Mars Area Senior High School

Q: Is Mars Area Senior High School a good school?

Mars Area Senior High School ranks 109 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mars Area Senior High School is a public high school serving 1,054 students in grades 9-12 in the town of Mars, Pennsylvania. The school is part of the highly-ranked Mars Area School District, which is ranked 45th out of 606 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Mars Area Senior High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Pennsylvania, with a statewide ranking of 109 out of 674 schools in the 2022-2023 school year. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for several years, indicating its strong academic performance. Its four-year graduation rate is an exceptional 98.0%, well above the state average, and the school has a very low dropout rate of just 0.2%. Students at Mars Area Senior High School outperform the state average on Keystone Exams, with 75.8% proficient or better in Biology and 84.3% proficient or better in Literature, compared to state averages of 50.7% and 65.3% respectively.

When compared to nearby high schools like North Hills Senior High School, Mars Area Senior High School stands out for its consistently high academic performance and low dropout rates. The school also performs well across different student subgroups, including white students, low socioeconomic status students, and disabled students, indicating a strong focus on equity and supporting the needs of all students. With spending per student ranging from $12,947 to $14,375, the district is committed to providing adequate resources for student learning.

Detail:

Public 9-12

520 Route 228
Mars, PA 16046-3124

(724) 625-1581

District: Mars Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
109^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,920

Feeder schools for Mars Area Senior High School:

Elementary:	Mars Area Elementary School
	Mars Area Primary Center
Middle:	Mars Area Centennial School
	Mars Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 1,054

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.6%

Asian:

2.1%

Hispanic:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 11.8%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Mars Area Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mars Area Senior High School ranks better than 83.8% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.57. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Mars Area Senior High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (94.6%), Asian (2.1%), Hispanic (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 11.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mars Area Senior High School is 15.1. (See more...)

Compare Mars Area Senior High School employs 69.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mars Area Senior High School is $13,920.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Mars Area Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mars Area Senior High School 109^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Mars Area Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Mars Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mars Area School District 45^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mars Area Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Mars Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	68.21	186^th	583	68.1%
2004	79.34	109^th	590	81.5%
2005	54.79	322^nd	593	45.7%
2006	64.58	240^th	604	60.3%
2007	64.00	254^th	615	58.7%
2008	67.77	198^th	621	68.1%
2009	83.71	58^th	632	90.8%
2010	78.76	95^th	649	85.4%
2011	77.17	104^th	660	84.2%
2012	69.98	212^th	664	68.1%
2013	87.69	26^th	591	95.6%
2014	88.10	29^th	580	95.0%
2015	90.37	16^th	680	97.6%
2016	86.47	34^th	677	95.0%
2017	87.40	28^th	663	95.8%
2018	89.12	22^nd	673	96.7%
2019	86.60	50^th	693	92.8%
2021	86.78	37^th	537	93.1%
2023	80.57	109^th	674	83.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mars Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.53	161^st	652	75.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Mars Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	81.82	65^th	502	87.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for White students at Mars Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	78.04	102^nd	577	82.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Mars Area Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	595	7	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	607
1989	583	4	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	590
1990	566	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	567
1991	559	7	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	567
1992	571	7	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1993	579	7	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	594
1994	612	7	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	625
1995	617	7	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	630
1996	617	7	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	630
1997	651	6	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	661
1998	702	3	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	709
1999	743	3	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	750
2000	758	5	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	767
2001	805	6	1	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	817
2002	839	6	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	850
2003	839	6	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	850
2004	857	5	3	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	872
2005	913	3	2	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	924
2006	932	4	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	943
2007	928	3	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	935
2008	969	1	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	975
2009	927	2	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	934
2010	955	2	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	1	965
2011	992	3	4	4	0	0	0	0	1003
2012	957	4	4	4	1	0	0	0	970
2013	1022	4	4	5	1	0	1	0	1037
2014	1011	5	6	4	2	0	3	0	1031
2015	1023	7	7	4	3	0	5	0	1049
2016	997	9	12	7	1	0	5	0	1031
2017	1020	10	13	9	1	0	6	0	1059
2018	1046	11	18	10	0	0	2	0	1087
2019	990	11	18	9	0	0	2	0	1030
2020	1004	9	13	11	0	0	1	0	1038
2021	995	6	16	13	0	0	3	0	1033
2022	1003	7	18	17	0	1	5	0	1051
2023	997	10	22	20	0	1	4	0	1054

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mars Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	607	40.4	15.0	n/a
1989	590	41.2	14.3	n/a
1990	567	39.1	14.5	0
1991	567	43.8	12.9	n/a
1992	580	45.0	12.8	n/a
1993	594	42.0	14.1	n/a
1994	625	42.5	14.7	n/a
1995	630	44.5	14.2	n/a
1996	630	44.5	14.2	n/a
1997	661	43.5	15.2	n/a
1998	709	46.5	15.2	n/a
1999	750	56.0	13.4	n/a
2000	767	57.0	13.5	17.7
2001	817	58.0	14.1	8.7
2002	850	60.0	14.2	8
2003	850	60.0	14.2	8
2004	872	63.2	13.8	8.5
2005	924	65.3	14.2	7.4
2006	943	63.3	14.9	8.7
2007	935	62.0	15.1	8.9
2008	975	56.0	17.4	8.5
2009	934	63.0	14.8	7.3
2010	965	64.0	15.0	7.4
2011	1003	64.1	15.6	7.8
2012	970	63.1	15.3	8
2013	1037	60.9	17.0	6.6
2014	1031	65.3	15.7	8.4
2015	1049	67.0	15.6	11
2016	1031	68.0	15.1	3.2
2017	1059	67.4	15.6	n/a
2018	1087	68.8	15.7	n/a
2019	1030	67.8	15.1	3.1
2020	1038	67.6	15.3	n/a
2021	1033	63.8	16.1	4
2022	1051	63.5	16.5	2.9
2023	1054	69.5	15.1	11.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Mars Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	607	40.4	15.0	n/a
1989	590	41.2	14.3	n/a
1990	567	39.1	14.5	0
1991	567	43.8	12.9	n/a
1992	580	45.0	12.8	n/a
1993	594	42.0	14.1	n/a
1994	625	42.5	14.7	n/a
1995	630	44.5	14.2	n/a
1996	630	44.5	14.2	n/a
1997	661	43.5	15.2	n/a
1998	709	46.5	15.2	n/a
1999	750	56.0	13.4	n/a
2000	767	57.0	13.5	17.7
2001	817	58.0	14.1	8.7
2002	850	60.0	14.2	8
2003	850	60.0	14.2	8
2004	872	63.2	13.8	8.5
2005	924	65.3	14.2	7.4
2006	943	63.3	14.9	8.7
2007	935	62.0	15.1	8.9
2008	975	56.0	17.4	8.5
2009	934	63.0	14.8	7.3
2010	965	64.0	15.0	7.4
2011	1003	64.1	15.6	7.8
2012	970	63.1	15.3	8
2013	1037	60.9	17.0	6.6
2014	1031	65.3	15.7	8.4
2015	1049	67.0	15.6	11
2016	1031	68.0	15.1	3.2
2017	1059	67.4	15.6	n/a
2018	1087	68.8	15.7	n/a
2019	1030	67.8	15.1	3.1
2020	1038	67.6	15.3	n/a
2021	1033	63.8	16.1	4
2022	1051	63.5	16.5	2.9
2023	1054	69.5	15.1	11.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mars Area Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$12,947 (100.0%)	$12,947
2020	$116 (0.8%)	$14,259 (99.2%)	$14,375
2021	$192 (1.5%)	$12,814 (98.5%)	$13,006
2022	$236 (1.7%)	$13,683 (98.3%)	$13,920

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mars Area Senior High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 50^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 109^th of 674 High schools	9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Mars Area Senior High School)	81.1	15.6	65.5%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Mars Area Senior High School)	87.6	75.8	11.8%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Mars Area Senior High School)	91.9	84.3	7.6%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1030	1054	2.3%
African American	11	10	9.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	18	22	22.2%
Hispanic	9	20	122.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	990	997	0.7%
Two or More Races	2	4	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	3.1%	11.8%	8.7%

Schools Near Mars Area Senior High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mars Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	520 Route 228	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-1581	1,054	70	15.1	11.8%	997 (94.6%)	10 (0.9%)	20 (1.9%)	22 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	80.6	109^th of 674 public high schools	83.8%					(n/a)	15.6	75.8	84.3	$13,920	$236	$13,683
Pine-Richland High School	Public	9-12	700 Warrendale Rd	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-4444	1,413	105	13.4	6.9%	1,237 (87.5%)	20 (1.4%)	40 (2.8%)	75 (5.3%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (2.5%)	96	9^th of 674 public high schools	98.7%		86.2	54^th of 634 public high schools	91.5%	45	74.9	82.8	94.2	$18,809	$560	$18,250
North Allegheny High School	Public	9-12	10375 Perry Hwy	Wexford	15090	Allegheny County	North Allegheny School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 934-7200	2,666	199	13.4	8.4%	1,966 (73.7%)	53 (2.0%)	76 (2.9%)	506 (19.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	63 (2.4%)	94.1	19^th of 674 public high schools	97.2%		89.9	25^th of 634 public high schools	96.1%	6	64.4	78.1	92.9	$18,508	$277	$18,230
Hampton High School	Public	9-12	2929 McCully Rd	Allison Park	15101	Allegheny County	Hampton Township School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 492-6376	900	61	14.6	12.9%	819 (91.0%)	8 (0.9%)	14 (1.6%)	27 (3.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.3%)	89.3	43^rd of 674 public high schools	93.6%		83.5	78^th of 634 public high schools	87.7%	35	40.7	79.4	89.0	$22	$00	$22
A W Beattie Career Center	Public	9-12	9600 Babcock Boulevard	Allison Park	15101	Allegheny County	A W Beattie Career Center	No	No	No	No	(412) 847-1900	6	33	.1		5 (83.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (16.7%)								(n/a)
Deer Lakes High School	Public	9-12	163 East Union Rd	Cheswick	15024	Allegheny County	Deer Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 265-5320	583	39	15.0	27.8%	557 (95.5%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)	56.3	328^th of 674 public high schools	51.3%		78.2	126^th of 634 public high schools	80.1%	202	35.8	40.6	72.3	$12,375	$1,080	$11,294
Knoch High School	Public	9-12	345 Knoch Rd	Saxonburg	16056	Butler County	Knoch School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 352-1700	698	48	14.6	23.6%	679 (97.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.4%)	53.1	354^th of 674 public high schools	47.5%		65.4	245^th of 634 public high schools	61.4%	109	32.7	55.4	56.6	$17,394	$903	$16,491
Seneca Valley High School	Public	9-12	128 Seneca School Rd	Harmony	16037	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 452-6041	2,307	169	13.6	18.5%	2,051 (88.9%)	45 (2.0%)	73 (3.2%)	67 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (3.1%)	75.3	149^th of 674 public high schools	77.9%		74.8	167^th of 634 public high schools	73.7%	18	44.7	63.3	72.8	$19,000	$617	$18,383
North Hills High School	Public	9-12	53 Rochester Rd	Pittsburgh	15229	Allegheny County	North Hills School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 318-1402	1,383	102	13.5	24.0%	1,157 (83.7%)	66 (4.8%)	43 (3.1%)	38 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	79 (5.7%)	68	226^th of 674 public high schools	66.5%		79	118^th of 634 public high schools	81.4%	108	39.0	49.3	79.7	$17,855	$254	$17,602
Avonworth High School	Public	9-12	304 Josephs Lane	Pittsburgh	15237	Allegheny County	Avonworth School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 366-6360	564	50	11.2	11.3%	494 (87.6%)	11 (2.0%)	32 (5.7%)	15 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.0%)	73.9	164^th of 674 public high schools	75.7%		59.7	296^th of 634 public high schools	53.3%	132	35.3	53.2	86.2	$16,638	$147	$16,491

Frequently Asked Questions about Mars Area Senior High School

Is Mars Area Senior High School a good school?

Mars Area Senior High School ranks 109^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Mars Area Senior High School?

Students at Mars Area Senior High School are 95% White, 2% Asian, 2% Hispanic.

What district is Mars Area Senior High School in?

Mars Area School District

How many students attend Mars Area Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,054 students attended Mars Area Senior High School.

What schools feed into Mars Area Senior High School?

Mars Area Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Mars Area Elementary School
Elementary : Mars Area Primary Center
Middle : Mars Area Centennial School
Middle : Mars Area Middle School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.