Enrollment
1,742
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · New Haven, CT
Wilbur Cross High School
Federal NCES profile for Wilbur Cross 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 090279000585
👥 S:T ratio 46
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wilbur Cross High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Connecticut schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut.
- #6 of 9
- high schools in New Haven · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.5:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 67.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Wilbur Cross High School has class sizes larger than 81% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wilbur Cross High School ranks #6 of 9 high schools in New Haven, CT.
School address
District: New Haven School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090279000585 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
129.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.4%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+85% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wilbur Cross High School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wilbur Cross High School
Wilbur Cross High School is a higher-need, large high school in New Haven, Connecticut, enrolling 1,742 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 67.4% of students qualify for free meals, 85% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Connecticut, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,742 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and African American (19%) (diversity index 51/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 249 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among New Haven's high schools, it stands alongside James Hillhouse High School (1,124 students): Wilbur Cross High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 14.8:1).
New Haven School District also operates James Hillhouse High School (1,124 students) and Fair Haven School (734 students) alongside Wilbur Cross 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 Wilbur Cross High School compares
Wilbur Cross High School on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.5:1 | ▲ 12% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.4% | ▲ 85% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,742 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,742
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 85% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 81% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.1%
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
$21,911
per pupil, district-wide
- below Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 249 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 220 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 66.7%
African American 19.1%
White 9.0%
Asian 2.9%
Two or More 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.9, Wilbur Cross High School is about as mixed as the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Haven School District, which includes Wilbur Cross High School.
$21,911
Per student
-8%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 56.9%
Federal 13.9%
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 Wilbur Cross High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Hillhouse High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fair Haven School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hill Regional Career High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Engineering - Science University Magnet School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ross/Woodward School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wilbur Cross High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,124
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 734
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 625
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 608
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in New Haven
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
James Hillhouse High School
Standard public school
1,124 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Hill Regional Career High School
Standard public school
625 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Cooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet
Standard public school
560 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Metropolitan Business Academy
Standard public school
380 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Sound School
Standard public school
332 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
New Haven Academy
Standard public school
321 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Connecticut, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,742 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wilbur Cross High School's federal record.
- Compare Wilbur Cross High School against another school. Compare schools
- New Haven School District'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 Wilbur Cross High School
How many students attend Wilbur Cross High School?
Wilbur Cross High School has 1,742 students enrolled. It is a high school in New Haven, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilbur Cross High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Wilbur Cross High School is 13.5:1, which is 12% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 14% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wilbur Cross High School?
67.4% of students at Wilbur Cross High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wilbur Cross High School?
The largest demographic group at Wilbur Cross High School is Hispanic or Latino at 66.7% of enrollment, in New Haven, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wilbur Cross High School?
Wilbur Cross 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 Wilbur Cross High School rank among high schools in New Haven?
By Resource Investment Index, Wilbur Cross High School ranks #6 of 9 high schools in New Haven, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in New Haven on the city page.
Is Wilbur Cross High School a good school?
Wilbur Cross High School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Connecticut schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut. 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 New Haven School District?
Besides Wilbur Cross High School, New Haven School District also operates James Hillhouse High School (1,124 students), Fair Haven School (734 students), and Hill Regional Career High School (625 students). See the New Haven School District 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.