| Index | Carter Lake | Iowa | National |
| Average Test Scores | 52% | 69% | 48% |
| Student/Teacher ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 | 16:1 |
| Total public schools | 1 | 1,101 | 79,221 |
| Total private schools | n/a | 208 | 24,874 |
| Total post-secondary schools | n/a | 96 | 7,963 |

| Index | Carter Lake | Iowa | National |
| Completed 8th grade | 83.2% | 89.2% | 84.3% |
| Completed high school | 81.7% | 87.7% | 83.0% |
| Completed some college | 47.6% | 59.8% | 59.4% |
| Completed associate degree | 26.8% | 38.4% | 38.5% |
| Completed bachelors | 17.4% | 27.2% | 30.3% |
| Completed masters | 5.1% | 8.7% | 11.5% |
| Completed professional degree | 0.5% | 2.7% | 3.3% |
| Completed doctorate | 0.0% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
There are a total of 1 public schools, n/a private schools and n/a post-secondary schools in Carter Lake. Using the proficiency score averages, the average test scores for Carter Lake, IA schools is 52%. The average student to teacher ratio is 14:1. In Carter Lake, IA, an average of 83.2% of students have completed 8th grade and an average of 81.7% have completed high school.
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Underwood, IA | 986 | 83% | 72.9% |
| Crescent, IA | 777 | 75% | 56.3% |
| Bennington, NE | 2,124 | 73% | 52.9% |
| Fort Calhoun, NE | 1,018 | 72% | 49.5% |
| Springfield, NE | 1,628 | 68% | 41.3% |
| Carter Lake, IA | 3,891 | 52% | 8.3% |
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Hohenwald, TN | 3,893 | 32% | 33.7% |
| Fordyce, AR | 3,889 | 35% | 26.6% |
| Brookville, PA | 3,889 | 55% | 14.6% |
| Cozad, NE | 3,889 | 40% | 16.0% |
| Indian Head, MD | 3,894 | 30% | 37.5% |
| Carter Lake, IA | 3,891 | 52% | 8.3% |