Camden City School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Camden, New Jersey - 16 schools

An equity score of 96/100 ranks Camden City School District #1 of 587 districts in New Jersey (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $35,791 per pupil, Camden City School District ranks #25 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending (New Jersey districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,099
Total Enrollment
16
Schools
$35,791
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Camden City School District operates 16 public schools serving 7,099 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New Jersey. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 combined, 4 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Camden County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $35,791 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 65 of 649 New Jersey districts by per-pupil spending. See how New Jersey compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 3.8% local, 81.4% state, and 14.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 96/100, ranked #1 of 587 in New Jersey against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (41 AP courses district-wide), a 336.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 60.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.9% Hispanic or Latino, 48.1% African American, 1.0% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Camden High School, with a diversity index of 51.6/100.

Its largest campus is Octavio V. Catto Community Family School, enrolling 593 students (10% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Camden Big Picture Learning Academy, at 150 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Camden City School District school enrollment varies 4.0× across entities

Camden City School District school enrollment ranges from 150 students (lowest) to 593 students (highest), a spread of 443 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Camden City School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 68.9% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Camden City School District student-counselor ratio is 337:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Camden City School District is typically wider than the Camden City School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Camden City School District chronic absenteeism rate is 60.7% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.9%
Federal
81.4%
State
3.8%
Local

Funding Equity

96
Equity Score
1 / 587
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 16 schools in Camden City School District.

White 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 48.9%
African American 48.1%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 1.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 45.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Camden City School District's schools, below the New Jersey average of 51.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Camden High School 51.6
  2. 2 Creative Arts High School 50.7
  3. 3 Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School 50.1
  4. 4 Cooper's Poynt Family School 49.6
  5. 5 Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center 48.5

Programs & Resources

4 / 16
Schools with AP
41 AP courses total
336.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
60.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Camden City School District

How Camden City School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New Jersey districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Washington Township School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Monroe Township School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
North Bergen School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Hillsborough Township Public School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Camden City School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New Jersey

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Newark Public School District
41,672 students · 63 schools · $25,301/pupil
Compare vs Camden City School District →
Elizabeth Public Schools
28,266 students · 37 schools · $24,380/pupil
Compare vs Camden City School District →
Jersey City Public Schools
26,647 students · 39 schools · $26,862/pupil
Compare vs Camden City School District →
Paterson Public School District
24,795 students · 43 schools · $23,944/pupil
Compare vs Camden City School District →
Edison Township School District
16,807 students · 19 schools · $20,030/pupil
Compare vs Camden City School District →

Compare Camden City School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Newark Public School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Camden City School District?

Camden City School District has 16 schools, including 9 combined, 4 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 7,099 students.

How much does Camden City School District spend per student?

Camden City School District spends $35,791 per student. The district has an equity score of 96/100, ranking #1 in New Jersey.

What is the demographic composition of Camden City School District?

Camden City School District students are 48.9% Hispanic or Latino, 48.1% African American, 1.0% White, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Camden City School District?

Camden City School District has an equity score of 96/100, ranking #1 out of 587 districts in New Jersey.