Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Baltimore City College

Public Grades 9-12

8^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 96% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Baltimore City College is a large, selective-admission public high school in Baltimore, MD, serving 1,470 students in grades 9-12 and known as "The Castle on the Hill" for its historic reputation as a premier academic institution within the Baltimore City Public Schools system.

This school stands out dramatically from its neighbors. It is ranked 8th out of 227 high schools in Maryland (96th percentile) with a 5-star rating, while nearby schools like Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High (200th) and The Reach! Partnership School (221st) rank in the bottom 12% of the state. Academic proficiency is exceptionally high: 85% of students are proficient in English Language Arts (more than double the district average of 32.9%) and 46.7% are proficient in math (over three times the district average of 13.3%). The graduation rate is 93.4%, far above the district average of 68.6%, and chronic absenteeism is just 21.7%—less than half the district average of 46.4% and a stark contrast to Mergenthaler (76.5%) and The Reach! Partnership School (79.8%), which are just blocks away.

What makes Baltimore City College especially noteworthy is its remarkable trajectory of improvement, moving from the 56th percentile a decade ago to the 96th percentile today. It achieves these results while serving a student body where over half qualify for free/reduced lunch, demonstrating effectiveness at closing opportunity gaps. The school is also highly efficient, spending $18,604 per student—significantly less than lower-performing peers like Baltimore School for the Arts ($27,113) or Renaissance Academy ($38,693). While math scores lag behind English scores, the overall picture is one of a school that consistently outperforms its district and most nearby schools, making it a top choice for families seeking a rigorous academic environment.

1,470

Students ?

18.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,604

Per pupil spending ?

52.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3220 The Alameda
Baltimore, MD 21218-3695

(410) 396-6557

District: Baltimore City Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

67.1%

White:

14.1%

Hispanic:

14.1%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Baltimore City College to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 85th percentile in 2015 → 96th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Maryland average (66% vs 38% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 4% of Maryland high schools

✓93% graduate within 4 years

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school66%

District avg23%

Maryland avg38%

8^th of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Top 4%▲ up 19 pts since 2016

From top 22% (2016) to top 4% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 31High Schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools

24^th of 25Baltimore City Public Schools among Maryland districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2026	83.9	8 of 227	96.5%	★★★★★
2025	65.1	30 of 220	86.4%	★★★★☆
2024	60.4	31 of 146	78.8%	★★★★☆
2023	55.6	41 of 127	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.0	40 of 225	82.2%	★★★★☆
2019	65.7	32 of 138	76.8%	★★★★☆
2018	62.2	47 of 197	76.1%	★★★★☆
2017	50.2	79 of 180	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	68.0	52 of 233	77.7%	★★★★☆
2015	72.3	35 of 233	85.0%	★★★★☆
2014	72.5	76 of 231	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	67.0	78 of 185	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	70.8	63 of 187	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	77.5	33 of 183	82.0%	★★★★☆
2010	70.8	81 of 220	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	71.8	71 of 213	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	75.9	56 of 214	73.8%	★★★★☆
2007	75.7	30 of 209	85.6%	★★★★☆
2006	82.1	9 of 204	95.6%	★★★★★
2005	69.9	26 of 204	87.3%	★★★★☆
2004	70.7	2 of 201	99.0%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	87.3	6 of 40	85.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2021)85th percentile

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts85%+33 vs state

Mathematics47%+20 vs state

Algebra I47%+25 vs state

2.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★1

2★0

1★1

Rate Baltimore City College

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a student
Tuesday, July 7, 2020

For an IB World school, they sure have a hard time figuring out what the IB committee wants. They have a hard time teaching students in ways that will help the students get high grades from the IB committee Close Quote

Schools Near Baltimore City College

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)				MCAP English Language Arts (2026)					MCAP Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Science (2026)	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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	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 Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Baltimore City College	Public	9-12	3220 The Alameda	Baltimore	21218	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 396-6557	1,470	79	18.6	52.1%	207 (14.1%)	986 (67.1%)	207 (14.1%)	23 (1.6%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	36 (2.4%)	83.9	8^th of 227 public high schools	96.5%		65.1	30^th of 220 public high schools	86.4%	22				46.7				85.0	85.0	46.7		$18,604	$4,067	$14,537
Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High	Public	9-12	3500 Hillen Road	Baltimore	21218	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-6496	1,714	116	14.7	79.2%	22 (1.3%)	1,498 (87.4%)	159 (9.3%)	22 (1.3%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	5 (0.3%)	14.5	200^th of 227 public high schools	11.9%		14.9	196^th of 220 public high schools	10.9%	4				5.1				27.8	27.8	5.1		$20,324	$3,835	$16,489
The Reach! Partnership School	Public	9-12	2555 Harford Road	Baltimore	21218	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(443) 642-2291	724	46	15.7	84.4%	12 (1.7%)	642 (88.7%)	57 (7.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.6%)	6 (0.8%)	8.8	221^st of 227 public high schools	2.6%		12.8	207^th of 220 public high schools	5.9%	14				1.7				12.8	12.8	1.7		$24,125	$5,014	$19,111
Baltimore Design School	Public	6-12	1500 Barclay Street	Baltimore	21202	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(443) 642-2311	503	39	13.0	75.9%	26 (5.2%)	435 (86.5%)	25 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.0%)	54.2	60^th of 227 public high schools	73.6%		53.4	60^th of 220 public high schools	72.7%		10.3	9.0	35.3	15.1	25.6	49.3	30.9	72.5	46.7	11.6	12.7	$21,049	$4,384	$16,665
Eager Street Academy	Public	6-12	926 Greenmount Avenue	Baltimore	21202	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 234-1815	45	10	4.5	57.8%	1 (2.2%)	40 (88.9%)	1 (2.2%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.4%)	8.9	219^th of 227 public high schools	3.5%					(n/a)				0.0				17.2	17.2	0.0		$45,237	$8,592	$36,645
National Academy Foundation	Public	6-12	540 N Caroline Street	Baltimore	21205	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(443) 984-1594	801	60	13.3	64.0%	11 (1.4%)	316 (39.5%)	457 (57.1%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.7%)	12.3	207^th of 227 public high schools	8.8%		13.5	203^rd of 220 public high schools	7.7%	4	0.0	7.0	6.1	5.3	4.3	12.3	16.0	14.5	12.5	6.1	4.3	$25,006	$4,437	$20,569
Paul Laurence Dunbar High	Public	9-12	1400 Orleans Street	Baltimore	21231	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 642-4478	1,087	60	18.1	77.7%	15 (1.4%)	872 (80.2%)	188 (17.3%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.5%)	49.2	72^nd of 227 public high schools	68.3%		46.7	83^rd of 220 public high schools	62.3%	11				18.7				62.2	62.2	18.7		$18,832	$3,740	$15,092
Baltimore School for the Arts	Public	9-12	712 Cathedral Street	Baltimore	21201	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(443) 642-5165	443	28	15.8	24.2%	150 (33.9%)	246 (55.5%)	25 (5.6%)	8 (1.8%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	7 (1.6%)	70.1	21^st of 227 public high schools	90.7%		75.5	16^th of 220 public high schools	92.7%	5				8.3				88.1	88.1	8.3		$27,113	$5,283	$21,830
Academy for College and Career Exploration	Public	6-12	1300 W 36th Street	Baltimore	21211	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(410) 396-7607	967	67	14.4	79.1%	85 (8.8%)	674 (69.7%)	171 (17.7%)	20 (2.1%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	12 (1.2%)	16.6	187^th of 227 public high schools	17.6%		21.9	162^nd of 220 public high schools	26.4%	25	0.0	4.7	2.2	4.8	11.6	21.4	41.7	31.2	28.9	6.6	11.8	$23,129	$4,571	$18,558
Renaissance Academy	Public	9-12	1301 McCulloh Street	Baltimore	21217	Baltimore city	Baltimore City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(443) 984-3164	241	23	10.7	94.2%	0 (0.0%)	223 (92.5%)	14 (5.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	8.7	224^th of 227 public high schools	1.3%		16.6	187^th of 220 public high schools	15.0%	37				1.4				11.1	11.1	1.4		$38,693	$9,264	$29,429

Frequently Asked Questions about Baltimore City College

Is Baltimore City College a good school?

Yes! Baltimore City College is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 8^th of 227 Maryland high schools.

What district is Baltimore City College in?

Baltimore City Public Schools

What schools feed into Baltimore City College?

What is the racial makeup of Baltimore City College?

Students at Baltimore City College are 67% African American, 14% White, 14% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Baltimore City College?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,470 students attended Baltimore City College.

Rate Baltimore City College!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland High School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Baltimore, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Baltimore City College!

Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresJul 28, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCAP test scoresAug 26, 2025

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.