Enrollment
1,367
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bismarck, ND
Bismarck High School
Federal NCES profile for Bismarck High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 380001400045
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bismarck High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Bismarck · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 21.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Bismarck High School has class sizes larger than 94% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bismarck High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Bismarck, ND.
School address
District: Bismarck 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 380001400045 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
78.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.2%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bismarck High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bismarck High School
Bismarck High School is a large high school in Bismarck, North Dakota, enrolling 1,367 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 94% of North Dakota schools and 48% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 21.2% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,367 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 498 North Dakota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 24 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #21, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and American Indian / Alaska Native (11%) (diversity index 46/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 342 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Bismarck 1 spends $14,037 per pupil, 24% below the North Dakota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bismarck's high schools, it stands alongside Legacy High School (1,419 students): Bismarck High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 17.3:1).
Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students) and Century High School (1,406 students) alongside Bismarck 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 Bismarck High School compares
Bismarck High School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▲ 48% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.2% | ▼ 25% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,367 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,367
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 94% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,037
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 342 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
126
in-school suspensions + 128 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 72.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 11.3%
Two or More 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
African American 2.6%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: White at 72.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.1, Bismarck High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bismarck 1, which includes Bismarck High School.
$14,037
Per student
-24%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.0%
State 55.3%
Federal 16.7%
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 Bismarck High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Century High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horizon Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Simle Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wachter Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bismarck High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,419
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,406
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,124
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,053
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Bismarck
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,367 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bismarck High School's federal record.
- Compare Bismarck High School against another school. Compare schools
- Bismarck 1'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 Bismarck High School
How many students attend Bismarck High School?
Bismarck High School has 1,367 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bismarck, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bismarck High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bismarck High School is 17.5:1, which is 48% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bismarck High School?
21.2% of students at Bismarck High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bismarck High School?
The largest demographic group at Bismarck High School is White at 72.0% of enrollment, in Bismarck, ND.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bismarck High School?
Bismarck High School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 Bismarck High School rank among high schools in Bismarck?
By Resource Investment Index, Bismarck High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Bismarck, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Bismarck on the city page.
Is Bismarck High School a good school?
Bismarck High School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of North Dakota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Dakota. 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 Bismarck 1?
Besides Bismarck High School, Bismarck 1 also operates Legacy High School (1,419 students), Century High School (1,406 students), and Horizon Middle School (1,124 students). See the Bismarck 1 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.