Maryland high school graduation rate reaches seven-year peak

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced that the state's high school graduation rate reached its highest level since 2017. The four-year cohort graduation rate for 2024 was reported at 87.6%, marking an increase of 1.8 percentage points from the previous year. This improvement was most notable among Hispanic students and multilingual learners.

Dr. Carey M. Wright, State Superintendent of Schools, commented on the achievement: "This is great news for Maryland. When we set high standards, deliver strong instruction, and invest in proven supports, our students show that they will exceed expectations. We will continue working to ensure that every Maryland student achieves their highest academic potential."

Dr. Joshua Michael, State Board of Education President, expressed optimism about future progress: "The State Board continues to be encouraged by steady progress in outcomes for Maryland students. With investments through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future deepening supports and raising standards for students, we expect graduation rates to continue to improve in forthcoming years."

The class of 2024 consisted of 67,349 students, with 58,965 graduating within four years. Most student groups maintained stable graduation rates compared to the previous year.

Additionally, MSDE released data on the five-year cohort graduation rate, which showed a slight decrease from 88.2% to 87.4% for students who started ninth grade in the 2019-2020 school year.

Maryland's cohort graduation rates are tracked from freshman through senior year as per federal reporting standards. Since a peak of 87.7% in 2017, these rates have varied between 85.8% and 87.2%.

Further details on statewide and local data regarding four-year and five-year cohort graduation rates can be accessed on the Maryland Report Card website.

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