- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Germantown, MD
Northwest High
Federal NCES profile for Northwest High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240048001040
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Maryland.
- #7 of 20
- public schools in Germantown · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 33.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest High has class sizes larger than 70% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest High ranks #7 of 20 public schools in Germantown, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048001040 Verify on NCES CCD record →
NCES CCD universe card
School universe 240048001040 · Germantown, MD High · LARGE · TRAD
2,300 enr · 16:1 · 33.5% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students)
Resource Investment Index #7 of 20 public schools in Germantown. NCES Common Core of Data stamps for this campus. Read with this school → · District book → · Maryland schools → · Find another →
Northwest High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Montgomery Bla
Montgomery Blair High
3,266 students
- Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson High
3,016 students
- Wheaton High
Wheaton High
2,794 students
- Gaithersburg H
Gaithersburg High
2,441 students
- Seneca Valley
Seneca Valley High
2,409 students
- This school
Northwest High
2,300 students
What this shows Northwest High reports 2,300 students on the CCD universe file.
How Northwest High compares
Northwest High on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.5% | ▼ 32% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,300 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,300
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 70% in Maryland - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.2%
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
$19,456
per pupil, district-wide
- above Maryland avg of $18,753
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors10.5 FTE
Per 219 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 26.3%
Hispanic or Latino 26.2%
White 21.0%
Asian 20.6%
Two or More 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 26.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 77.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 77.2, Northwest High is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Northwest High.
$19,456
Per student
+4%
vs Maryland
Avg $18,753
+10%
vs U.S.
Avg $17,658
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2022-23 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Northwest High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Germantown
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~2,300 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Frequently asked questions about Northwest High
How many students attend Northwest High?
Northwest High has 2,300 students enrolled. It is a high school in Germantown, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest High?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest High is 16:1, which is 10% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwest High?
33.5% of students at Northwest High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest High?
The largest demographic group at Northwest High is African American at 26.3% of enrollment, in Germantown, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 77.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest High?
Northwest High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical 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).
How does Northwest High rank among public schools in Germantown?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest High ranks #7 of 20 public schools in Germantown, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Germantown on the city page.
What other schools are in Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Northwest High, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.