Enrollment
1,364
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Jersey City, NJ
James J Ferris High School
Federal NCES profile for James J Ferris High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 340783002774
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James J Ferris High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey.
- #5 of 8
- high schools in Jersey City · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 56.6%
- free-lunch eligible
James J Ferris High School has class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James J Ferris High School ranks #5 of 8 high schools in Jersey City, NJ.
School address
District: Jersey City Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340783002774 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.6%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+91% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James J Ferris High School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at James J Ferris High School
James J Ferris High School is a higher-need, large high school in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 1,364 students.
Class loads run heavy: 15:1 is larger than about 91% of New Jersey schools and 27% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 56.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,364 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 64 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #34.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 227 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Jersey City's high schools, it stands alongside Innovation High School (301 students): James J Ferris High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 10.8:1).
Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students) and Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students) alongside James J Ferris 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 James J Ferris High School compares
James J Ferris High 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 | 15:1 | ▲ 27% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.6% | ▲ 91% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,364 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,364
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 91% 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
15:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 91% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 227 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 132 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.2%
African American 21.2%
Asian 11.3%
White 11.1%
Two or More 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, James J Ferris High School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jersey City Public Schools, which includes James J Ferris High 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 J Ferris High 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 |
| Cornelia F. Bradford School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph H. Brensinger School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Christa Mcauliffe School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin L. Williams School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James J Ferris High 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
- 1,082
- 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
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar high schools in Jersey City
2 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 New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,364 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James J Ferris High School's federal record.
- Compare James J Ferris High 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 J Ferris High School
How many students attend James J Ferris High School?
James J Ferris High School has 1,364 students enrolled. It is a high school in Jersey City, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James J Ferris High School?
The student-teacher ratio at James J Ferris High School is 15:1, which is 27% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James J Ferris High School?
56.6% of students at James J Ferris High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James J Ferris High School?
The largest demographic group at James J Ferris High School is Hispanic or Latino at 55.2% of enrollment, in Jersey City, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James J Ferris High School?
James J Ferris High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 James J Ferris High School rank among high schools in Jersey City?
By Resource Investment Index, James J Ferris High School ranks #5 of 8 high 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 high schools in Jersey City on the city page.
Is James J Ferris High School a good school?
James J Ferris High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey. 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 J Ferris High School, Jersey City Public Schools also operates William L Dickinson High School (1,786 students), Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students), and Joseph H. Brensinger School (926 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.