Muscle Shoals City

Muscle Shoals, Alabama — 6 schools

2,896
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$13,322
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Muscle Shoals City operates 6 public schools serving 2,896 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Alabama. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,979 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Colbert County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,322 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 34.9% local, 53.6% state, and 11.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $68,292 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 30/100, ranked #130 of 146 in Alabama against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 526.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 12.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.9% White, 15.7% African American, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Muscle Shoals High School accounts for 29.0% of all Muscle Shoals City student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Muscle Shoals City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Muscle Shoals City school enrollment varies 3.7× across entities

Muscle Shoals City school enrollment ranges from 234 students (lowest) to 864 students (highest), a spread of 630 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

Muscle Shoals City student-counselor ratio is 527:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Muscle Shoals City chronic absenteeism rate is 12.6% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

11.5%
Federal
53.6%
State
34.9%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
130 / 146
State Rank
51
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Colbert County county, where this district is located.

$698
Studio/mo
$775
1 BR/mo
$1,000
2 BR/mo
$1,242
3 BR/mo
$1,409
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$68,292
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Muscle Shoals City.

White 65.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
African American 15.7%
Asian 3.0%
Multiracial 6.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
526.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
12.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Muscle Shoals City

School Enrollment
Muscle Shoals High School
864
Mcbride Elementary School
647
Muscle Shoals Middle School
642
Howell Graves Preschool
356
Highland Park Elementary School
236
Webster Elementary School
234

Nearby Districts in Alabama

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

Mobile County
51,979 students · 92 schools · $13,185/pupil
Compare vs Muscle Shoals City →
Jefferson County
35,951 students · 57 schools · $13,148/pupil
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Baldwin County
31,517 students · 45 schools · $14,037/pupil
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Montgomery County
26,821 students · 52 schools · $12,933/pupil
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Huntsville City
23,776 students · 45 schools · $13,040/pupil
Compare vs Muscle Shoals City →

Compare Muscle Shoals City

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

Compare vs Mobile County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Muscle Shoals City?

Muscle Shoals City has 6 schools, including 1 high, 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 other. Total enrollment is 2,896 students.

How much does Muscle Shoals City spend per student?

Muscle Shoals City spends $13,322 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #130 in Alabama.

What is the average teacher salary in Muscle Shoals City?

The average teacher salary in Muscle Shoals City is $68,292 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Muscle Shoals City?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Colbert County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Muscle Shoals City?

Muscle Shoals City students are 65.9% White, 15.7% African American, 8.3% Hispanic or Latino, 3.0% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Muscle Shoals City?

Muscle Shoals City has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #130 out of 146 districts in Alabama. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

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