Total enrollment
21,027
-2,220 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
Berrien County
Michigan · Public K-12
Berrien County is one of Michigan's public-school counties, with 75 campuses serving about 21,027 students (30 elementary, 12 middle, and 22 high). Median household income in the county is roughly $65,425.
7-year change in Berrien County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
74
-1 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
61%
was 63%
% Hispanic
11%
was 10%
% Black
19%
was 20%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
75
20 districts
Enrollment
21,027
NCES CCD
Median income
$65,425
Below Michigan avg
Free/reduced lunch
54.6%
Above Michigan avg
Elementary
30
8,744 students
Middle
12
4,087 students
High
22
6,749 students
Combined / other
11
1,447 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
St. Joseph Public Schools
2,918 students · 20 districts in Berrien County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Berrien 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+
30.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.2%
civilian labor
Median age
43
21.3% under 18
Test scores in Berrien County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 29 schools ranked. Michigan state average: 47.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- New Buffalo Elementary School· 75.3%
- Bridgman Elementary School· 69.4%
- Brown School· 67.5%
- Roosevelt Elementary School· 66.3%
- New Buffalo Middle School· 65.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Coloma Elementary School· 14.6%
- Brandywine Elementary School· 22.2%
- Coloma Junior High School· 23.8%
- Brandywine Middle School· 24.2%
- Coloma Intermediate School· 27.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph High School | Saint Joseph | High | 09-12 | 933 | · |
| Lakeshore High School | Stevensville | High | 09-12 | 843 | · |
| Niles Senior High School | Niles | High | 09-12 | 828 | · |
| Upton Middle School | Saint Joseph | Middle | 06-08 | 690 | · |
| Lakeshore Middle School | Stevensville | Middle | 06-08 | 612 | · |
| Buchanan High School | Buchanan | High | 08-12 | 561 | · |
| Berrien Springs High School | Berrien Springs | High | 09-12 | 554 | · |
| Ballard Elementary School | Niles | Elementary | PK-05 | 516 | · |
| Ring Lardner Middle School | Niles | Middle | 06-08 | 510 | · |
| Benton Harbor High School | Benton Harbor | High | 09-12 | 469 | · |
| Clarke School | Saint Joseph | Elementary | KG-05 | 462 | · |
| Berrien Springs Middle School | Berrien Springs | Middle | 06-08 | 424 | · |
| Lincoln School | Saint Joseph | Elementary | PK-05 | 423 | · |
| Benton Harbor Charter School Academy | Benton Harbor | Combined | PK-09 | 418 | · |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | Stevensville | Elementary | PK-05 | 412 | · |
| Brown School | Saint Joseph | Elementary | PK-05 | 410 | · |
| Eastside Connections School | Niles | Elementary | KG-08 | 403 | · |
| Sylvester Elementary School | Berrien Springs | Elementary | 02-05 | 394 | · |
| Stewart Elementary School | Stevensville | Elementary | PK-05 | 391 | · |
| Countryside Academy MiddleHigh School | Benton Harbor | Combined | 02-12 | 386 | · |
| Countryside Academy Elementary | Benton Harbor | Elementary | KG-05 | 384 | · |
| Brandywine Elementary School | Niles | Elementary | 03-06 | 379 | · |
| Hollywood Elementary School | Stevensville | Elementary | PK-05 | 377 | · |
| Brandywine Senior High School | Niles | High | 09-12 | 366 | · |
| Watervliet Senior High School | Watervliet | High | 09-12 | 360 | · |
| Buchanan Middle School | Buchanan | Middle | 05-07 | 358 | · |
| Coloma Elementary School | Coloma | Elementary | PK-03 | 356 | · |
| Moccasin Elementary School | Buchanan | Elementary | 02-04 | 354 | · |
| Mars Elementary School | Berrien Springs | Elementary | PK-02 | 338 | · |
| Coloma High School | Coloma | High | 09-12 | 336 | · |
| South Elementary School | Watervliet | Elementary | PK-02 | 335 | · |
| North Elementary School | Watervliet | Elementary | 03-05 | 312 | · |
| Bridgman Elementary School | Bridgman | Elementary | PK-04 | 309 | · |
| Watervliet Middle School | Watervliet | Middle | 06-08 | 309 | · |
| Merritt Elementary School | Niles | Elementary | PK-02 | 304 | · |
| River Valley MiddleHigh School | Three Oaks | High | 06-12 | 265 | · |
| FC Reed Middle School | Bridgman | Middle | 05-08 | 261 | · |
| Fair Plain Middle School | Benton Harbor | Middle | 06-08 | 240 | · |
| Bridgman High School | Bridgman | High | 09-12 | 239 | · |
| Lybrook Elementary School | Eau Claire | Elementary | PK-05 | 233 | · |
| Ottawa Elementary School | Buchanan | Elementary | PK-01 | 230 | · |
| Martin Luther King Jr Elementary | Benton Harbor | Elementary | 01-03 | 229 | · |
| Coloma Junior High School | Coloma | Middle | 06-08 | 228 | · |
| Mildred C Wells Preparatory Academy | Benton Harbor | Elementary | KG-08 | 227 | · |
| Berrien Springs Virtual Academy | Berrien Sprgs | Combined | PK-12 | 213 | · |
| New Buffalo Elementary School | New Buffalo | Elementary | PK-05 | 211 | · |
| River Valley Elementary School | Three Oaks | Elementary | PK-05 | 195 | · |
| Brandywine Middle School | Niles | Middle | 07-08 | 183 | · |
| Eau Claire High School | Eau Claire | High | 09-12 | 180 | · |
| Coloma Intermediate School | Coloma | Elementary | 04-05 | 175 | · |
| New Buffalo Senior High School | New Buffalo | High | 09-12 | 172 | · |
| Fair Plain East Elementary | Benton Harbor | Elementary | 04-05 | 150 | · |
| Eau Claire Middle School | Eau Claire | Middle | 06-08 | 139 | · |
| Niles Cedar Lane | Niles | High | 09-12 | 134 | · |
| New Buffalo Middle School | New Buffalo | Middle | 06-08 | 133 | · |
| Lighthouse Education Center | Saint Joseph | Combined | KG-12 | 128 | · |
| Blossomland Learning Center | Berrien Springs | Combined | PK-12 | 124 | · |
| Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan | Benton Harbor | High | 09-12 | 112 | · |
| WAY Niles | Niles | High | 06-12 | 95 | · |
| WAY Watervliet High School | Watervliet | High | 09-12 | 90 | · |
| Discovery Enrichment Center | Benton Harbor | Elementary | PK-KG | 80 | · |
| Berrien Springs Discovery Academy | Berrien Sprgs | High | 09-12 | 74 | · |
| Riverside School | Benton Harbor | Elementary | PK-08 | 72 | · |
| River School | Sodus | Elementary | KG-08 | 70 | · |
| Brandywine Innovation Academy | Niles | High | 06-12 | 69 | · |
| Career and Alternative Pathways to Education Center | Benton Harbor | Combined | KG-12 | 59 | · |
| Buchanan Virtual Academy | Buchanan | Combined | KG-12 | 49 | · |
| Southside Special Educ School | Niles | Combined | 04-12 | 37 | · |
| WAY Eau Claire | Eau Claire | High | 09-12 | 35 | · |
| Niles Comm Schools Adult Education | Niles | High | 09-12 | 24 | · |
| Niles Virtual School | Niles | Combined | KG-12 | 18 | · |
| Buchanan Step Up | Buchanan | Combined | KG-12 | 15 | · |
| Northside Child Development Center | Niles | Elementary | PK-KG | 13 | · |
| Berrien County Juvenile Center | Berrien Center | High | 06-12 | 10 | · |
| Chikaming Elementary School | Sawyer | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Berrien County
Niles15 schoolsBenton Harbor12 schoolsBuchanan6 schoolsSaint Joseph6 schoolsStevensville5 schoolsWatervliet5 schoolsBerrien Springs4 schoolsColoma4 schoolsEau Claire4 schoolsBridgman3 schoolsNew Buffalo3 schoolsBerrien Sprgs2 schoolsThree Oaks2 schoolsBerrien Center1 schoolBerrien Springs1 schoolSawyer1 schoolSodus1 school
About Berrien County
Berrien County is a moderately sized Michigan county of about 153,288 residents, home to 75 public schools and roughly 21,027 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show the median household earns about $65,425 a year, about 31% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Berrien County comprises 30 elementary schools (8,744 students), 12 middle schools (4,087), 22 high schools (6,749), and 11 combined or other schools.
St. Joseph Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,918 students across Berrien County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Berrien County has decreased 10% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 23,247 students to 21,027. The school count fell from 75 to 74 across the same 7-year window.
On this page, the community for Berrien County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Berrien County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data