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Best Schools in Columbia, MD
Columbia, MD has 49 public schools (8 high, 12 middle, 26 elementary) serving 31,045 students. On average they score 46% on state proficiency tests against a projected 40%, so schools in Columbia exceed expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Columbia, MD
The top high schools in Columbia, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. River Hill High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1424 Students
2. Centennial High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1392 Students
3. Howard High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1741 Students
4. Atholton High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1467 Students
5. Hammond High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1287 Students
6. Long Reach High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1714 Students
7. Oakland Mills High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1401 Students
8. Wilde Lake High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1341 Students
Best Middle Schools in Columbia, MD
The top middle schools in Columbia, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Clarksville Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 649 Students
2. Burleigh Manor Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 806 Students
3. Ellicott Mills Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 670 Students
4. Hammond Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 570 Students
5. Dunloggin Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 617 Students
6. Bonnie Branch Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 682 Students
7. Wilde Lake Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 611 Students
8. Mayfield Woods Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 716 Students
9. Oakland Mills Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 475 Students
10. Patuxent Valley Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 767 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Columbia, MD
The top elementary schools in Columbia, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Pointers Run Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 812 Students
2. Clarksville Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 581 Students
3. Centennial Lane Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 698 Students
4. Waterloo Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 612 Students
5. Hammond Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 651 Students
6. Atholton Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 489 Students
7. Clemens Crossing Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 543 Students
8. Stevens Forest Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 308 Students
9. Jeffers Hill Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 408 Students
10. Thunder Hill Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Howard County Public Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 472 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Columbia, MD
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Columbia, MD has a total population of 96,503 with 26% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 95%, and 62% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Columbia, MD
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Columbia, MD.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
24.55 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.97 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
21.58 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Columbia, MD.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Columbia, MD.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Columbia, MD Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Columbia, MD
How many schools are in Columbia, MD?
Columbia, MD has 49 public schools: 8 high schools, 12 middle schools and 26 elementary schools, serving 31,045 students in total.
How do schools in Columbia perform on state tests?
On average, 49 schools in Columbia score 46% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 40%, so on average schools in Columbia exceed expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Columbia?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Columbia, MD
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 41%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 65%
- Projected: 55%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 64%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 53%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 31%
- Projected: 29%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 50%
- Projected: 42%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 38%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 30%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Every school in Columbia
23 of 23 schools in Columbia carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 4B: 8C: 11
All 23 public schools we grade in Columbia. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (5)
Middle and junior high schools (4)
Elementary and primary schools (14)
- Atholton Elementary
- Bryant Woods Elementary
- Clemens Crossing Elementary
- Cradlerock Elementary
- Guilford Elementary
- Jeffers Hill Elementary
- Longfellow Elementary
- Phelps Luck Elementary
- Running Brook Elementary
- Stevens Forest Elementary
- Swansfield Elementary
- Talbott Springs Elementary
- Thunder Hill Elementary
- Waterloo Elementary
Private schools (9)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.