Total enrollment
16,905
-341 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
St. Mary's County
Maryland · Public K-12
Public K-12 enrollment in St. Mary's County totals about 16,905 students across 28 schools, an average of 604 per school. St. Mary's County Public Schools is the largest district. By level, that breaks down as 19 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in St. Mary's County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How St. Mary's County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Maryland | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 46.7% | #7 of 24 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 16,905 | #12 of 24 | #547 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 26 | #13 of 24 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.4:1 | #24 of 24 | #2,182 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 40.9% | #17 of 24 | #2,061 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 59.6% | #15 of 23 | #582 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.
St. Mary's County school rankings
Residents
115,126
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
28
1 districts
Enrollment
16,905
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$119,446
Above Maryland avg
Free/reduced lunch
40.9%
Below Maryland avg
Elementary
19
7,969 students
Middle
4
3,595 students
High
4
5,341 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
St. Mary's County Public Schools
16,905 students · 1 district in St. Mary's County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of St. Mary's 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+
36.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.6%
civilian labor
Median age
37
23.9% under 18
Test scores in St. Mary's County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 26 schools ranked. Maryland state average: 51.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Leonardtown High· 81.6%
- White Marsh Elementary· 75.6%
- Leonardtown Middle· 74.4%
- Chopticon High· 72.8%
- Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary· 68.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Lexington Park Elementary· 22.5%
- Spring Ridge Middle· 36.7%
- George Washington Carver Elementary· 41.3%
- Ridge Elementary· 45.0%
- Lettie Marshall Dent Elem· 45.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonardtown High | Leonardtown | High | 09-12 | 2,118 | · |
| Great Mills High | Great Mills | High | 09-12 | 1,697 | · |
| Chopticon High | Morganza | High | 09-12 | 1,526 | · |
| Leonardtown Middle | Leonardtown | Middle | 06-08 | 969 | · |
| Spring Ridge Middle | Lexington Park | Middle | 06-08 | 913 | · |
| Margaret Brent Middle | Mechanicsville | Middle | 06-08 | 878 | · |
| Esperanza Middle | Lexington Park | Middle | 06-08 | 835 | · |
| Evergreen Elementary School | California | Elementary | PK-05 | 715 | · |
| Park Hall Elementary | Park Hall | Elementary | PK-05 | 569 | · |
| Benjamin Banneker Elementary | Loveville | Elementary | PK-05 | 543 | · |
| Chesapeake Charter School | Lexington Park | Elementary | KG-08 | 539 | · |
| Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary | Leonardtown | Elementary | PK-05 | 516 | · |
| Leonardtown Elementary | Leonardtown | Elementary | PK-05 | 509 | · |
| Lettie Marshall Dent Elem | Mechanicsville | Elementary | PK-05 | 479 | · |
| Green Holly Elementary School | Lexington Park | Elementary | PK-05 | 478 | · |
| George Washington Carver Elementary | Great Mills | Elementary | PK-05 | 460 | · |
| Piney Point Elementary | Tall Timbers | Elementary | PK-05 | 435 | · |
| Dynard Elementary | Chaptico | Elementary | PK-05 | 422 | · |
| Hollywood Elementary | Hollywood | Elementary | PK-05 | 414 | · |
| Lexington Park Elementary | Lexington Park | Elementary | PK-05 | 383 | · |
| Greenview Knolls Elementary | Great Mills | Elementary | PK-05 | 294 | · |
| Oakville Elementary | Mechanicsville | Elementary | PK-05 | 291 | · |
| Mechanicsville Elementary | Mechanicsville | Elementary | PK-05 | 273 | · |
| Town Creek Elementary | Lexington Park | Elementary | PK-05 | 220 | · |
| White Marsh Elementary | Mechanicsville | Elementary | PK-05 | 220 | · |
| Ridge Elementary | Ridge | Elementary | PK-05 | 209 | · |
| Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center | Leonardtown | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| St. Mary's County Evening High | Lexington Park | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in St. Mary's County
About St. Mary's County
St. Mary's County is a middle-population county of about 115,126 residents in Maryland. Its public-school system hosts approximately 16,905 students across 28 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $119,446, about 37% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 24% noticeably above the Maryland median.
In terms of grade levels, St. Mary's County consists of 19 elementary schools (7,969 students), 4 middle schools (3,595), 4 high schools (5,341), and 1 combined or other schools.
St. Mary's County Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 16,905 students across St. Mary's County.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 17,246 students in SY 2020-21 versus 16,905 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for St. Mary's County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data