Enrollment
1,379
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Marion, NC
Mcdowell High School
Federal NCES profile for Mcdowell High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370294001179
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcdowell High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Marion · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 56.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcdowell High School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Marion, NC.
School address
District: Mcdowell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370294001179 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
94.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcdowell High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcdowell High School
Mcdowell High School is a higher-need, large high school in Marion, North Carolina, enrolling 1,379 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.6% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,379 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 135 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #63.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 44/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 345 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 393 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,379 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Marion's high schools, it stands alongside Mcdowell Early College (241 students): Mcdowell High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 20.1:1).
Mcdowell County Schools also operates West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students) and Glenwood Elementary School (435 students) alongside Mcdowell 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 Mcdowell High School compares
Mcdowell High School on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.6% | ▼ 14% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,379 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,379
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 45% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
45.5%
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
$12,857
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 345 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
279
in-school suspensions + 114 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.5 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 72.7%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 6.5%
African American 3.6%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 72.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, Mcdowell High School is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mcdowell County Schools, which includes Mcdowell High School.
$12,857
Per student
+7%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 58.7%
Federal 24.4%
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 Mcdowell High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Mcdowell Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glenwood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Mcdowell Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Marion Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Old Fort Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcdowell High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 392
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Marion
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 North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,379 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcdowell High School's federal record.
- Compare Mcdowell High School against another school. Compare schools
- Mcdowell County 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 Mcdowell High School
How many students attend Mcdowell High School?
Mcdowell High School has 1,379 students enrolled. It is a high school in Marion, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell High School is 14.7:1, which is 7% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Mcdowell High School?
56.6% of students at Mcdowell High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcdowell High School?
The largest demographic group at Mcdowell High School is White at 72.7% of enrollment, in Marion, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcdowell High School?
Mcdowell High School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Mcdowell High School rank among high schools in Marion?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell High School ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Marion, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Marion on the city page.
Is Mcdowell High School a good school?
Mcdowell High School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. 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 Mcdowell County Schools?
Besides Mcdowell High School, Mcdowell County Schools also operates West Mcdowell Middle School (550 students), Glenwood Elementary School (435 students), and East Mcdowell Middle School (392 students). See the Mcdowell County 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.