Enrollment
1,631
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Columbia, SC
Ridge View High
Federal NCES profile for Ridge View High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450339000118
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 90
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ridge View High earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina.
- #5 of 15
- high schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.9:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 59.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ridge View High has class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ridge View High ranks #5 of 15 high schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Richland 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450339000118 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.7%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ridge View High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ridge View High
Ridge View High is a higher-need, large high school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 1,631 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.9:1 is larger than about 90% of South Carolina schools and 25% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 59.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,631 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 56 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #11.
Its student body is led by African American (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (7%) (diversity index 35/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 18 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 272 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 504 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,631 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 20 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Columbia's high schools, it stands alongside Spring Valley High (2,230 students): Ridge View High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 18.3:1).
Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students) and Blythewood High (2,164 students) alongside Ridge View 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 Ridge View High compares
Ridge View 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 25% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.7% | ▼ 19% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,631 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,631
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 90% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
22.9%
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
$13,517
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 272 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
277
in-school suspensions + 227 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 20 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 79.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
Two or More 5.8%
White 5.7%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 79.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.3, Ridge View High is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 18
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Richland 02, which includes Ridge View High.
$13,517
Per student
-7%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.0%
State 47.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Ridge View High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blythewood High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westwood High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Richland Northeast High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| E. L. Wright Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ridge View High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,230
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,164
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,743
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,340
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,275
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Columbia
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Spring Valley High
Standard public school
2,230 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Richland Northeast High
Standard public school
1,340 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
A. C. Flora High
Standard public school
1,328 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Irmo High
Standard public school
1,272 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Dreher High
Standard public school
1,144 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Columbia High
Standard public school
681 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,631 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ridge View High's federal record.
- Compare Ridge View High against another school. Compare schools
- Richland 02'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 Ridge View High
How many students attend Ridge View High?
Ridge View High has 1,631 students enrolled. It is a high school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ridge View High?
The student-teacher ratio at Ridge View High is 17.9:1, which is 25% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ridge View High?
59.7% of students at Ridge View High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ridge View High?
The largest demographic group at Ridge View High is African American at 79.7% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ridge View High?
Ridge View High has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Ridge View High rank among high schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Ridge View High ranks #5 of 15 high schools in Columbia, 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 Columbia on the city page.
Is Ridge View High a good school?
Ridge View High earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Richland 02?
Besides Ridge View High, Richland 02 also operates Spring Valley High (2,230 students), Blythewood High (2,164 students), and Westwood High (1,743 students). See the Richland 02 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.