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Bluffton Middle

Q: Is Bluffton Middle a good school?

Bluffton Middle ranks 81 st of 335 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

81^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 335 South Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 76% of South Carolina middle schools

Summary

Bluffton Middle is a large, high-performing public school in Bluffton, SC, serving 921 students in grades 6 through 8 as part of the Beaufort 01 school district.

Bluffton Middle stands out as the top traditional public middle school in its immediate area, consistently earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking in the 70th to 76th percentile statewide over the past five years. Its most impressive strength is mathematics, where proficiency rates dramatically exceed district and state averages. For example, in 7th-grade math, 53.1% of Bluffton students are proficient, compared to just 40% district-wide and 41.8% statewide. This is a remarkable turnaround—just a few years ago, 7th-grade math proficiency was only 26.8%. The school also excels at serving all students equitably, ranking in the 87th percentile for African American students, 86th for White students, and 84th for low-income students. Chronic absenteeism is also notably lower here (18.2%) than at nearby schools like Beaufort Middle (39.9%) or Lady's Island Middle (29.3%).

Interestingly, Bluffton Middle achieves these results while spending less per student ($13,949) than all nearby traditional public middle schools, which spend between $15,619 and $22,884. It also outperforms H.E. McCracken Middle, located just 1.44 miles away, particularly in math where Bluffton leads by nearly 5 points in 7th grade. One area of concern is a recent decline in outcomes for students with disabilities, dropping from the 77th to 45th percentile. Overall, Bluffton Middle is a clear leader in the district and a model for effective, efficient education.

921

Students ?

14.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,949

Per pupil spending ?

61.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

30 New Mustang Road
Bluffton, SC 29910

(843) 707-0700

District: Beaufort 01

Students who attend Bluffton Middle usually attend:

High:

May River High

Feeder schools for Bluffton Middle:

Elementary:	Michael C. Riley Elementary
	Okatie Elementary
	Red Cedar Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

44.8%

White:

40.2%

African American:

10.4%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Bluffton Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 70th percentile in 2016 → 76th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (58% vs 51% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 24% of South Carolina middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school58%

District avg51%

South Carolina avg51%

81^st of 335

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 24%▲ up 6 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 6Middle Schools in the Beaufort 01

28^th of 75Beaufort 01 among South Carolina 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	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.7	81 of 335	75.8%	★★★★☆
2025	68.8	88 of 320	72.5%	★★★★☆
2024	68.7	80 of 325	75.4%	★★★★☆
2023	65.7	96 of 325	70.5%	★★★★☆
2022	69.7	80 of 310	74.2%	★★★★☆
2021	68.8	83 of 311	73.3%	★★★★☆
2019	58.6	112 of 315	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.0	127 of 303	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	57.5	123 of 317	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	65.4	91 of 303	70.0%	★★★★☆
2015	56.9	114 of 301	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	67.3	91 of 291	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	65.1	96 of 276	65.2%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.9	33 of 257	87.2%	★★★★☆
2025	68.9	40 of 252	84.1%	★★★★☆
2024	71.4	40 of 248	83.9%	★★★★☆
2023	68.5	52 of 253	79.4%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	45 of 249	81.9%	★★★★☆
2021	78.0	28 of 235	88.1%	★★★★☆
2019	63.8	61 of 252	75.8%	★★★★☆
2018	64.0	50 of 237	78.9%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	40.7	105 of 191	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	64.7	41 of 177	76.8%	★★★★☆
2023	62.3	50 of 187	73.3%	★★★★☆
2022	62.7	47 of 183	74.3%	★★★★☆
2021	47.3	67 of 164	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.6	103 of 195	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.2	101 of 194	47.9%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.5	48 of 113	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.7	40 of 108	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.2	35 of 105	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.9	34 of 95	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.2	24 of 97	75.3%	★★★★☆
2021	59.8	28 of 87	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.5	80 of 117	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.8	58 of 93	37.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	71.1	70 of 305	77.0%	★★★★☆
2025	64.1	91 of 295	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.7	82 of 294	72.1%	★★★★☆
2023	67.1	84 of 299	71.9%	★★★★☆
2022	72.6	68 of 290	76.6%	★★★★☆
2021	70.1	74 of 279	73.5%	★★★★☆
2019	65.3	88 of 296	70.3%	★★★★☆
2018	53.3	121 of 281	56.9%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	70.0	45 of 185	75.7%	★★★★☆
2025	71.9	42 of 173	75.7%	★★★★☆
2024	75.9	30 of 183	83.6%	★★★★☆
2023	65.6	71 of 185	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.8	54 of 182	70.3%	★★★★☆
2021	61.2	79 of 179	55.9%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.0	70 of 159	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.1	61 of 156	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.6	60 of 144	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.2	61 of 141	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.8	44 of 129	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.2	44 of 111	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.4	93 of 139	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.9	85 of 123	30.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	78.0	51 of 320	84.1%	★★★★☆
2025	73.1	57 of 307	81.4%	★★★★☆
2024	67.8	69 of 307	77.5%	★★★★☆
2023	74.5	65 of 313	79.2%	★★★★☆
2022	76.2	56 of 300	81.3%	★★★★☆
2021	79.6	41 of 288	85.8%	★★★★☆
2019	61.2	88 of 289	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.9	85 of 280	69.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	70.1	81 of 306	73.5%	★★★★☆
2025	71.5	74 of 296	75.0%	★★★★☆
2024	68.5	79 of 294	73.1%	★★★★☆
2023	61.8	102 of 303	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.3	87 of 292	70.2%	★★★★☆
2021	66.4	81 of 279	71.0%	★★★★☆
2019	52.2	125 of 296	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.7	125 of 284	56.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	83.3	38 of 268	85.8%	★★★★☆
2025	83.0	43 of 257	83.3%	★★★★☆
2024	79.4	52 of 255	79.6%	★★★★☆
2023	77.7	48 of 260	81.5%	★★★★☆
2022	80.7	42 of 249	83.1%	★★★★☆
2021	80.4	38 of 244	84.4%	★★★★☆
2019	76.4	55 of 258	78.7%	★★★★☆
2018	67.4	72 of 250	71.2%	★★★★☆

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)

African American (2026)87th percentile+11 vs school

White (2026)86th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)84th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)77th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2026)76th percentile~ school

Male (2026)74th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)58th percentile-18 vs school

Hispanic (2026)56th percentile-20 vs school

Disabled (2026)45th percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science67%+15 vs state

English Language Arts61%+3 vs state

Mathematics53%+11 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bluffton Middle

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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)				SC READY English Language Arts (2026)			SC READY Mathematics (2026)			SC READY Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2024)	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	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Bluffton Middle	Public	6-8	30 New Mustang Road	Bluffton	29910	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 707-0700	921	65	14.1	61.6%	370 (40.2%)	96 (10.4%)	413 (44.8%)	10 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (3.5%)	71.7	81^st of 335 public middle schools	75.8%		68.8	88^th of 320 public middle schools	72.5%	7	61.5	65.0	57.3	56.4	53.1	50.1	67.1	$13,949	$457	$367	$824	$10,942	$2,183	$13,125
H. E. McCracken Middle	Public	6-8	250 H. E. McCracken Circle	Bluffton	29910	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 706-8700	846	68	12.4	51.7%	408 (48.2%)	79 (9.3%)	290 (34.3%)	18 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.9%)	71.2	85^th of 335 public middle schools	74.6%		59.8	112^th of 320 public middle schools	65.0%	27	64.4	60.3	63.0	53.2	48.7	49.0	66.3	$15,619	$393	$353	$747	$12,483	$2,389	$14,872
Hilton Head Island Middle	Public	6-8	55 Wilborn Road	Hilton Head Island	29926	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 689-4500	778	69	11.2	57.6%	239 (30.7%)	96 (12.3%)	396 (50.9%)	7 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (4.9%)	45.4	176^th of 335 public middle schools	47.5%		54.1	131^st of 320 public middle schools	59.1%	45	49.8	53.1	58.8	39.1	35.7	39.8	44.4	$15,953	$659	$392	$1,051	$12,572	$2,329	$14,901
Beaufort Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2501 Mossy Oaks Boulevard	Beaufort	29902	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 322-5700	348	38	9.1	100.0%	116 (33.3%)	152 (43.7%)	49 (14.1%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.8%)	52.4	146^th of 335 public middle schools	56.4%		45.3	163^rd of 320 public middle schools	49.1%	17	54.2	54.9	72.7	35.0	29.1	48.5	44.1	$22,884	$1,703	$571	$2,274	$16,438	$4,172	$20,610
Lady's Island Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	30 Cougar Drive	Beaufort	29907	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 322-3100	338	38	8.8	100.0%	86 (25.4%)	171 (50.6%)	55 (16.3%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	40.2	198^th of 335 public middle schools	40.9%		40.9	183^rd of 320 public middle schools	42.8%	15	48.8	53.1	61.3	38.1	26.1	35.3	38.6	$22,164	$1,553	$630	$2,184	$16,080	$3,900	$19,980

Frequently Asked Questions about Bluffton Middle

What is the racial makeup of Bluffton Middle?

Students at Bluffton Middle are 45% Hispanic, 40% White, 10% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Bluffton Middle a good school?

Bluffton Middle ranks 81^st of 335 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bluffton Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 921 students attended Bluffton Middle.

What district is Bluffton Middle in?

Beaufort 01

What high school do graduates of Bluffton Middle attend?

Students who attend Bluffton Middle usually go on to attend May River High

Rate Bluffton Middle!

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SCSouth Carolina Middle School Rankings

SCSouth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Bluffton, SC

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresAug 10, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataNov 3, 2025

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 3, 2025

2024–25 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresSep 2, 2025

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