Enrollment
1,161
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Columbus, GA
Columbus High School
Federal NCES profile for Columbus High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130387001406
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 95
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus High School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia schools.
- #1 of 8
- high schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 12.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbus High School has class sizes larger than 95% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus High School ranks #1 of 8 high schools in Columbus, GA.
School address
District: Muscogee County · Georgia
NCES ID 130387001406 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.6%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbus High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbus High School
Columbus High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Columbus, Georgia, enrolling 1,161 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 95% of Georgia schools and 32% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.6% free-meal eligibility runs 79% below the Georgia average.
Enrollment of 1,161 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 90% of the 2,314 Georgia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 205 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Georgia schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 28 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 387 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 18.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Columbus's high schools, it stands alongside Northside High School (1,405 students): Columbus High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19:1 vs 15.8:1).
Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students) and Shaw High School (1,162 students) alongside Columbus 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 Columbus High School compares
Columbus High School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 32% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.6% | ▼ 79% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,161 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,161
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
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
19:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 95% in Georgia - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
2.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,762
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 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 41.2%
African American 21.8%
Asian 16.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.9%
Two or More 7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.4, Columbus High School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 28
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Muscogee County, which includes Columbus High School.
$12,762
Per student
-8%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 43.0%
Federal 18.2%
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 Columbus High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shaw High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hardaway High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jordan Vocational High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spencer High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbus High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,162
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar high schools in Columbus
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Northside High School
Standard public school
1,405 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Shaw High School
Standard public school
1,162 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Hardaway High School
Standard public school
1,067 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Jordan Vocational High School
Standard public school
1,040 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Spencer High School
Standard public school
1,016 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Carver High School
Standard public school
887 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,161 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbus High School's federal record.
- Compare Columbus High School against another school. Compare schools
- Muscogee County'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 Columbus High School
How many students attend Columbus High School?
Columbus High School has 1,161 students enrolled. It is a high school in Columbus, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus High School is 19:1, which is 32% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbus High School?
12.6% of students at Columbus High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus High School?
The largest demographic group at Columbus High School is White at 41.2% of enrollment, in Columbus, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus High School?
Columbus High School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (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 Columbus High School rank among high schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus High School ranks #1 of 8 high schools in Columbus, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Columbus High School a good school?
Columbus High School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Georgia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Georgia 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 Muscogee County?
Besides Columbus High School, Muscogee County also operates Northside High School (1,405 students), Shaw High School (1,162 students), and Hardaway High School (1,067 students). See the Muscogee County 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.