Enrollment
1,349
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Aiken, SC
South Aiken High
Federal NCES profile for South Aiken High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450072001202
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Aiken High earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Aiken · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.8:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 38.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South Aiken 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, South Aiken High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Aiken, SC.
School address
District: Aiken 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450072001202 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.6%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Aiken High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Aiken High
South Aiken High is a large high school in Aiken, South Carolina, enrolling 1,349 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.8:1 is larger than about 90% of South Carolina schools and 24% 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 38.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,349 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #59, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (31%) (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 270 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Aiken 01 spends $11,604 per pupil, 20% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 420 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,349 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Aiken's high schools, it stands alongside Aiken High (1,097 students): South Aiken High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.8:1 vs 14.2:1).
Aiken 01 also operates North Augusta High (1,645 students) and Midland Valley High (1,558 students) alongside South Aiken 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 South Aiken High compares
South Aiken 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 24% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.6% | ▼ 48% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,349 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,349
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 24% 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
40.3%
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
$11,604
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 270 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
222
in-school suspensions + 198 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 31.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
White 48.8%
African American 30.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Two or More 7.0%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.9, South Aiken High is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Aiken 01, which includes South Aiken High.
$11,604
Per student
-20%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.3%
State 45.4%
Federal 15.3%
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 South Aiken High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Augusta High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Midland Valley High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aiken High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Silver Bluff High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Byrd Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Aiken High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,645
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,558
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,097
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 756
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 708
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Aiken
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 (~1,349 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Aiken High's federal record.
- Compare South Aiken High against another school. Compare schools
- Aiken 01'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 South Aiken High
How many students attend South Aiken High?
South Aiken High has 1,349 students enrolled. It is a high school in Aiken, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Aiken High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Aiken High is 17.8:1, which is 24% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Aiken High?
38.6% of students at South Aiken High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Aiken High?
The largest demographic group at South Aiken High is White at 48.8% of enrollment, in Aiken, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Aiken High?
South Aiken High has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 South Aiken High rank among high schools in Aiken?
By Resource Investment Index, South Aiken High ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Aiken, 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 Aiken on the city page.
Is South Aiken High a good school?
South Aiken High earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of South Carolina schools. 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 Aiken 01?
Besides South Aiken High, Aiken 01 also operates North Augusta High (1,645 students), Midland Valley High (1,558 students), and Aiken High (1,097 students). See the Aiken 01 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.