High school (grades 9-12) · Nogales, AZ

Pierson High School

Federal NCES profile for Pierson High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.

2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 040553001552
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10051/100
👥 S:T ratio
47
🌟 Gifted program
30
🎓 Counselors
76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Pierson High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Arizona schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arizona schools.

#1 of 3
public schools in Nogales · Resource Index
51
Resource Index · Higher
13.2:1
small classes for Arizona
83.8%
free-lunch eligible

Pierson High School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Pierson High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Nogales, AZ.

School address

Nogales, AZ 85621
District: Nogales Unified District (4457) · Arizona

NCES ID 040553001552 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

+13 students YoY

Pierson High School grew from 142 students in 2022-23 to 155 in 2023-24 (+9.2%).

Teacher FTE lost 9.0 → 8.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Growing CCD campus

+13 students YoY 040553001552 · Nogales, AZ High · SMALL · TRAD

119 enr · 13.2:1 · 83.8% lunch · RII 51

Nearest enrollment peer: Nogales High School (1,774 students)

Pierson High School grew from 142 students in 2022-23 to 155 in 2023-24 (+9.2%). Teacher FTE lost 9.0 → 8.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →

Pierson High School in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Pierson High School reports 119 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Pierson High School compares

Pierson High School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Arizona Arizona avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 13.2:1 ▼ 22% 17:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 83.8% ▲ 73% 48.3% 51.7%
Enrollment 119 top 80% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
119
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
83.8%
free-lunch eligible - 73% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher - 22% below state mean
Top 22% in Arizona - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$9,157
per pupil, district-wide - below Arizona avg of $13,502
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 119 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

Hispanic or Latino 100.0%

Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 100.0% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 0.0/100

Simpson diversity index - at 0.0, Pierson High School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.

Programs

AP program Not offered

District finance for Nogales Unified District (4457) reports $9,157 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Pierson High School Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Nogales High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Desert Shadows Middle School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Wade Carpenter Middle School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Francisco Vasquez De Coronado Elementary School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Lincoln Elementary School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Pierson High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Nogales Unified District (4457) · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

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 (~119 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.2:1)

Frequently asked questions about Pierson High School

How many students attend Pierson High School?

Pierson High School has 119 students enrolled. It is a high school in Nogales, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 142 (2022-23) → 155 (2023-24), up 13.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pierson High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Pierson High School is 13.2:1, which is 22% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 16% 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 Pierson High School?

83.8% of students at Pierson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pierson High School?

The largest demographic group at Pierson High School is Hispanic or Latino at 100.0% of enrollment, in Nogales, AZ.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Pierson High School?

Pierson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Pierson High School rank among public schools in Nogales?

By Resource Investment Index, Pierson High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Nogales, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Nogales on the city page.

What other schools are in Nogales Unified District (4457)?

Besides Pierson High School, Nogales Unified District (4457) also operates Nogales High School (1,774 students), Desert Shadows Middle School (784 students), and Wade Carpenter Middle School (547 students). See the Nogales Unified District (4457) district page for the complete list.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .