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

Wilde Lake High

Q: Is Wilde Lake High a good school?

Wilde Lake High ranks 143 rd of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

143^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 227 Maryland High Schools

Better than 37% of Maryland high schools

Summary

Wilde Lake High in Columbia, MD, is a comprehensive high school serving 1,197 students in grades 9-12 within the Howard County Public Schools district, a high-performing system ranked 4th in Maryland, though the school itself faces significant challenges.

Wilde Lake stands out from nearby schools for several critical reasons. Most notably, only 7.9% of students are proficient in mathematics, a rate dramatically lower than the district average of 42.1% and far below top-performing peers like River Hill High (which has a 13.6% chronic absenteeism rate). In contrast, Wilde Lake’s English Language Arts proficiency is a respectable 54%, above the state average, creating a stark math vs. ELA paradox. The school also has a crisis-level chronic absenteeism rate of 37.5%, more than double the district average of 17.4% and the highest among all nearby comprehensive high schools. This absenteeism is likely the root cause of other poor outcomes, including a declining graduation rate of 87.7% and a rising dropout rate of 8.5%—the highest in its peer group. Despite spending $21,629 per student—more than top-performing schools like Centennial High ($17,982) and River Hill High ($17,496)—these resources have not translated into proportional academic success.

Wilde Lake is part of a cluster of struggling schools in the Columbia area, including Oakland Mills High and Long Reach High, which share similar challenges like high economic disadvantage and low math scores. This suggests systemic community factors rather than issues unique to Wilde Lake’s administration. For parents, the key takeaway is that while the school invests heavily in interventions, the overwhelming chronic absenteeism must be addressed before other academic improvements can take hold.

1,197

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,629

Per pupil spending ?

42.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5460 Trumpeter Rd
Columbia, MD 21044

(410) 313-6965

District: Howard County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Wilde Lake High:

Elementary:	Bryant Woods Elementary
	Longfellow Elementary
	Running Brook Elementary
Middle:	Harpers Choice Middle

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.6%

White:

22.1%

Hispanic:

17.4%

See top rated Maryland high schools

Compare Wilde Lake High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 21st percentile in 2023 → 37th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 37th (2026) from a 21st-percentile low (2023)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Maryland average (18% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Mathematics scores 19 pts below the Maryland average

!Near the bottom of Howard County Public Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school18%

District avg51%

Maryland avg38%

143^rd of 227

Maryland public high schools ?

Bottom 37%▼ down 21 pts since 2016

From top 42% (2016) to bottom 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Maryland High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

13^th of 14High Schools in the Howard County Public Schools

4^th of 25Howard County 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	30.2	143 of 227	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.1	131 of 220	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.7	98 of 146	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.1	100 of 127	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.4	131 of 225	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.1	96 of 138	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.9	124 of 197	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	40.8	96 of 180	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.0	97 of 233	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2015	48.6	126 of 233	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	65.1	119 of 231	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	57.4	98 of 185	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	54.7	107 of 187	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	52.6	103 of 183	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	73.6	66 of 220	70.0%	★★★★☆
2009	76.9	45 of 213	78.9%	★★★★☆
2008	78.8	33 of 214	84.6%	★★★★☆
2007	69.5	52 of 209	75.1%	★★★★☆
2006	56.3	90 of 204	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2005	61.8	59 of 204	71.1%	★★★★☆
2004	49.8	75 of 201	62.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Maryland percentile	Rating
2021	19.4	36 of 40	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

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)10th percentile

By subject vs Maryland (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts54%~ state avg

Algebra II12%-15 vs state

Mathematics8%-19 vs state

Algebra I3%-19 vs state

3.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Wilde Lake High

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
Monday, January 24, 2022

Wilde Lake has great diversity and inclusion. The sports and music programs are great and the teachers are mostly good too. Close Quote

Schools Near Wilde Lake High

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 Algebra II (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	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 All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wilde Lake High	Public	9-12	5460 Trumpeter Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6965	1,197	86	13.9	42.6%	264 (22.1%)	534 (44.6%)	208 (17.4%)	78 (6.5%)	3 (0.3%)	5 (0.4%)	101 (8.4%)	30.2	143^rd of 227 public high schools	37.0%		32.1	131^st of 220 public high schools	40.5%	12	7.9	54.0	54.0	2.7	12.4	$21,629	$1,004	$20,625
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)
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%)	11.2	214^th of 227 public high schools	5.7%		10.8	213^th of 220 public high schools	3.2%	1	1.4	13.8	20.0	3.3	0.0	$81,791	$2,291	$79,501
Oakland Mills High	Public	9-12	9410 Kilimanjaro Rd	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-6945	1,413	103	13.7	43.2%	227 (16.1%)	628 (44.4%)	314 (22.2%)	119 (8.4%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	112 (7.9%)	35	126^th of 227 public high schools	44.5%		35.2	121^st of 220 public high schools	45.0%	5	7.8	61.9	61.9	6.2	9.2	$20,779	$1,052	$19,727
Atholton High	Public	9-12	6520 Freetown Rd	Columbia	21044	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7065	1,540	92	16.7	22.9%	412 (26.8%)	497 (32.3%)	217 (14.1%)	288 (18.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	118 (7.7%)	51.9	66^th of 227 public high schools	70.9%		53.6	58^th of 220 public high schools	73.6%	8	18.7	75.5	75.5	9.0	22.7	$18,240	$836	$17,404
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%)	68.5	25^th of 227 public high schools	89.0%		70.6	23^rd of 220 public high schools	89.5%	2	34.0	84.2	84.2	10.2	43.2	$17,982	$875	$17,107
River Hill High	Public	9-12	12101 Clarksville Pike	Clarksville	21029	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7120	1,383	78	17.7	7.7%	457 (33.0%)	182 (13.2%)	76 (5.5%)	586 (42.4%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	72 (5.2%)	81.7	11^th of 227 public high schools	95.2%		78.4	12^th of 220 public high schools	94.5%	1	49.4	93.3	93.3	17.8	58.4	$17,496	$854	$16,643
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%)	66.7	28^th of 227 public high schools	87.7%		62.9	33^rd of 220 public high schools	85.0%	5	31.8	82.4	82.4	8.6	40.1	$19,053	$880	$18,174
Long Reach High	Public	9-12	6101 Old Dobbin Ln	Columbia	21045	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7117	1,334	97	13.7	37.6%	312 (23.4%)	367 (27.5%)	399 (29.9%)	154 (11.5%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	94 (7.0%)	40.6	109^th of 227 public high schools	52.0%		36.2	120^th of 220 public high schools	45.5%	11	14.2	62.8	62.8	3.6	22.1	$20,610	$892	$19,718
Hammond High	Public	9-12	8800 Guilford Rd	Columbia	21046	Howard County	Howard County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(410) 313-7615	1,159	81	14.3	37.4%	239 (20.6%)	514 (44.3%)	192 (16.6%)	128 (11.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (7.2%)	47.5	81^st of 227 public high schools	64.3%		51.3	70^th of 220 public high schools	68.2%	11	12.8	77.1	77.1	9.0	15.6	$20,375	$1,025	$19,351

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilde Lake High

What schools feed into Wilde Lake High?

Wilde Lake High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bryant Woods Elementary
Elementary : Longfellow Elementary
Elementary : Running Brook Elementary
Middle : Harpers Choice Middle

What district is Wilde Lake High in?

Howard County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Wilde Lake High?

Students at Wilde Lake High are 45% African American, 22% White, 17% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% Asian.

How many students attend Wilde Lake High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,197 students attended Wilde Lake High.

Is Wilde Lake High a good school?

Wilde Lake High ranks 143^rd of 227 Maryland high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Wilde Lake High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MDMaryland High School Rankings

MDMaryland District Rankings

Schools in Columbia, MD

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Wilde Lake High!

Latest Maryland data All new data »

2025–26 MCAP test scoresNewJul 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.