Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 65 schools in district

McKay High School

2440 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 97305Salem-Keizer SD 24J →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
2,311
Students
Total enrolled
84%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$22,392
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 56% vs nat'l
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 43% vs nat'l
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 24% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 2,311 students in grades 09–12 in Salem, Oregon.
56% above average funding
District spends $22,392 per pupil, 56% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

McKay High School is a very large high in Salem, Oregon, serving grades 09–12 with 2,311 students. The district invests $22,392 per student — 56% above the national average of $14,347, with a 22.0:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 102% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at McKay High School

2,311
Total Students
22.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
102%
Free Lunch
105
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution1,205 male · 1,105 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility102%
National avg 52% · 2,355 students
Student Composition
16%
72%
Asian3%
White16%
Hispanic / Latino72%
Black1%
Multiracial3%
Pacific Islander5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 411082001296

Academic Outcomes at McKay High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
84
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
84%
State avg
80%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 20th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 97305

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,392Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,392
State avg
$50,547
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,852
Student Support$4,254
Administration$2,687
Operations$3,359
Other$2,239
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,392 spent per student, an estimated $9,920 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
61%
27%
State government
61.4%
Local (property tax)
27.2%
Federal programs
11.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 84% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $22,392/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 102% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Cesar E Chavez ElementaryKeizer Elementary SchoolAuburn Elementary SchoolEyre Elementary School
+9 more
↓
Middle
Waldo Middle SchoolStephens Middle SchoolHouck Middle SchoolClaggett Creek Middle School
+7 more
↓
High School
South Salem High SchoolNorth Salem High SchoolMcNary High SchoolSprague High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMarion County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSalem-Keizer SD 24J →
Phone: (503)399-3080
NCES ID: 411082001296
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Salem seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Salem-Keizer SD 24J
High
South Salem High School
2,256 students · 09–12
● 47 opp96% FRL
High
North Salem High School
2,239 students · 09–12
● 37 opp74% FRL
High
McNary High School
2,081 students · 09–12
● 38 opp92% FRL
High
Sprague High School
1,779 students · 09–12
● 47 opp88% FRL
High
West Salem High School
1,733 students · 09–12
86% FRL
Mid
Waldo Middle School
1,166 students · 06–08
● 37 opp73% FRL
Mid
Stephens Middle School
1,024 students · 06–08
● 38 opp72% FRL
Mid
Houck Middle School
949 students · 06–08
● 37 opp74% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2440 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 97305
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.