State College Area Sd

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.

State College, Pennsylvania - 11 schools

An equity score of 53/100 ranks State College Area Sd #271 of 648 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,860 per pupil, State College Area Sd ranks #98 of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,781
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$20,860
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

State College Area Sd operates 11 public schools serving 6,781 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 elementary, 2 middle, 1 combined 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 Centre County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,860 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 75.4% local, 19.1% state, and 5.5% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 53/100, ranked #271 of 648 in Pennsylvania against a state average of 49, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (25 AP courses district-wide), a 319.9:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 15.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.7% White, 9.7% Asian, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Radio Park El Sch, with a diversity index of 57.8/100.

Its largest campus is State College Area Hs, enrolling 2,402 students (35% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Corl Street El Sch, at 250 students, a 10x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

State College Area Hs accounts for 35.3% of all State College Area Sd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means State College Area Sd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

State College Area Sd school enrollment varies 9.6× across entities

State College Area Sd school enrollment ranges from 250 students (lowest) to 2,402 students (highest), a spread of 2,152 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

State College Area Sd student-counselor ratio is 320:1 — 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 State College Area Sd is typically wider than the State College Area Sd-aggregate figure suggests.

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

State College Area Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 15.0% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within State College Area Sd is typically wider than the State College Area Sd-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

5.5%
Federal
19.1%
State
75.4%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
271 / 648
State Rank
49
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in State College Area Sd.

White 75.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
African American 2.6%
Asian 9.7%
Multiracial 7.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 39.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across State College Area Sd's schools, above the Pennsylvania average of 37.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Radio Park El Sch 57.8
  2. 2 Easterly Parkway El Sch 57.8
  3. 3 State College Area Hs 41.0
  4. 4 Park Forest El Sch 40.9
  5. 5 Mount Nittany Ms 40.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
319.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in State College Area Sd

School Enrollment
State College Area Hs
2,402
Park Forest Ms
822
Mount Nittany Ms
752
Radio Park El Sch
424
Park Forest El Sch
419
Mount Nittany El Sch
413
Spring Creek El Sch
360
Gray's Woods El Sch
356
Easterly Parkway El Sch
314
Ferguson Twp El Sch
287
Corl Street El Sch
250

How State College Area Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Tredyffrin-Easttown Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Boyertown Area Sd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Reach Cyber Cs Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Haverford Township Sd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Pennridge Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to State College Area Sd's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Pennsylvania

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

Philadelphia City Sd
118,335 students · 219 schools · $17,892/pupil
Compare vs State College Area Sd →
Commonwealth Charter Academy Cs
20,355 students · 1 schools · $13,853/pupil
Compare vs State College Area Sd →
Pittsburgh Sd
20,034 students · 56 schools · $24,314/pupil
Compare vs State College Area Sd →
Central Bucks Sd
17,540 students · 23 schools · $18,148/pupil
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Reading Sd
17,363 students · 19 schools · $13,219/pupil
Compare vs State College Area Sd →

Compare State College Area Sd

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

Compare vs Philadelphia City Sd →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in State College Area Sd?

State College Area Sd has 11 schools, including 1 combined, 2 middle, 8 elementary. Total enrollment is 6,781 students.

How much does State College Area Sd spend per student?

State College Area Sd spends $20,860 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #271 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of State College Area Sd?

State College Area Sd students are 75.7% White, 9.7% Asian, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.6% African American, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for State College Area Sd?

State College Area Sd has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #271 out of 648 districts in Pennsylvania.