Enrollment
2,081
Georgia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Austell, GA
South Cobb High School
Federal NCES profile for South Cobb High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 130129000574
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Cobb High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia.
- #3 of 6
- public schools in Austell · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Georgia
- 55.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Cobb High School has class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. Computed live against every Georgia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Cobb High School ranks #3 of 6 public schools in Austell, GA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
124.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Georgia avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.2%
vs 60.7% Georgia avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Cobb High School compares with Georgia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Cobb High School
South Cobb High School is a higher-need, large high school in Austell, Georgia, enrolling 2,081 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Georgia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.2% lands close to the Georgia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Georgia, bigger than 97% of state schools at 2,081 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,314 scored Georgia schools.
Against 68 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #20.
Its student body is led by African American (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (36%) (diversity index 57/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 347 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 929 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,081 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students) and Osborne High School (2,790 students) alongside South Cobb 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 South Cobb High School compares
South Cobb High School on the metrics families compare, against Georgia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Georgia | Georgia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.2% | ▼ 9% | 60.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,081 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,081
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% below the Georgia average of 60.7%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 83% in Georgia - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.0%
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
$13,203
per pupil, district-wide
- below Georgia avg of $13,863
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 347 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
571
in-school suspensions + 358 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 44.6 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
African American 54.8%
Hispanic or Latino 35.5%
White 5.9%
Two or More 2.5%
Asian 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 54.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, South Cobb High School is more mixed than the Georgia school average of 50.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cobb County, which includes South Cobb High School.
$13,203
Per student
-5%
vs Georgia
Avg $13,863
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 35.4%
Federal 11.9%
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 South Cobb High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Osborne High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walton High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pebblebrook High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Cobb High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Cobb High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,085
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,790
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,705
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,574
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,463
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Georgia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,081 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Cobb High School's federal record.
- Compare South Cobb High School against another school. Compare schools
- Cobb County'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 Cobb High School
How many students attend South Cobb High School?
South Cobb High School has 2,081 students enrolled. It is a high school in Austell, GA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Cobb High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Cobb High School is 16.8:1, which is 17% higher than the Georgia average of 14.4:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Cobb High School?
55.2% of students at South Cobb High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Georgia average of 60.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Cobb High School?
The largest demographic group at South Cobb High School is African American at 54.8% of enrollment, in Austell, GA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Cobb High School?
South Cobb High School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 South Cobb High School rank among public schools in Austell?
By Resource Investment Index, South Cobb High School ranks #3 of 6 public schools in Austell, GA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Austell on the city page.
Is South Cobb High School a good school?
South Cobb High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Georgia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Georgia. 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 Cobb County?
Besides South Cobb High School, Cobb County also operates Campbell High School (3,085 students), Osborne High School (2,790 students), and Walton High School (2,705 students). See the Cobb County 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.