Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 90 schools in district

University High School

421 N ARCADIA AVE, TUCSON, AZ 85711Tucson Unified District (4403) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 08–12Non-Charter
1,060
Students
Total enrolled
100%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 15% vs nat'l
$13,118
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 9% vs nat'l
22.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 49% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,060 students in grades 08–12 in TUCSON, Arizona.
9% below average funding
District spends $13,118 per pupil, 9% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

University High School is a very large high in TUCSON, Arizona, serving grades 08–12 with 1,060 students. The district invests $13,118 per student — 9% below the national average of $14,347, with a 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. The school's 100% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at University High School

1,060
Total Students
22.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
46
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (08–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution509 male · 551 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Student Composition
12%
41%
35%
8%
Asian12%
White41%
Hispanic / Latino35%
Black3%
Multiracial8%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040880001441

Academic Outcomes at University High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
GE99
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
100%
State avg
70%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 28th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85711

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,118Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,118
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,772
Student Support$2,492
Administration$1,574
Operations$1,968
Other$1,312
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,118 spent per student, an estimated $5,811 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
35%
42%
State government
34.6%
Local (property tax)
41.8%
Federal programs
23.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 100% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
McCorkle PK-8C E Rose Elementary SchoolHollinger K-8 SchoolJohn E White Elementary School
+12 more
↓
Middle
Mansfeld Middle Magnet SchoolPistor Middle SchoolValencia Middle SchoolAlice Vail Middle School
+2 more
↓
High School
Tucson Magnet High SchoolPueblo High SchoolCholla High SchoolSahuaro High School
+4 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades08 – 12
Location—
CountyPima County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictTucson Unified District (4403) →
Phone: (520)232-5900
NCES ID: 040880001441
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in TUCSON seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Tucson Unified District (4403)
High
Tucson Magnet High School
3,162 students · 08–12
● 37 opp52% FRL
High
Pueblo High School
1,831 students · 08–12
● 41 opp65% FRL
High
Cholla High School
1,760 students · 08–12
● 41 opp62% FRL
High
Sahuaro High School
1,432 students · 08–12
● 44 opp54% FRL
High
Rincon High School
1,273 students · 08–12
● 40 opp46% FRL
Elem
McCorkle PK-8
1,084 students · PK–08
● 25 opp72% FRL
High
Sabino High School
862 students · 07–12
● 48 opp25% FRL
Mid
Mansfeld Middle Magnet School
817 students · 06–08
● 39 opp60% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
421 N ARCADIA AVE, TUCSON, AZ 85711
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.