salina High Central | Salina | High | 09-12 | 934 | · |
| Salina South Middle | Salina | Middle | 06-08 | 782 | · |
| Lakewood Middle School | Salina | Middle | 06-08 | 647 | · |
| Meadowlark Ridge Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 431 | · |
| Stewart Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 406 | · |
| Heusner Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 392 | · |
| Coronado Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 389 | · |
| Sunset Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 380 | · |
| Schilling Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 376 | · |
| Southeast Saline Elem | Gypsum | Elementary | PK-06 | 375 | · |
| Cottonwood Elementary School | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 326 | · |
| Southeast Saline High | Gypsum | High | 07-12 | 323 | · |
| Oakdale Elem | Salina | Elementary | PK-05 | 282 | · |
| Ell-Saline Elementary | Salina | Elementary | PK-06 | 237 | · |
| Ell-Saline Middle/High School | Brookville | High | 07-12 | 204 | · |
| Salina Virtual Innovation Academy | Salina | High | 06-12 | 50 | · |
Cities in Saline County
About Saline County
Saline County is a low-population county of about 53,668 residents in Kansas. Its public-school system serves approximately 7,580 students across 17 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $65,422, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
For a sense of the school types, Saline County is built around 10 elementary schools (3,594 students), 2 middle schools (1,429), and 5 high schools (2,557).
Salina dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 6,441 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment fell 4%: 7,904 students in SY 2020-21 versus 7,580 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Saline County added 1 school, going from 16 to 17.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Saline County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data