Enrollment
1,153
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Tuscaloosa, AL
Northridge High School
Federal NCES profile for Northridge 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 010336002102
👥 S:T ratio 10
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northridge High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama.
- #1 of 4
- high schools in Tuscaloosa · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 22.6:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 34.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Northridge High School has class sizes larger than 95% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northridge High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Tuscaloosa, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa City · Alabama
NCES ID 010336002102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northridge High School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northridge High School
Northridge High School is a large high school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, enrolling 1,153 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.6:1 is larger than about 95% of Alabama schools and 28% above the 17.7:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 34.1% free-meal eligibility runs 42% below the Alabama average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Alabama, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,153 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 119 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and African American (36%) (diversity index 59/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Tuscaloosa's high schools, it stands alongside Hillcrest High School (1,434 students): Northridge High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.6:1 vs 20.2:1).
Tuscaloosa City also operates Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 students) and Central High School (796 students) alongside Northridge 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 Northridge High School compares
Northridge High School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.6:1 | ▲ 28% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.1% | ▼ 42% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,153 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,153
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
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
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 95% in Alabama - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,947
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
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 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
53
in-school suspensions + 119 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.9 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 52.4%
African American 35.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Asian 4.0%
Two or More 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.2, Northridge High School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tuscaloosa City, which includes Northridge High School.
$12,947
Per student
+4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 42.3%
Federal 18.0%
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 Northridge High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul W Bryant High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northridge Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastwood Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rock Quarry Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northridge High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 775
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Tuscaloosa
3 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 Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,153 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northridge High School's federal record.
- Compare Northridge High School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa City'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 Northridge High School
How many students attend Northridge High School?
Northridge High School has 1,153 students enrolled. It is a high school in Tuscaloosa, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northridge High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northridge High School is 22.6:1, which is 28% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northridge High School?
34.1% of students at Northridge High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northridge High School?
The largest demographic group at Northridge High School is White at 52.4% of enrollment, in Tuscaloosa, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northridge High School?
Northridge 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 Northridge High School rank among high schools in Tuscaloosa?
By Resource Investment Index, Northridge High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Tuscaloosa, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Tuscaloosa on the city page.
Is Northridge High School a good school?
Northridge High School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Alabama schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Alabama. 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 Tuscaloosa City?
Besides Northridge High School, Tuscaloosa City also operates Paul W Bryant High School (1,134 students), Central High School (796 students), and Northridge Middle School (775 students). See the Tuscaloosa City 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.