Enrollment
497
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Jersey City, NJ
Nicolaus Copernicus School
Federal NCES profile for Nicolaus Copernicus School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 340783002810
👥 S:T ratio 61
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nicolaus Copernicus School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of New Jersey schools.
- #14 of 28
- schools in Jersey City · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.7:1
- small classes for New Jersey
- 43.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Nicolaus Copernicus School has class sizes smaller than 78% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nicolaus Copernicus School ranks #14 of 28 schools in Jersey City, NJ.
School address
District: Jersey City Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340783002810 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.7:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.4%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nicolaus Copernicus School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nicolaus Copernicus School
Nicolaus Copernicus School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 497 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of New Jersey schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 43.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 497 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 2,501 New Jersey schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 351 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need New Jersey schools statewide, it ranks #318, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (38%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 497 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Jersey City's public schools, it stands alongside Beloved Community Charter School (1,573 students): Nicolaus Copernicus School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.7:1 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 Nicolaus Copernicus 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School compares
Nicolaus Copernicus 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 | 9.7:1 | ▼ 18% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.4% | ▲ 47% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 497 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.7:1
Leaner classes than 90% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
497
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
9.7:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 22% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.7%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 497 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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
Asian 46.9%
Hispanic or Latino 38.4%
White 9.9%
African American 3.6%
Two or More 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 46.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Nicolaus Copernicus 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 Nicolaus Copernicus 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William L Dickinson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James J Ferris High School | Larger | Higher 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Christa Mcauliffe School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nicolaus Copernicus 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 (~497 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nicolaus Copernicus School's federal record.
- Compare Nicolaus Copernicus 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School
How many students attend Nicolaus Copernicus School?
Nicolaus Copernicus School has 497 students enrolled. It is a public school in Jersey City, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nicolaus Copernicus School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nicolaus Copernicus School is 9.7:1, which is 18% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 38% 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School?
43.4% of students at Nicolaus Copernicus School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nicolaus Copernicus School?
The largest demographic group at Nicolaus Copernicus School is Asian at 46.9% of enrollment, in Jersey City, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nicolaus Copernicus School?
Nicolaus Copernicus School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School rank among schools in Jersey City?
By Resource Investment Index, Nicolaus Copernicus School ranks #14 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 Nicolaus Copernicus School a good school?
Nicolaus Copernicus School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of 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 Nicolaus Copernicus 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.