Enrollment
1,506
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Michigan City, IN
Michigan City High School
Federal NCES profile for Michigan City High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180657001160
👥 S:T ratio 35
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Michigan City High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana.
- #3 of 11
- public schools in Michigan City · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 67.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Michigan City High School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Michigan City High School ranks #3 of 11 public schools in Michigan City, IN.
School address
District: Michigan City Area Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180657001160 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Michigan City High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Michigan City High School
Michigan City High School is a higher-need, large high school in Michigan City, Indiana, enrolling 1,506 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,506 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 44 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and African American (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 251 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Michigan City Area Schools spends $16,466 per pupil, 36% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 445 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,506 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 18 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Michigan City Area Schools also operates Joy Elementary School (416 students) and Knapp Elementary School (407 students) alongside Michigan City 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 Michigan City High School compares
Michigan City High School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.8% | ▲ 37% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,506 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,506
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 61% in Indiana - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.3%
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
$16,466
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
173
in-school suspensions + 272 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 18 expulsions.
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 40.1%
African American 35.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
Two or More 9.9%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 40.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.5, Michigan City High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Michigan City Area Schools, which includes Michigan City High School.
$16,466
Per student
+36%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.9%
State 27.9%
Federal 5.3%
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 Michigan City High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joy Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Knapp Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pine Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Barker Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Edgewood Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Michigan City High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 416
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 350
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,506 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Michigan City High School's federal record.
- Compare Michigan City High School against another school. Compare schools
- Michigan City Area 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 Michigan City High School
How many students attend Michigan City High School?
Michigan City High School has 1,506 students enrolled. It is a high school in Michigan City, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Michigan City High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Michigan City High School is 16.2:1, which is 2% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Michigan City High School?
67.8% of students at Michigan City High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Michigan City High School?
The largest demographic group at Michigan City High School is White at 40.1% of enrollment, in Michigan City, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Michigan City High School?
Michigan City High School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Michigan City High School rank among public schools in Michigan City?
By Resource Investment Index, Michigan City High School ranks #3 of 11 public schools in Michigan City, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Michigan City on the city page.
Is Michigan City High School a good school?
Michigan City High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana. 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 Michigan City Area Schools?
Besides Michigan City High School, Michigan City Area Schools also operates Joy Elementary School (416 students), Knapp Elementary School (407 students), and Pine Elementary School (396 students). See the Michigan City Area 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.