Mercer Area Senior High School

Summary:

Mercer Area Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Mercer, Pennsylvania, with a student population of 334 as of the 2022-2023 school year. This school consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state, boasting exceptional academic performance and graduation rates.

Mercer Area Senior High School's students excel on state assessments, with 69.2% proficient or better in Algebra I, 77.3% in Biology, and 80.9% in Literature - significantly higher than state averages. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 89.4% to 95.8%, and its dropout rate is consistently low, between 0.6% and 1.9%. Despite having a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (over 87%), Mercer Area Senior High School's students in this subgroup perform exceptionally well, ranking 22nd out of 652 high schools in Pennsylvania. In comparison, nearby schools like Hickory High School and Grove City Area High School also demonstrate strong academic performance, but Mercer Area Senior High School stands out as a top-performing school in the region.

However, Mercer Area Senior High School's student population is predominantly white, with over 92% of students identifying as such. This lack of racial diversity may be an area for the school to consider addressing, as exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences can be beneficial for student development and preparation for the real world. Nearby schools like Grove City Area High School and Hickory High School have more racially diverse student populations, which may provide students with a broader range of perspectives and experiences.

Detail:

Public 9-12

545 W Butler St
Mercer, PA 16137-1061

(724) 662-5104

District: Mercer Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
38^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,318

Feeder schools for Mercer Area Senior High School:

Elementary:

Mercer Area Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 334

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.3%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Hispanic:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.7%

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Compare Mercer Area Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mercer Area Senior High School ranks better than 94.4% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.34. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Mercer 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 (94.3%), two or more races (3.9%), Hispanic (1.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mercer Area Senior High School is 16. (See more...)

Compare Mercer Area Senior High School employs 20.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mercer Area Senior High School is $14,318.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Mercer Area Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer Area Senior High School 38^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Mercer Area Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Mercer Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mercer Area School District 124^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mercer Area Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Mercer Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	56.87	288^th	583	50.6%
2004	70.66	175^th	590	70.3%
2005	72.06	156^th	593	73.7%
2006	58.59	300^th	604	50.3%
2007	58.00	315^th	615	48.8%
2008	67.61	200^th	621	67.8%
2009	71.61	173^rd	632	72.6%
2010	67.16	219^th	649	66.3%
2011	68.60	228^th	660	65.5%
2012	75.73	129^th	664	80.6%
2013	73.01	134^th	591	77.3%
2014	68.34	176^th	580	69.7%
2015	76.49	141^st	680	79.3%
2016	73.01	195^th	677	71.2%
2017	83.01	77^th	663	88.4%
2018	63.07	330^th	673	51.0%
2019	69.54	249^th	693	64.1%
2021	38.08	392^nd	537	27.0%
2022	85.33	61^st	634	90.4%
2023	90.34	38^th	674	94.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	93.31	22^nd	652	96.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Mercer Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	88.29	40^th	577	93.1%

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 Mercer Area Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	795	6	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	805
1989	788	4	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	795
1990	745	6	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	756
1991	725	4	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	734
1992	720	6	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	731
1993	731	9	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	745
1994	743	10	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	757
1995	765	6	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	776
1996	765	6	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	776
1997	759	7	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	773
1998	756	8	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	768
1999	762	7	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	778
2000	739	9	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	757
2001	726	5	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	738
2002	746	8	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	758
2003	746	8	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	758
2004	705	10	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	726
2005	462	4	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	470
2006	447	8	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	463
2007	442	9	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	457
2008	417	8	8	5	0	n/a	n/a	438
2009	444	9	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	470
2010	442	9	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	463
2011	429	14	8	6	0	0	1	458
2012	443	16	7	6	0	0	0	472
2013	427	8	3	2	0	0	5	445
2014	399	7	3	1	0	0	4	414
2015	400	3	2	1	0	0	4	410
2016	360	2	3	3	0	0	6	374
2017	365	2	2	4	1	0	8	382
2018	339	0	7	5	1	0	8	360
2019	297	0	2	5	1	0	7	312
2020	300	0	5	4	0	0	11	320
2021	296	0	1	7	0	0	10	314
2022	301	1	2	4	0	0	18	326
2023	315	1	1	4	0	0	13	334

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 Mercer Area Senior High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	805	51.0	15.7	n/a
1989	795	51.0	15.5	n/a
1990	756	49.0	15.4	0
1991	734	51.0	14.3	n/a
1992	731	50.0	14.6	n/a
1993	745	41.8	17.8	n/a
1994	757	43.2	17.5	n/a
1995	776	44.0	17.6	n/a
1996	776	44.0	17.6	n/a
1997	773	44.9	17.2	n/a
1998	768	46.4	16.6	n/a
1999	778	47.6	16.3	n/a
2000	757	47.9	15.8	21.9
2001	738	47.9	15.4	18.4
2002	758	44.5	17.0	21.2
2003	758	44.5	17.0	21.2
2004	726	44.8	16.2	20.9
2005	470	24.4	19.3	34.3
2006	463	29.1	15.9	33.5
2007	457	25.2	18.1	35.7
2008	438	25.6	17.1	38.8
2009	470	24.1	19.5	37.7
2010	463	25.8	17.8	30.7
2011	458	25.5	17.9	29
2012	472	24.8	19.0	28
2013	445	23.5	18.9	27.2
2014	414	22.8	18.1	26.6
2015	410	23.0	17.8	29.8
2016	374	21.0	17.8	33.4
2017	382	21.6	17.6	30.4
2018	360	21.9	16.4	30
2019	312	21.0	14.8	36.9
2020	320	20.1	15.8	36.9
2021	314	19.0	16.5	36.9
2022	326	19.1	16.9	41.1
2023	334	20.8	16.0	87.7

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 Mercer Area Senior High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	805	51.0	15.7	n/a
1989	795	51.0	15.5	n/a
1990	756	49.0	15.4	0
1991	734	51.0	14.3	n/a
1992	731	50.0	14.6	n/a
1993	745	41.8	17.8	n/a
1994	757	43.2	17.5	n/a
1995	776	44.0	17.6	n/a
1996	776	44.0	17.6	n/a
1997	773	44.9	17.2	n/a
1998	768	46.4	16.6	n/a
1999	778	47.6	16.3	n/a
2000	757	47.9	15.8	21.9
2001	738	47.9	15.4	18.4
2002	758	44.5	17.0	21.2
2003	758	44.5	17.0	21.2
2004	726	44.8	16.2	20.9
2005	470	24.4	19.3	34.3
2006	463	29.1	15.9	33.5
2007	457	25.2	18.1	35.7
2008	438	25.6	17.1	38.8
2009	470	24.1	19.5	37.7
2010	463	25.8	17.8	30.7
2011	458	25.5	17.9	29
2012	472	24.8	19.0	28
2013	445	23.5	18.9	27.2
2014	414	22.8	18.1	26.6
2015	410	23.0	17.8	29.8
2016	374	21.0	17.8	33.4
2017	382	21.6	17.6	30.4
2018	360	21.9	16.4	30
2019	312	21.0	14.8	36.9
2020	320	20.1	15.8	36.9
2021	314	19.0	16.5	36.9
2022	326	19.1	16.9	41.1
2023	334	20.8	16.0	87.7

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 Mercer 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%)	$14,910 (100.0%)	$14,910
2020	$00 (0.0%)	$14,748 (100.0%)	$14,748
2021	$904 (3.9%)	$22,150 (96.1%)	$23,054
2022	$1,106 (7.7%)	$13,212 (92.3%)	$14,318

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mercer 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 249^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 38^th of 674 High schools	30.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Mercer Area Senior High School)	71.9	69.2	2.7%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Mercer Area Senior High School)	69.1	77.3	8.2%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Mercer Area Senior High School)	78.6	80.9	2.3%
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	312	334	7.1%
African American	0	1
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	5	4	20%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	297	315	6.1%
Two or More Races	7	13	85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.9%	87.7%	50.9%

Schools Near Mercer 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)	PSSA Math (2023)				PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (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	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mercer Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	545 W Butler St	Mercer	16137	Mercer County	Mercer Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 662-5104	334	21	16.0	87.7%	315 (94.3%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	90.3	38^th of 674 public high schools	94.4%		85.3	61^st of 634 public high schools	90.4%	23	69.2	77.3	80.9											$14,318	$1,106	$13,212
Mercer County Career Center	Public	9-12	776 Greenville Road	Mercer	16137	Mercer County	Mercer County Career Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 662-3000	7	20	.3		7 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Wilmington Area High School	Public	9-12	350 Wood St	New Wilmington	16142	Lawrence County	Wilmington Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 656-8866	310	29	10.7	99.0%	293 (94.5%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	65.3	254^th of 674 public high schools	62.3%		59.8	294^th of 634 public high schools	53.6%	40	29.6	67.2	66.2											$16,173	$1,586	$14,588
Grove City Area High School	Public	9-12	511 Highland Ave	Grove City	16127	Mercer County	Grove City Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 458-5456	599	41	14.7	32.6%	550 (91.8%)	11 (1.8%)	8 (1.3%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.5%)	55	339^th of 674 public high schools	49.7%		52	377^th of 634 public high schools	40.5%	38	14.3	56.9	66.4											$16,536	$2,062	$14,473
Hickory High School	Public	8-12	640 N. Hermitage Road	Hermitage	16148	Mercer County	Hermitage School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 981-8750	811	60	13.4	40.4%	678 (83.6%)	66 (8.1%)	2 (0.2%)	16 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	45 (5.5%)	78.7	121^st of 674 public high schools	82.0%		61.1	281^st of 634 public high schools	55.7%	160	44.8	71.1	72.7			43.0	43.0	70.0	70.0			67.5	67.5	$15,586	$310	$15,276
West Middlesex Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	3591 Sharon Rd	West Middlesex	16159	Mercer County	West Middlesex Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 634-3030	346	31	11.2	41.0%	327 (94.5%)	3 (0.9%)	10 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	37.3	469^th of 674 public high schools	30.4%		60.2	290^th of 634 public high schools	54.3%	179	13.5	51.6	49.3		40.8	9.1	24.0	60.0	60.0		65.3	38.2	50.9	$14,937	$163	$14,774
Reynolds Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	531 Reynolds Rd	Greenville	16125	Mercer County	Reynolds School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 646-5701	433	37	11.7	37.4%	397 (91.7%)	2 (0.5%)	15 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.2%)	53.4	352^nd of 674 public high schools	47.8%		82.5	88^th of 634 public high schools	86.1%	264	9.5	52.1	68.9		37.7	27.8	33.4	70.5	70.5		59.8	59.1	59.4	$18,499	$404	$18,095
Lakeview Middle-High School	Public	6-12	2482 Mercer St	Stoneboro	16153	Mercer County	Lakeview School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 376-7911	467	66	7.0	45.4%	455 (97.4%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	58.1	311^th of 674 public high schools	53.9%		73.8	182^nd of 634 public high schools	71.3%	129	21.0	59.7	66.7	45.6	39.3	15.9	33.0	69.2	69.2	63.2	73.2	66.1	67.4	$19,536	$883	$18,653
Sharpsville Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	301 Blue Devil Way	Sharpsville	16150	Mercer County	Sharpsville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 962-7861	357	40	8.9	34.7%	324 (90.8%)	10 (2.8%)	8 (2.2%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)	73.8	167^th of 674 public high schools	75.2%		76.4	150^th of 634 public high schools	76.3%	17	40.3	61.3	76.0											$15,660	$1,098	$14,562
Neshannock Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	3834 Mitchell Rd	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	Neshannock Township School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-5513	537	33	16.1	25.7%	504 (93.9%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.7%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	95.6	11^th of 674 public high schools	98.4%		80	110^th of 634 public high schools	82.6%	99	79.6	84.0	89.3		54.3	39.4	48.1	89.4	89.4		64.1	77.3	69.6	$20,679	$579	$20,100

Frequently Asked Questions about Mercer Area Senior High School

What district is Mercer Area Senior High School in?

Mercer Area School District

How many students attend Mercer Area Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 334 students attended Mercer Area Senior High School.

Is Mercer Area Senior High School a good school?

Yes. Mercer Area Senior High School ranks in the top 5.6% of Pennsylvania high schools.

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

Students at Mercer Area Senior High School are 94% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Mercer Area Senior High School?

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

Elementary : Mercer Area Elementary 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.