Three public school systems operate in Bell County: the Middlesboro Independent School System, the Pineville Independent School System, and the Bell County School System. Three non-public schools are available in Middlesboro and one non-public school is available in Bell County outside of Pineville.
Ten institutions of higher learning are within 60 miles of Middlesboro. The nearest Area Technology Center (ATC) providing secondary technical training is the Bell County ATC in Pineville. The nearest technical colleges providing post-secondary technical training are the Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College in Pineville, specializing in health occupations, and the Middlesboro Campus of Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College.