Children And Education
High School Cohort Graduation Rate

Increasing


High School Cohort Graduation Rate

What does this measure?

The number of students graduating after four years of high school, expressed as a percentage of their cohort. A cohort is a class of ninth-graders beginning high school in the same academic year.

Why is this important?

High school graduation is the culmination of a successful K-12 education and the gateway to college or employment. Students who do not graduate face the prospect of unemployment or low-paying jobs.

How is our county performing?

In 2024, 90% of the 2020-21 cohort in Lancaster County graduated, compared to 88% statewide. Lancaster's rate has held fairly steady since 2011, ranging between 91-88%. Lancaster City School District's graduation rate was 77% in 2024, an increase of 8 percentage points from 2011.

Lancaster County was tied with York County for the second-highest graduation rate, behind Cumberland at 93%. Rates for Cumberland and Berks increased the most since 2011 (3 percentage points and 5 percentage points, respectively), while Dauphin County has seen a decrease of 7 percentage points in the same time period.

Notes about the data

Students are included in the cohort based on the year they entered Grade 9. Students are transferred in or out of cohorts if they transfer schools. Students who earn a GED or Certificate of Attainment are not counted as graduates.

High School Cohort Graduation Rate
20112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Pennsylvania83%84%86%85%85%86%87%86%87%87%87%87%88%88%
Lancaster County88%89%90%89%90%91%91%88%89%89%89%88%89%90%
Berks County84%83%85%84%84%87%86%86%87%87%87%87%87%89%
Chester County86%84%81%84%79%80%83%84%85%86%87%87%87%87%
Cumberland County90%89%90%91%91%93%93%92%92%93%93%92%93%93%
Dauphin County82%82%79%84%84%82%80%80%75%76%77%76%75%75%
Lebanon County87%86%85%88%86%86%85%85%85%88%85%86%86%87%
York County88%88%90%89%88%88%89%88%89%90%89%89%88%90%

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




Number of High School Graduates
20112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Pennsylvania126,871123,599123,613121,357117,212117,619118,366119,765119,750118,941118,137119,326119,109121,022
Lancaster County4,8244,8614,7314,7294,5754,6984,7384,9094,7804,5844,6284,6674,5674,673
Berks County4,6354,5334,5344,4494,2844,4224,4874,6634,5394,6014,5884,6584,7574,716
Chester County6,2386,3586,7326,8806,7536,4406,5566,8036,7556,7056,9197,0446,8807,145
Cumberland County2,0732,0641,9222,1031,9711,9792,0742,1322,0992,1112,1032,1242,1922,218
Dauphin County2,7662,8042,8482,8582,8793,0763,0163,1833,1993,2673,2393,6154,0584,692
Lebanon County1,2701,2221,2761,1871,2131,2501,2091,2411,2711,2831,2821,2851,3481,343
York County4,6764,6814,6254,6014,4384,5894,4224,6874,7324,8124,6334,8444,7314,777

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Not Applicable
Per-Student Spending Not Applicable
Students Receiving Special Education Services Not Applicable
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Not Applicable
College Graduation Rates Not Applicable
Brain Drain/Gain Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Not Applicable
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Not Applicable
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Not Applicable
Air Quality Not Applicable
Water Use Not Applicable
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Not Applicable
Language Diversity Not Applicable
Change in Total Jobs Not Applicable
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2010 Not Applicable
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Not Applicable
Spending for Local Government Not Applicable
Spending for School Districts Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Working Poor Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Not Applicable
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Not Applicable
Median Home Value Not Applicable
Occupied Housing Units Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Renting Not Applicable
Households Without Vehicles Not Applicable
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Not Applicable
Rate of Depression Diagnosis Not Applicable
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Not Applicable
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Fatal Drug Overdoses Not Applicable
Cancer Incidence Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Not Applicable
STEM Graduates Not Applicable
Science and Engineering Research and Development Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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