What does this measure?
The number of students graduating after four years of high school, expressed as a percentage of their cohort. A cohort is a class of ninth-graders beginning high school in the same academic year.
Why is this important?
High school graduation is the culmination of a successful K-12 education and the gateway to college or employment. Students who do not graduate face the prospect of unemployment or low-paying jobs. There are persistent gaps in academic achievement among students of different races, ethnicities and incomes.
How is our county doing?
In 2025, 89% of the 2021 cohort graduated in Essex County. Students from low-income and Hispanic backgrounds graduated at a lower rates, 83% and 82% respectively, compared to 95% of Asian students, 94% of White students and 92% of African American students. These disparities were comparable to rates at the state level, although Essex County's rate among African American students was 5 points higher than the state. The rate among African American students in Essex increased the most since 2014, by 13 points, followed by Hispanic students with an increase of 8 points.
How do we compare to similar counties?
Essex County's overall graduation rate was a bit lower than Middlesex, MA, which had a rate at 92% in 2025. Disparities across groups in Essex and Middlesex were similar. No data was immediately available for Lake, IL or Westchester, NY.
Why do these disparities exist?
Studies point to a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in graduation rates and other measures of student achievement. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color.
Notes about the data
Students are included in the cohort based on the year they entered Grade 9. Students are transferred in or out of cohorts if they transfer schools. Students who earn a GED or Certificate of Attainment are not counted as graduates.
Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education redefined "Low Income" students as those that meet any of the following criteria: identified as participating in state-administered programs (SNAP, TAFDC, MassHealth, or Foster Care), reported by a district as homeless, or a family income of up to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.