Enrollment
566
North Dakota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Watford City, ND
Watford City High School
Federal NCES profile for Watford City High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 381254000415
👥 S:T ratio 6
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 77
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watford City High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Watford City · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.6:1
- large classes for North Dakota
- 21.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Watford City High School has class sizes larger than 98% of North Dakota schools. Computed live against every North Dakota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watford City High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Watford City, ND.
School address
District: Mckenzie Co 1 · North Dakota
NCES ID 381254000415 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.6:1
vs 11.8:1 North Dakota avg
+100% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.8%
vs 28.2% North Dakota avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watford City High School compares with North Dakota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watford City High School
Watford City High School is a large high school in Watford City, North Dakota, enrolling 566 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.6:1 is larger than about 98% of North Dakota schools and 100% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 21.8% lands close to the North Dakota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Dakota, bigger than 92% of state schools at 566 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 498 scored North Dakota schools.
Among 63 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Dakota schools statewide, it ranks #48, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 54/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 113 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Watford City's high schools, it stands alongside Wolves Center Academy (30 students): Watford City High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.6:1 vs 30:1).
Mckenzie Co 1 also operates Fox Hills Elementary School (663 students) and Badlands Elementary School (538 students) alongside Watford City 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 Watford City High School compares
Watford City High School on the metrics families compare, against North Dakota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Dakota | North Dakota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.6:1 | ▲ 100% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.8% | ▼ 23% | 28.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 566 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.6:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
566
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the North Dakota average of 28.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.6:1
students per teacher
- 100% above state mean
Top 98% in North Dakota - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$15,892
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Dakota avg of $18,450
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 113 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
20
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 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 62.9%
Hispanic or Latino 24.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.9%
African American 3.0%
Two or More 2.8%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 62.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.2, Watford City High School is more mixed than the North Dakota school average of 29.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mckenzie Co 1, which includes Watford City High School.
$15,892
Per student
-14%
vs North Dakota
Avg $18,450
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.6%
State 17.3%
Federal 13.1%
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 Watford City High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Hills Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Badlands Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Watford City Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wolves Center Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watford City High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 663
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 30
- Students per teacher
- 30:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar high schools in Watford City
1 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 North Dakota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~566 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watford City High School's federal record.
- Compare Watford City High School against another school. Compare schools
- Mckenzie Co 1'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 Watford City High School
How many students attend Watford City High School?
Watford City High School has 566 students enrolled. It is a high school in Watford City, ND.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watford City High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Watford City High School is 23.6:1, which is 100% higher than the North Dakota average of 11.8:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watford City High School?
21.8% of students at Watford City High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Dakota average of 28.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watford City High School?
The largest demographic group at Watford City High School is White at 62.9% of enrollment, in Watford City, ND. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watford City High School?
Watford City High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Watford City High School rank among public schools in Watford City?
By Resource Investment Index, Watford City High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Watford City, ND. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Watford City on the city page.
Is Watford City High School a good school?
Watford City High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of North Dakota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most North Dakota 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 Mckenzie Co 1?
Besides Watford City High School, Mckenzie Co 1 also operates Fox Hills Elementary School (663 students), Badlands Elementary School (538 students), and Watford City Middle School (509 students). See the Mckenzie Co 1 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.