Enrollment
1,599
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Puyallup, WA
Emerald Ridge High School
Federal NCES profile for Emerald Ridge High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530696002809
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerald Ridge High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Puyallup · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25:1
- large classes for Washington
- 27.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerald Ridge High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerald Ridge High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Puyallup, WA.
School address
District: Puyallup School District · Washington
NCES ID 530696002809 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emerald Ridge High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emerald Ridge High School
Emerald Ridge High School is a large high school in Puyallup, Washington, enrolling 1,599 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25:1 is larger than about 94% of Washington schools and 42% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,599 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 93 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #73, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 71/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 11 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 400 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Puyallup School District spends $15,642 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Puyallup's high schools, it stands alongside Puyallup High School (1,815 students): Emerald Ridge High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25:1 vs 25.2:1).
Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students) and Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students) alongside Emerald Ridge 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 Emerald Ridge High School compares
Emerald Ridge 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 | 25:1 | ▲ 42% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.8% | ▼ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,599 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,599
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.8%
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
25:1
students per teacher
- 42% above state mean
Top 94% in Washington - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
19.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,642
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 400 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 46.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.3%
Two or More 12.5%
African American 9.1%
Asian 6.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 46.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.3, Emerald Ridge High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 11
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Puyallup School District, which includes Emerald Ridge High School.
$15,642
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 64.7%
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 Emerald Ridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puyallup High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gov John Rogers High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dessie F Evans Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ballou Jr High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Doris Stahl Junior High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emerald Ridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,815
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 846
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Puyallup
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 Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,599 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emerald Ridge High School's federal record.
- Compare Emerald Ridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- Puyallup 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 Emerald Ridge High School
How many students attend Emerald Ridge High School?
Emerald Ridge High School has 1,599 students enrolled. It is a high school in Puyallup, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerald Ridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerald Ridge High School is 25:1, which is 42% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Emerald Ridge High School?
27.8% of students at Emerald Ridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emerald Ridge High School?
The largest demographic group at Emerald Ridge High School is White at 46.1% of enrollment, in Puyallup, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerald Ridge High School?
Emerald Ridge High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Emerald Ridge High School rank among high schools in Puyallup?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerald Ridge High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Puyallup, 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 Puyallup on the city page.
Is Emerald Ridge High School a good school?
Emerald Ridge High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Puyallup School District?
Besides Emerald Ridge High School, Puyallup School District also operates Puyallup High School (1,815 students), Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students), and Dessie F Evans Elementary (919 students). See the Puyallup 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.