Enrollment
886
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tucson, AZ
Empire High School
Federal NCES profile for Empire High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040885002552
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Empire High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools.
- #16 of 38
- high schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.1:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 16.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Empire High School has class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Empire High School ranks #16 of 38 high schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Vail Unified District (4413) · Arizona
NCES ID 040885002552 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-67% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Empire High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Empire High School
Empire High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Tucson, Arizona, enrolling 886 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.0% free-meal eligibility runs 67% below the Arizona average.
Enrollment of 886 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 214 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #44.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 61/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Vail Unified District (4413) spends $9,396 per pupil, 29% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Tucson's high schools, it stands alongside Mica Mountain High (1,319 students): Empire High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.1:1 vs 20.9:1).
Vail Unified District (4413) also operates Cienega High School (1,881 students) and Mica Mountain High (1,319 students) alongside Empire 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 Empire High School compares
Empire High School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▲ 24% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.0% | ▼ 67% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 886 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
886
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 67% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 81% in Arizona - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
29.2%
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
$9,396
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.2 FTE
Per 276 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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 50.8%
Hispanic or Latino 34.8%
Two or More 7.0%
African American 3.5%
Asian 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 50.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, Empire High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vail Unified District (4413), which includes Empire High School.
$9,396
Per student
-29%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 54.2%
Federal 10.0%
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 Empire High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cienega High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mica Mountain High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Andrada Polytechnic High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Old Vail Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Willow Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Empire High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,319
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Tucson
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Mica Mountain High
Standard public school
1,319 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Innovation Tech High School
Standard public school
333 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Project More High School
Alternative education program
61 students 7.6:1 students per teacher
Jted Innovative Learning Center @ the Bridges
Vocational / career-technical school
3 students
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~886 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Empire High School's federal record.
- Compare Empire High School against another school. Compare schools
- Vail Unified District (4413)'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 Empire High School
How many students attend Empire High School?
Empire High School has 886 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tucson, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Empire High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Empire High School is 21.1:1, which is 24% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Empire High School?
16.0% of students at Empire High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Empire High School?
The largest demographic group at Empire High School is White at 50.8% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Empire High School?
Empire High School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Empire High School rank among high schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Empire High School ranks #16 of 38 high schools in Tucson, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Tucson on the city page.
Is Empire High School a good school?
Empire High School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona 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 Vail Unified District (4413)?
Besides Empire High School, Vail Unified District (4413) also operates Cienega High School (1,881 students), Mica Mountain High (1,319 students), and Andrada Polytechnic High School (836 students). See the Vail Unified District (4413) 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.