Enrollment
1,822
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Rock Hill, SC
Northwestern High
Federal NCES profile for Northwestern High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450387001149
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwestern High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Rock Hill · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 46.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwestern High has class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Rock Hill, SC.
School address
District: York 03 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450387001149 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
109.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwestern High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwestern High
Northwestern High is a large high school in Rock Hill, South Carolina, enrolling 1,822 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,822 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 49 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #31.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and White (37%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 202 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 768 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,822 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 14 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Rock Hill's high schools, it stands alongside Rock Hill High (1,980 students): Northwestern High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.7:1 vs 16.4:1).
York 03 also operates Rock Hill High (1,980 students) and South Pointe High (1,128 students) alongside Northwestern High.
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 Northwestern High compares
Northwestern High on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.3% | ▼ 37% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,822 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,822
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.0%
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
$13,531
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors9.0 FTE
Per 202 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
554
in-school suspensions + 214 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 30.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 14 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
African American 41.9%
White 36.9%
Hispanic or Latino 14.5%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 41.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.5, Northwestern High is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for York 03, which includes Northwestern High.
$13,531
Per student
-7%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 47.3%
Federal 13.0%
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 Northwestern High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Hill High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Pointe High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dutchman Creek Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| W. C. Sullivan Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cherry Park Elementary School of Language Immersion | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwestern High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,980
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,128
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 856
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Rock Hill
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 South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,822 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwestern High's federal record.
- Compare Northwestern High against another school. Compare schools
- York 03'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 Northwestern High
How many students attend Northwestern High?
Northwestern High has 1,822 students enrolled. It is a high school in Rock Hill, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwestern High?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwestern High is 16.7:1, which is 17% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwestern High?
46.3% of students at Northwestern High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwestern High?
The largest demographic group at Northwestern High is African American at 41.9% of enrollment, in Rock Hill, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwestern High?
Northwestern High has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Northwestern High rank among high schools in Rock Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwestern High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Rock Hill, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Rock Hill on the city page.
Is Northwestern High a good school?
Northwestern High earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South 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 York 03?
Besides Northwestern High, York 03 also operates Rock Hill High (1,980 students), South Pointe High (1,128 students), and Dutchman Creek Middle (856 students). See the York 03 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.