Enrollment
2,956
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Manassas, VA
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High
Federal NCES profile for Charles J. Colgan Sr. High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510313003025
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Manassas · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.5:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 17.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High has class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles J. Colgan Sr. High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Manassas, VA.
School address
District: Prince William County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510313003025 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
160.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.8%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charles J. Colgan Sr. High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Manassas, Virginia, enrolling 2,956 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.5:1 is larger than about 97% of Virginia schools and 33% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.8% free-meal eligibility runs 69% below the Virginia average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,956 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 45 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #40, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 29 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 370 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Manassas's high schools, it stands alongside Osbourn Park High (2,661 students): Charles J. Colgan Sr. High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.5:1 vs 16.6:1).
Prince William County Public Schools also operates Woodbridge High (2,898 students) and Osbourn Park High (2,661 students) alongside Charles J. Colgan Sr. 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 Charles J. Colgan Sr. High compares
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.5:1 | ▲ 33% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.8% | ▼ 69% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,956 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,956
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 97% in Virginia - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.9%
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
$13,913
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 370 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 40.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.3%
African American 18.7%
Asian 10.6%
Two or More 7.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.7, Charles J. Colgan Sr. High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 29
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince William County Public Schools, which includes Charles J. Colgan Sr. High.
$13,913
Per student
-5%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 44.1%
Federal 8.6%
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 Charles J. Colgan Sr. High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbridge High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Osbourn Park High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gainesville High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gar-Field High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Forest Park High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles J. Colgan Sr. High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,898
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,661
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,524
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Manassas
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 Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,956 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charles J. Colgan Sr. High's federal record.
- Compare Charles J. Colgan Sr. High against another school. Compare schools
- Prince William County Public 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 Charles J. Colgan Sr. High
How many students attend Charles J. Colgan Sr. High?
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High has 2,956 students enrolled. It is a high school in Manassas, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High is 18.5:1, which is 33% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High?
17.8% of students at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles J. Colgan Sr. High?
The largest demographic group at Charles J. Colgan Sr. High is White at 40.2% of enrollment, in Manassas, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles J. Colgan Sr. High?
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Charles J. Colgan Sr. High rank among high schools in Manassas?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles J. Colgan Sr. High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Manassas, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Manassas on the city page.
Is Charles J. Colgan Sr. High a good school?
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia. 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 Prince William County Public Schools?
Besides Charles J. Colgan Sr. High, Prince William County Public Schools also operates Woodbridge High (2,898 students), Osbourn Park High (2,661 students), and Gainesville High (2,648 students). See the Prince William County Public 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.