Enrollment
642
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jersey City, NJ
James F. Murray School
Federal NCES profile for James F. Murray School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340783002842
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James F. Murray School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of New Jersey schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #20 of 28
- schools in Jersey City · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.1:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 50.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James F. Murray School has class sizes larger than 76% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James F. Murray School ranks #20 of 28 schools in Jersey City, NJ.
School address
District: Jersey City Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340783002842 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.4%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James F. Murray School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at James F. Murray School
James F. Murray School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 642 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 50.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 642 puts it in the larger third of New Jersey schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 275 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #246, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (30%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Jersey City's public schools, it stands alongside Beloved Community Charter School (1,573 students): James F. Murray School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.1:1 vs 15.7:1).
Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students) and James J Ferris High School (1,364 students) alongside James F. Murray 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 James F. Murray School compares
James F. Murray School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.1:1 | ▲ 11% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.4% | ▲ 70% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 642 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
642
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 76% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.1%
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
$26,862
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 62 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.7 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
African American 29.9%
Hispanic or Latino 26.0%
White 22.7%
Asian 15.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.7%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 29.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.7, James F. Murray School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jersey City Public Schools, which includes James F. Murray School.
$26,862
Per student
+8%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+62%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.5%
State 53.5%
Federal 8.0%
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 James F. Murray School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William L Dickinson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James J Ferris High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cornelia F. Bradford School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph H. Brensinger School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Christa Mcauliffe School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James F. Murray School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,786
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,364
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,082
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Jersey City
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~642 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James F. Murray School's federal record.
- Compare James F. Murray School against another school. Compare schools
- Jersey City 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 James F. Murray School
How many students attend James F. Murray School?
James F. Murray School has 642 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jersey City, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James F. Murray School?
The student-teacher ratio at James F. Murray School is 13.1:1, which is 11% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James F. Murray School?
50.4% of students at James F. Murray School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James F. Murray School?
The largest demographic group at James F. Murray School is African American at 29.9% of enrollment, in Jersey City, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James F. Murray School?
James F. Murray School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James F. Murray School rank among schools in Jersey City?
By Resource Investment Index, James F. Murray School ranks #20 of 28 schools in Jersey City, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Jersey City on the city page.
Is James F. Murray School a good school?
James F. Murray School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of New Jersey schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey 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 Jersey City Public Schools?
Besides James F. Murray School, Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students), James J Ferris High School (1,364 students), and Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students). See the Jersey City 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.