Total enrollment
57,565
+781 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
Howard County
Maryland · Public K-12
Within Howard County, Maryland, families have 78 public-school options to consider, collectively serving 57,565 K-12 students. Howard County Public Schools is the heaviest district by enrollment. The level mix is 42 elementary, 20 middle, and 15 high schools.
7-year change in Howard County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
77
+2 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
29%
was 37%
% Hispanic
14%
was 11%
% Black
25%
was 24%
% Asian
24%
was 22%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
336,328
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
78
1 districts
Enrollment
57,565
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$149,763
Above Maryland avg
Free/reduced lunch
27.5%
Below Maryland avg
Elementary
42
25,802 students
Middle
20
13,251 students
High
15
18,379 students
Combined / other
1
133 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Howard County Public Schools
57,565 students · 1 district in Howard County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Howard 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+
64.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.5%
civilian labor
Median age
40
23.8% under 18
Test scores in Howard County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 75 schools ranked. Maryland state average: 51.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Glenelg High· 92.1%
- West Friendship Elementary· 89.7%
- River Hill High· 88.2%
- Marriotts Ridge High· 87.4%
- Pointers Run Elementary· 86.3%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Longfellow Elementary· 34.5%
- Lake Elkhorn Middle· 36.8%
- Running Brook Elementary· 39.9%
- Cradlerock Elementary· 41.1%
- Guilford Elementary· 41.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriotts Ridge High | Marriottsville | High | 09-12 | 1,741 | · |
| Reservoir High | Fulton | High | 09-12 | 1,597 | · |
| Atholton High | Columbia | High | 09-12 | 1,540 | · |
| Howard High | Ellicott City | High | 09-12 | 1,493 | · |
| Mount Hebron High | Ellicott City | High | 09-12 | 1,455 | · |
| Oakland Mills High | Columbia | High | 09-12 | 1,413 | · |
| River Hill High | Clarksville | High | 09-12 | 1,383 | · |
| Centennial High | Ellicott City | High | 09-12 | 1,377 | · |
| Glenelg High | Glenelg | High | 09-12 | 1,363 | · |
| Long Reach High | Columbia | High | 09-12 | 1,334 | · |
| Guilford Park High | Jessup | High | 09-12 | 1,218 | · |
| Wilde Lake High | Columbia | High | 09-12 | 1,197 | · |
| Hammond High | Columbia | High | 09-12 | 1,159 | · |
| Veterans Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 883 | · |
| Mount View Middle | Marriottsville | Middle | 06-08 | 881 | · |
| Hanover Hills Elementary | Hanover | Elementary | PK-05 | 875 | · |
| Fulton Elementary | Fulton | Elementary | PK-05 | 872 | · |
| Patuxent Valley Middle | Jessup | Middle | 06-08 | 840 | · |
| Pointers Run Elementary | Clarksville | Elementary | PK-05 | 835 | · |
| Waverly Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 827 | · |
| Bellows Spring Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 806 | · |
| Elkridge Elementary | Elkridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 798 | · |
| Burleigh Manor Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 777 | · |
| Bollman Bridge Elementary | Jessup | Elementary | PK-05 | 775 | · |
| Northfield Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | KG-05 | 764 | · |
| Hammond Elementary | Laurel | Elementary | KG-05 | 763 | · |
| Thomas Viaduct Middle | Hanover | Middle | 06-08 | 758 | · |
| Gorman Crossing Elementary | Laurel | Elementary | PK-05 | 750 | · |
| Centennial Lane Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 749 | · |
| Bonnie Branch Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 739 | · |
| Dayton Oaks Elementary | Dayton | Elementary | PK-05 | 739 | · |
| Mayfield Woods Middle | Elkridge | Middle | 06-08 | 731 | · |
| Ellicott Mills Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 698 | · |
| Manor Woods Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | KG-05 | 697 | · |
| Elkridge Landing Middle | Elkridge | Middle | 06-08 | 686 | · |
| Folly Quarter Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 682 | · |
| Phelps Luck Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 681 | · |
| Clarksville Middle | Clarksville | Middle | 06-08 | 679 | · |
| Hollifield Station Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | KG-05 | 677 | · |
| Lime Kiln Middle | Fulton | Middle | 06-08 | 675 | · |
| Patapsco Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 670 | · |
| Waterloo Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 666 | · |
| Forest Ridge Elementary | Laurel | Elementary | PK-05 | 659 | · |
| Rockburn Elementary | Elkridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 649 | · |
| Wilde Lake Middle | Columbia | Middle | 06-08 | 643 | · |
| Deep Run Elementary | Elkridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 638 | · |
| St. Johns Lane Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | KG-05 | 636 | · |
| Bushy Park Elementary | Glenwood | Elementary | PK-05 | 631 | · |
| Laurel Woods Elementary | Laurel | Elementary | PK-05 | 625 | · |
| Dunloggin Middle | Ellicott City | Middle | 06-08 | 623 | · |
| Triadelphia Ridge Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 619 | · |
| Murray Hill Middle | Laurel | Middle | 06-08 | 616 | · |
| Hammond Middle | Laurel | Middle | 06-08 | 604 | · |
| Swansfield Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 594 | · |
| Ducketts Lane Elementary | Elkridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 573 | · |
| Lake Elkhorn Middle | Columbia | Middle | 06-08 | 569 | · |
| Clarksville Elementary | Clarksville | Elementary | KG-05 | 543 | · |
| Atholton Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 516 | · |
| Glenwood Middle | Glenwood | Middle | 06-08 | 494 | · |
| Ilchester Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 482 | · |
| Clemens Crossing Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | KG-05 | 481 | · |
| Lisbon Elementary | Woodbine | Elementary | KG-05 | 480 | · |
| Harpers Choice Middle | Columbia | Middle | 06-08 | 471 | · |
| Talbott Springs Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 461 | · |
| Thunder Hill Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | KG-05 | 459 | · |
| Cradlerock Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 453 | · |
| Longfellow Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 446 | · |
| Guilford Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 437 | · |
| Oakland Mills Middle | Columbia | Middle | 06-08 | 415 | · |
| Running Brook Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 407 | · |
| Jeffers Hill Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 406 | · |
| Worthington Elementary | Ellicott City | Elementary | PK-05 | 403 | · |
| West Friendship Elementary | West Friendship | Elementary | KG-05 | 367 | · |
| Bryant Woods Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 366 | · |
| Stevens Forest Elementary | Columbia | Elementary | PK-05 | 314 | · |
| Cedar Lane Special Center | Fulton | Combined | PK-12 | 133 | · |
| Homewood School | Ellicott City | High | 06-12 | 109 | · |
| Applications and Research Laboratory | Ellicott City | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Howard County
About Howard County
In Maryland, Howard County is a sprawling county of about 336,328 residents. 78 public schools across the county hosts about 57,565 students between them.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $149,763, about 65% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 4%. That income level is 55% noticeably above the Maryland median.
In terms of grade levels, Howard County consists of 42 elementary schools (25,802 students), 20 middle schools (13,251), 15 high schools (18,379), and 1 combined or other schools.
Howard County Public Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 57,565 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Howard County has held roughly steady since SY 2017-18, moving from about 56,784 students to 57,565. Howard County now counts 77 public schools, up from 75 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 37% to 29%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Howard County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Howard County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data