Enrollment
1,815
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Puyallup, WA
Puyallup High School
Federal NCES profile for Puyallup High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530696001038
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Puyallup High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #2 of 4
- high schools in Puyallup · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.2:1
- large classes for Washington
- 28.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Puyallup High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Puyallup High School ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Puyallup, WA.
School address
District: Puyallup School District · Washington
NCES ID 530696001038 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
72.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Puyallup High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Puyallup High School
Puyallup High School is a large high school in Puyallup, Washington, enrolling 1,815 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25.2:1 is larger than about 94% of Washington schools and 43% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,815 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 79 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #54.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 363 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Puyallup School District spends $15,642 per pupil, 20% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Puyallup's high schools, it stands alongside Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students): Puyallup High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.2:1 vs 24.8:1).
Puyallup School District also operates Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students) and Emerald Ridge High School (1,599 students) alongside Puyallup 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 Puyallup High School compares
Puyallup High School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.2:1 | ▲ 43% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.6% | ▼ 36% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,815 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.2:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,815
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
25.2:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 94% in Washington - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
20.3%
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
$15,642
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 363 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 51.2%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
Two or More 12.3%
Asian 8.4%
African American 5.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 51.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.4, Puyallup High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Puyallup School District, which includes Puyallup High School.
$15,642
Per student
-20%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 64.7%
Federal 9.9%
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 Puyallup High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gov John Rogers High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Emerald Ridge High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dessie F Evans Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ballou Jr High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Doris Stahl Junior High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Puyallup High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,788
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 919
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 846
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Puyallup
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 Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,815 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Puyallup High School's federal record.
- Compare Puyallup High School against another school. Compare schools
- Puyallup School District'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 Puyallup High School
How many students attend Puyallup High School?
Puyallup High School has 1,815 students enrolled. It is a high school in Puyallup, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Puyallup High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Puyallup High School is 25.2:1, which is 43% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Puyallup High School?
28.6% of students at Puyallup High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Puyallup High School?
The largest demographic group at Puyallup High School is White at 51.2% of enrollment, in Puyallup, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Puyallup High School?
Puyallup High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Puyallup High School rank among high schools in Puyallup?
By Resource Investment Index, Puyallup High School ranks #2 of 4 high schools in Puyallup, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Puyallup on the city page.
Is Puyallup High School a good school?
Puyallup High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Puyallup School District?
Besides Puyallup High School, Puyallup School District also operates Gov John Rogers High School (1,788 students), Emerald Ridge High School (1,599 students), and Dessie F Evans Elementary (919 students). See the Puyallup School District 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.