Enrollment
1,786
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Jersey City, NJ
William L Dickinson High School
Federal NCES profile for William L Dickinson High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 340783002780
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William L Dickinson High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey.
- #6 of 8
- high schools in Jersey City · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- large classes for New Jersey
- 56.5%
- free-lunch eligible
William L Dickinson High School has class sizes larger than 88% of New Jersey schools. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William L Dickinson High School ranks #6 of 8 high schools in Jersey City, NJ.
School address
District: Jersey City Public Schools · New Jersey
NCES ID 340783002780 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
124.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.5%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+91% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William L Dickinson High School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at William L Dickinson High School
William L Dickinson High School is a higher-need, large high school in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 1,786 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.4:1 is larger than about 88% of New Jersey schools and 22% above the 11.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 56.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Jersey, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,786 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 45 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #24.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 10 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 298 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Jersey City's high schools, it stands alongside Innovation High School (301 students): William L Dickinson High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 10.8:1).
Jersey City Public Schools also operates James J Ferris High School (1,364 students) and Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students) alongside William L Dickinson 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 William L Dickinson High School compares
William L Dickinson High School on the metrics families compare, against New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.4:1 | ▲ 22% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.5% | ▲ 91% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,786 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,786
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 91% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 88% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$26,862
per pupil, district-wide
- above New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 298 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 64 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 49.3%
African American 16.6%
White 15.9%
Asian 15.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Two or More 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, William L Dickinson High School is more mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 10
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jersey City Public Schools, which includes William L Dickinson High School.
$26,862
Per student
+8%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+62%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.5%
State 53.5%
Federal 8.0%
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 William L Dickinson High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James J Ferris High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cornelia F. Bradford School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph H. Brensinger School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Christa Mcauliffe School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin L. Williams School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William L Dickinson High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,364
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,082
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar high schools in Jersey City
2 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 New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,786 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William L Dickinson High School's federal record.
- Compare William L Dickinson High School against another school. Compare schools
- Jersey City 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 William L Dickinson High School
How many students attend William L Dickinson High School?
William L Dickinson High School has 1,786 students enrolled. It is a high school in Jersey City, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William L Dickinson High School?
The student-teacher ratio at William L Dickinson High School is 14.4:1, which is 22% higher than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William L Dickinson High School?
56.5% of students at William L Dickinson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William L Dickinson High School?
The largest demographic group at William L Dickinson High School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.3% of enrollment, in Jersey City, NJ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William L Dickinson High School?
William L Dickinson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 William L Dickinson High School rank among high schools in Jersey City?
By Resource Investment Index, William L Dickinson High School ranks #6 of 8 high schools in Jersey City, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Jersey City on the city page.
Is William L Dickinson High School a good school?
William L Dickinson High School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of New Jersey schools. It is also one of the largest schools in New Jersey. 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 Jersey City Public Schools?
Besides William L Dickinson High School, Jersey City Public Schools also operates James J Ferris High School (1,364 students), Cornelia F. Bradford School (1,082 students), and Joseph H. Brensinger School (926 students). See the Jersey City 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.