Enrollment
1,685
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Carlsbad, NM
Carlsbad High
Federal NCES profile for Carlsbad High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 350030000163
👥 S:T ratio 5
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carlsbad High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico.
- #11 of 13
- public schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.7:1
- large classes for New Mexico
- 24.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Carlsbad High has class sizes larger than 97% of New Mexico schools. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carlsbad High ranks #11 of 13 public schools in Carlsbad, NM.
School address
District: Carlsbad Municipal Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350030000163 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.7:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+69% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.8%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carlsbad High compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carlsbad High
Carlsbad High is a large high school in Carlsbad, New Mexico, enrolling 1,685 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.7:1 is larger than about 97% of New Mexico schools and 69% above the 14:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.8% free-meal eligibility runs 69% below the New Mexico average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Mexico, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,685 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 867 New Mexico schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and White (28%) (diversity index 48/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1685 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Carlsbad Municipal Schools spends $10,509 per pupil, 37% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 60 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students) and Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus (740 students) alongside Carlsbad High.
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 Carlsbad High compares
Carlsbad High on the metrics families compare, against New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.7:1 | ▲ 69% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.8% | ▼ 69% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,685 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,685
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 69% above state mean
Top 97% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.1%
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
$10,509
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $16,652
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1685 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
65
in-school suspensions + 149 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 60 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 66.4%
White 28.4%
African American 1.8%
Two or More 1.5%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, Carlsbad High is more mixed than the New Mexico school average of 39.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Municipal Schools, which includes Carlsbad High.
$10,509
Per student
-37%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.9%
State 41.9%
Federal 7.3%
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 Carlsbad High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ocotillo Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carlsbad High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 740
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 684
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Mexico, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,685 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carlsbad High's federal record.
- Compare Carlsbad High against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad Municipal Schools'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 Carlsbad High
How many students attend Carlsbad High?
Carlsbad High has 1,685 students enrolled. It is a high school in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carlsbad High?
The student-teacher ratio at Carlsbad High is 23.7:1, which is 69% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carlsbad High?
24.8% of students at Carlsbad High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carlsbad High?
The largest demographic group at Carlsbad High is Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, NM.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carlsbad High?
Carlsbad High 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 Carlsbad High rank among public schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Carlsbad High ranks #11 of 13 public schools in Carlsbad, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Carlsbad High a good school?
Carlsbad High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of New Mexico schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Mexico. 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 Carlsbad Municipal Schools?
Besides Carlsbad High, Carlsbad Municipal Schools also operates Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva Campus (908 students), Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista Campus (740 students), and Cottonwood Elementary (684 students). See the Carlsbad Municipal Schools 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.