Best Public Schools in Ellicott City, MD

Summary:

The city of Ellicott City, Maryland is home to 21 schools that are part of the Howard County Public Schools district, which is ranked 4 out of 25 in the state and rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger. The district serves a diverse range of students, with a mix of socioeconomic backgrounds represented across the schools.

Several schools in Ellicott City stand out as top performers, including Centennial High School, which is ranked 23rd out of 220 Maryland high schools and has a 5-star rating. Other exceptional schools include Waverly Elementary, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary, and Worthington Elementary, all of which are ranked among the top 54 elementary schools in the state and have 5-star ratings. The district's middle schools also excel, with Folly Quarter Middle School ranking 7th out of 337 Maryland middle schools.

While the majority of schools in Ellicott City perform well, there are some areas for improvement. The district's high schools generally underperform compared to the elementary and middle schools, and the alternative Homewood School stands out as the lowest-performing school in the data set, with significantly lower test scores and a 0-star rating. Additionally, the district-wide chronic absenteeism rate of 17.3% is an area of concern that may require targeted interventions and support.

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCAP Mathematics (2025)							MCAP English Language Arts (2025)								MCAP Algebra I (2025)	MCAP Algebra II (2025)	MCAP Geometry (2025)	MCAP Science (2025)		MCAP Social Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 5th Grade	MCAP Science 8th Grade	MCAP Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Burleigh Manor Middle	Public	6-8	4200 Centennial Lane	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2507	777	49	15.7	17.5%	228 (29.3%)	81 (10.4%)	63 (8.1%)	347 (44.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.8%)	96.6	6^th of 337 public middle schools	98.2%		94.1	11^th of 328 public middle schools	96.6%	5				51.6	40.5	40.7	59.8				78.3	87.4	81.0		82.2	74.3	100.0	94.1		66.2	74.0	$16,394	$650	$15,744
Manor Woods Elementary	Public	K-5	11575 Frederick Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7165	697	51	13.5	16.9%	234 (33.6%)	69 (9.9%)	29 (4.2%)	309 (44.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	52 (7.5%)	93.5	50^th of 865 public elementary schools	94.2%		95.1	37^th of 859 public elementary schools	95.7%	13	72.7	72.3	56.1				66.8	77.0	79.6	76.3					77.6				47.8			$17,481	$692	$16,789
Centennial High	Public	9-12	4300 Centennial Ln	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2856	1,377	81	17.0	18.5%	455 (33.0%)	185 (13.4%)	107 (7.8%)	547 (39.7%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	74 (5.4%)	70.6	23^rd of 220 public high schools	89.5%		77.4	10^th of 146 public high schools	93.2%	13							33.3							83.6	83.6	15.3	41.4					$17,982	$875	$17,107
Centennial Lane Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3825 Centennial Ln	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2800	749	53	14.0	16.4%	238 (31.8%)	65 (8.7%)	45 (6.0%)	330 (44.1%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	63 (8.4%)	90	89^th of 865 public elementary schools	89.7%		93.6	50^th of 859 public elementary schools	94.2%	39	81.5	65.2	53.7				66.3	82.1	78.3	65.9					75.3				35.6			$16,557	$748	$15,809
Dunloggin Middle	Public	6-8	9129 Northfield Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2831	623	45	13.9	25.4%	185 (29.7%)	141 (22.6%)	56 (9.0%)	207 (33.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.5%)	84.4	51^st of 337 public middle schools	84.9%		80.3	50^th of 328 public middle schools	84.8%	1				50.3	30.6	12.1	46.3				71.8	69.5	60.5		67.0	75.2		75.0		44.0	64.2	$17,730	$784	$16,947
Howard High	Public	9-12	8700 Old Annapolis Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2867	1,493	96	15.5	20.2%	518 (34.7%)	348 (23.3%)	94 (6.3%)	418 (28.0%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	108 (7.2%)	62.9	33^rd of 220 public high schools	85.0%		58.7	35^th of 146 public high schools	76.0%	2							28.5							78.2	78.2	10.4	36.5					$19,053	$880	$18,174
Mount Hebron High	Public	9-12	9440 Old Frederick Road	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2880	1,455	93	15.6	19.2%	543 (37.3%)	197 (13.5%)	142 (9.8%)	506 (34.8%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	54 (3.7%)	61.5	36^th of 220 public high schools	83.6%		61.9	27^th of 146 public high schools	81.5%	9							27.2							77.2	77.2	15.9	32.4					$18,995	$885	$18,110
Northfield Elementary	Public	K-5	9125 Northfield Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2806	764	49	15.6	17.5%	322 (42.1%)	71 (9.3%)	74 (9.7%)	221 (28.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (9.8%)	91.3	79^th of 865 public elementary schools	90.9%		93.9	48^th of 859 public elementary schools	94.4%	31	62.1	70.7	60.3				64.4	69.9	78.0	73.5					73.9				47.4			$16,662	$682	$15,980
Patapsco Middle	Public	6-8	8885 Old Frederick Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2848	670	45	15.0	20.4%	222 (33.1%)	86 (12.8%)	67 (10.0%)	252 (37.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.7%)	88	41^st of 337 public middle schools	87.8%		84.3	42^nd of 328 public middle schools	87.2%	1				49.3	24.6	19.0	50.7				70.0	72.9	69.4		70.6	75.6		79.8		51.5	60.0	$17,957	$726	$17,230
St. Johns Lane Elementary	Public	K-5	2960 Saint Johns Ln	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2813	636	44	14.3	20.6%	267 (42.0%)	63 (9.9%)	47 (7.4%)	215 (33.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.6%)	86.1	122^nd of 865 public elementary schools	85.9%		90.9	70^th of 859 public elementary schools	91.9%	52	58.2	59.8	49.6				55.7	64.5	79.1	65.3					69.5				44.9			$17,107	$826	$16,281
Worthington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4570 Roundhill Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2825	403	34	11.7	11.7%	153 (38.0%)	51 (12.7%)	26 (6.5%)	142 (35.2%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.9%)	97.4	11^th of 865 public elementary schools	98.7%		97.7	10^th of 859 public elementary schools	98.8%	1	81.6	72.1	75.0				75.7	85.7	86.8	82.9					85.0				56.9			$23,142	$885	$22,257
Ilchester Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4981 Ilchester Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2524	482	38	12.6	13.7%	212 (44.0%)	58 (12.0%)	29 (6.0%)	132 (27.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	50 (10.4%)	89.9	92^nd of 865 public elementary schools	89.4%		90.1	79^th of 859 public elementary schools	90.8%	13	75.3	58.4	60.6				64.5	70.8	72.2	63.1					69.2				48.5			$21,779	$1,327	$20,452
Hollifield Station Elementary	Public	K-5	8701 Stonehouse Dr	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2550	677	50	13.6	26.0%	144 (21.3%)	97 (14.3%)	110 (16.2%)	285 (42.1%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (5.0%)	81.2	167^th of 865 public elementary schools	80.7%		73.1	215^th of 859 public elementary schools	75.0%	48	61.9	45.9	59.7				56.4	59.1	63.2	62.8					61.6				40.8			$18,629	$696	$17,933
Triadelphia Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13400 Triadelphia Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2560	619	45	13.9	7.3%	236 (38.1%)	44 (7.1%)	26 (4.2%)	271 (43.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.3%)	96.3	22^nd of 865 public elementary schools	97.5%		95.5	32^nd of 859 public elementary schools	96.3%	10	78.9	83.3	69.1				77.1	77.5	89.2	77.3					80.9				54.5			$18,336	$832	$17,504
Bonnie Branch Middle	Public	6-8	4979 Ilchester Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2580	739	53	14.0	29.2%	255 (34.5%)	171 (23.1%)	125 (16.9%)	143 (19.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.7%)	78.5	66^th of 337 public middle schools	80.4%		67.7	83^rd of 328 public middle schools	74.7%	17				40.3	20.3	16.1	41.8				62.1	64.7	58.8		61.7	74.6		69.7		40.8	58.9	$18,541	$842	$17,699
Homewood School	Public	6-12	10914 Clarksville Pike	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7081	109	43	2.5	45.9%	36 (33.0%)	40 (36.7%)	18 (16.5%)	5 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.3%)	10.8	213^th of 220 public high schools	3.2%		14.1	139^th of 146 public high schools	4.8%	74						0.0	0.0						15.4	17.6	16.7	0.0	0.0			0.0	16.7	$81,791	$2,291	$79,501
Ellicott Mills Middle	Public	6-8	4445 Montgomery Rd	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2839	698	49	14.3	14.6%	197 (28.2%)	111 (15.9%)	39 (5.6%)	300 (43.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (7.0%)	91.7	28^th of 337 public middle schools	91.7%		85.3	39^th of 328 public middle schools	88.1%	11				60.8	25.4	8.2	54.5				79.1	78.7	77.4		78.4	68.5	100.0	85.6		59.7	79.3	$17,633	$822	$16,811
Bellows Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8125 Old Stockbridge Dr	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-5057	806	64	12.5	26.3%	146 (18.1%)	256 (31.8%)	79 (9.8%)	274 (34.0%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (5.6%)	80.3	177^th of 865 public elementary schools	79.5%		79.1	173^rd of 859 public elementary schools	79.9%	4	57.7	62.9	46.8				56.2	64.8	68.0	55.0					63.0				33.6			$19,642	$925	$18,717
Folly Quarter Middle	Public	6-8	13500 Triadelphia Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-1506	682	47	14.5	7.8%	324 (47.5%)	58 (8.5%)	39 (5.7%)	217 (31.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.9%)	96.5	7^th of 337 public middle schools	97.9%		96.5	5^th of 328 public middle schools	98.5%	2				67.7	48.1	40.8	70.4				84.8	81.0	75.2		80.4	89.5	100.0	98.8		59.9	75.2	$18,059	$720	$17,339
Veterans Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4355 Montgomery Road	Ellicott City	21043	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-1700	883	68	13.0	27.5%	193 (21.9%)	166 (18.8%)	82 (9.3%)	367 (41.6%)	7 (0.8%)	3 (0.3%)	65 (7.4%)	81.8	162^nd of 865 public elementary schools	81.3%		83	143^rd of 859 public elementary schools	83.4%	19	57.7	56.6	51.4				55.1	63.1	66.9	54.6					61.3				44.0			$17,839	$979	$16,861
Applications and Research Laboratory	Public	9-12	10920 Clarksville Pike	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6698	0	33	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Waverly Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10220 Wetherburn Rd	Ellicott City	21042	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-2819	827	61	13.4	9.3%	213 (25.8%)	60 (7.3%)	44 (5.3%)	454 (54.9%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (6.0%)	93.4	54^th of 865 public elementary schools	93.8%		96.2	26^th of 859 public elementary schools	97.0%	28	64.4	78.5	68.7				70.5	69.6	82.7	79.5					77.3				49.0			$18,270	$887	$17,383

Cities Near Ellicott City

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Columbia	3.11 mi	23	136^th
Catonsville	3.46 mi	3	115^th
Baltimore	3.53 mi	278	222^nd
Woodlawn	5.43 mi	1	168^th
Elkridge	5.45 mi	6	105^th

See the top MD Maryland cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.