Best Elementary Schools in Clemson, SC

Clemson, South Carolina is home to one elementary school, Clemson Elementary, which serves grades PK-5 and enrolls 794 students within the Pickens 01 school district.

For parents, the standout takeaway is that Clemson Elementary is an exceptional school by nearly every measure. It has earned a 5-star rating for three consecutive years, placing it in the top 6% of all South Carolina elementary schools. Academically, the school outperforms both district and state averages in every subject and grade level tested. The most impressive results are in mathematics, where 4th graders achieved an 85.4% proficiency rate—a remarkable 33.1 percentage points above the state average. Even the school's "weakest" area, 5th-grade math at 72.2%, still beats the state by 23.1 points. English Language Arts scores are also strong and remarkably consistent across grades, ranging from 80.3% to 82.1% proficiency. Beyond test scores, the school boasts a chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.9%, compared to 24.3% for the district and 22.3% for the state, indicating highly engaged students and families. With a student-teacher ratio of 14.4:1 and per-student spending of $12,112, the school achieves top-tier results efficiently.

What makes this school particularly noteworthy is its consistent year-over-year improvement. Every single subject and grade level improved from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with 3rd-grade math jumping an impressive 7.7 points. This across-the-board upward trend suggests systemic, school-wide strategies rather than isolated successes. The school also dramatically outperforms its own district, especially in math where the gap ranges from 15.4 to 28.4 percentage points, proving it is genuinely exceptional even within a well-performing system. The only area for potential growth is 5th-grade math, which dips compared to earlier grades, but it remains far above state norms. Overall, Clemson Elementary represents a model of educational excellence, combining strong academics, low absenteeism, and efficient resource use—a compelling choice for any parent in the Clemson area.