- Enrollment
- 1,239
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Ardmore, PA
Lower Merion Hs
Federal NCES profile for Lower Merion Hs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 421416003295
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lower Merion Hs earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania.
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 16.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 1,674
- students enrolled
Lower Merion Hs has class sizes smaller than 72% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lower Merion Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421416003295 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+45 students YoY
Lower Merion Hs held near 1,757 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+45 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 140.6 → 147.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+45 students YoY 421416003295 · Ardmore, PA High · MID · TRAD
1,674 enr · 12:1 · 16.3% lunch · RII 56
Nearest enrollment peer: Harriton Shs (1,239 students)
Lower Merion Hs held near 1,757 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+45 headcount). Teacher FTE added 140.6 → 147.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Lower Merion Hs in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
Lower Merion Hs
1,674 students
- Harriton Shs
Harriton Shs
1,239 students
- Black Rock Ms
Black Rock Ms
1,077 students
- Bala-Cynwyd Ms
Bala-Cynwyd Ms
794 students
- Welsh Valley M
Welsh Valley Ms
788 students
- Penn Wynne Sch 621
Penn Wynne Sch
621 students
What this shows Lower Merion Hs reports 1,674 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lower Merion Hs compares
Lower Merion Hs held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▼ 12% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.3% | ▼ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,674 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,674
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
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
12:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 28% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$31,409
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 279 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 61.5%
African American 13.2%
Asian 11.1%
Two or More 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 61.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.2, Lower Merion Hs is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Lower Merion Sd reports $31,409 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lower Merion Hs Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harriton Shs | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Black Rock Ms | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bala-Cynwyd Ms | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Welsh Valley Ms | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Penn Wynne Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lower Merion Hs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,077
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 794
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 9.8:1
- Resource Index
- 68/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,674 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lower Merion Hs
How many students attend Lower Merion Hs?
Lower Merion Hs has 1,674 students enrolled. It is a high school in Ardmore, PA. CCD year-over-year: 1,712 (2022-23) → 1,757 (2023-24), nearly flat (+45).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lower Merion Hs?
The student-teacher ratio at Lower Merion Hs is 12:1, which is 12% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lower Merion Hs?
16.3% of students at Lower Merion Hs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lower Merion Hs?
The largest demographic group at Lower Merion Hs is White at 61.5% of enrollment, in Ardmore, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lower Merion Hs?
Lower Merion Hs has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Lower Merion Sd?
Besides Lower Merion Hs, Lower Merion Sd also operates Harriton Shs (1,239 students), Black Rock Ms (1,077 students), and Bala-Cynwyd Ms (794 students). See the Lower Merion Sd district page for the complete list.