Enrollment
2,195
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Salem, OR
South Salem High School
Federal NCES profile for South Salem High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 411082000820
👥 S:T ratio 15
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Salem High School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Oregon schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Oregon.
- #4 of 6
- high schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- large classes for Oregon
- 95.7%
- free-lunch eligible
South Salem High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Oregon schools. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Salem High School ranks #4 of 6 high schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082000820 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
103.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.7%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Salem High School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Salem High School
South Salem High School is a high-poverty, large high school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 2,195 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.3:1 is larger than about 86% of Oregon schools and 21% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 95.7% of students qualify for free meals, 81% above the Oregon average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Oregon, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,195 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%) (diversity index 64/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 549 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salem's high schools, it stands alongside Mckay High School (2,380 students): South Salem High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.3:1 vs 22.7:1).
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students) and North Salem High School (2,107 students) alongside South Salem 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 Salem High School compares
South Salem High School on the metrics families compare, against Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.3:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.7% | ▲ 81% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,195 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,195
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 86% in Oregon - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Funding equity
$15,528
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 549 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
316
in-school suspensions + 63 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 45.4%
Hispanic or Latino 38.9%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.6%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, South Salem High School is more mixed than the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem-Keizer Sd 24j, which includes South Salem High School.
$15,528
Per student
-14%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 11.5%
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 Salem High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mckay High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Salem High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Salem High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,107
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,606
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar high schools in Salem
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Mckay High School
Standard public school
2,380 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
North Salem High School
Standard public school
2,107 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Sprague High School
Standard public school
1,712 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
West Salem High School
Standard public school
1,606 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Early College High School
Alternative education program
193 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,195 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Salem High School's federal record.
- Compare South Salem High School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem-Keizer Sd 24j'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 Salem High School
How many students attend South Salem High School?
South Salem High School has 2,195 students enrolled. It is a high school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Salem High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Salem High School is 21.3:1, which is 21% higher than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Salem High School?
95.7% of students at South Salem High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Salem High School?
The largest demographic group at South Salem High School is White at 45.4% of enrollment, in Salem, OR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Salem High School?
South Salem High School has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Salem High School rank among high schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, South Salem High School ranks #4 of 6 high schools in Salem, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Salem on the city page.
Is South Salem High School a good school?
South Salem High School earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Oregon schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Oregon. 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 Salem-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides South Salem High School, Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students), North Salem High School (2,107 students), and Mcnary High School (1,995 students). See the Salem-Keizer Sd 24j 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.