Enrollment
1,165
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bellingham, WA
Bellingham High School
Federal NCES profile for Bellingham High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530042000099
👥 S:T ratio 20
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bellingham High School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools.
- #4 of 8
- high schools in Bellingham · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Washington
- 27.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Bellingham High School has class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bellingham High School ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Bellingham, WA.
School address
District: Bellingham School District · Washington
NCES ID 530042000099 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.9%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bellingham High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bellingham High School
Bellingham High School is a large high school in Bellingham, Washington, enrolling 1,165 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,165 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 154 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #39.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 49/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 260 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Bellingham's high schools, it stands alongside Squalicum High School (1,273 students): Bellingham High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 19.9:1).
Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students) and Sehome High School (1,116 students) alongside Bellingham High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bellingham High School compares
Bellingham High School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 14% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.9% | ▼ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,165 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,165
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 79% in Washington - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,802
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors4.5 FTE
Per 260 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 68.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.7%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 2.3%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 68.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.9, Bellingham High School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bellingham School District, which includes Bellingham High School.
$16,802
Per student
-14%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.7%
State 59.5%
Federal 9.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bellingham High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squalicum High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sehome High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Whatcom Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shuksan Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fairhaven Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bellingham High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,273
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,116
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Bellingham
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Squalicum High School
Standard public school
1,273 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Sehome High School
Standard public school
1,116 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Options High School
Alternative education program
176 students 8.8:1 students per teacher
Bellingham Re-Engagement Program
Alternative education program
110 students
Intergenerational High School
Standard public school
107 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Meridian Impact Re-Engagement
Alternative education program
21 students
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,165 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bellingham High School's federal record.
- Compare Bellingham High School against another school. Compare schools
- Bellingham School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bellingham High School
How many students attend Bellingham High School?
Bellingham High School has 1,165 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bellingham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bellingham High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bellingham High School is 20.1:1, which is 14% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bellingham High School?
27.9% of students at Bellingham High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bellingham High School?
The largest demographic group at Bellingham High School is White at 68.5% of enrollment, in Bellingham, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bellingham High School?
Bellingham High School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bellingham High School rank among high schools in Bellingham?
By Resource Investment Index, Bellingham High School ranks #4 of 8 high schools in Bellingham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Bellingham on the city page.
Is Bellingham High School a good school?
Bellingham High School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Washington schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Bellingham School District?
Besides Bellingham High School, Bellingham School District also operates Squalicum High School (1,273 students), Sehome High School (1,116 students), and Whatcom Middle School (637 students). See the Bellingham School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.