Enrollment
1,558
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Towson, MD
Towson High
Federal NCES profile for Towson High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 240012000487
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Towson High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Maryland.
- #2 of 7
- high schools in Towson · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.9:1
- large classes for Maryland
- 22.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Towson High has class sizes larger than 80% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Towson High ranks #2 of 7 high schools in Towson, MD.
School address
District: Baltimore County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240012000487 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
92.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.7%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
-54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Towson High compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Towson High
Towson High is a large high school in Towson, Maryland, enrolling 1,558 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Maryland schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Maryland, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,558 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 79 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #33.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 32 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Towson's high schools, it stands alongside George W. Carver Center for Arts & Technology (1,017 students): Towson High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 15.9:1).
Baltimore County Public Schools also operates Dundalk High (2,087 students) and Perry Hall High (2,012 students) alongside Towson 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 Towson High compares
Towson High on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.9:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.7% | ▼ 54% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,558 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,558
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the Maryland average of 49.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 80% in Maryland - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.4%
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
$16,538
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.5 FTE
Per 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 52.6%
African American 25.7%
Asian 9.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Two or More 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.1, Towson High is more mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 32
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Baltimore County Public Schools, which includes Towson High.
$16,538
Per student
-19%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.3%
State 40.7%
Federal 12.0%
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 Towson High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Perry Hall High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodlawn High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kenwood High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dulaney High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Towson High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 2,012
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,922
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,889
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Towson
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
George W. Carver Center for Arts & Technology
Vocational / career-technical school
1,017 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Bcdc Educational Center
Alternative education program
52 students
Southwest Edlp at Woodlawn High School
Alternative education program
4 students
Southeast Edlp at Dundalk High School
Alternative education program
2 students
Northeast Edlp at Parkville High School
Alternative education program
1 students
Northwest Edlp at Milford Mill Academy
Alternative education program
1 students
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,558 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Towson High's federal record.
- Compare Towson High against another school. Compare schools
- Baltimore County Public Schools'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 Towson High
How many students attend Towson High?
Towson High has 1,558 students enrolled. It is a high school in Towson, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Towson High?
The student-teacher ratio at Towson High is 16.9:1, which is 17% higher than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Towson High?
22.7% of students at Towson High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Towson High?
The largest demographic group at Towson High is White at 52.6% of enrollment, in Towson, MD. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Towson High?
Towson High has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Towson High rank among high schools in Towson?
By Resource Investment Index, Towson High ranks #2 of 7 high schools in Towson, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Towson on the city page.
Is Towson High a good school?
Towson High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Maryland schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Maryland. 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 Baltimore County Public Schools?
Besides Towson High, Baltimore County Public Schools also operates Dundalk High (2,087 students), Perry Hall High (2,012 students), and Woodlawn High (1,922 students). See the Baltimore County Public Schools 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.