Is South Fayette High School a good school?

Yes! South Fayette High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 14 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools.

How many students attend South Fayette High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,074 students attended South Fayette High School.

What is the racial makeup of South Fayette High School?

Students at South Fayette High School are 72% White, 19% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic.

What schools feed into South Fayette High School?

South Fayette High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : South Fayette Elementary School Elementary : South Fayette Intermediate School Middle : South Fayette Middle School

South Fayette High School

Summary:

South Fayette Township High School is a public high school serving 1,074 students in grades 9-12 in McDonald, Pennsylvania, part of the highly-ranked Upper St. Clair School District.

This exceptional high school consistently ranks among the top schools in Pennsylvania, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Students at South Fayette Township High School significantly outperform state averages on Keystone Exams, with 91.6% proficient or better in Literature, 81.5% in Biology, and 73.8% in Algebra I. The school maintains an exceptionally high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 97.1% to 98.8% over the past five years, and a remarkably low dropout rate of 0.0% to 0.2%. Compared to nearby high schools like Montour High School, Bethel Park High School, and Keystone Oaks High School, South Fayette Township High School stands out as a leader in academic performance and student success.

Beyond its strong academic record, South Fayette Township High School is also recognized for its diverse student population, with a significant Asian student representation of 18.9% in 2022-2023, ranking 10th out of 112 Pennsylvania high schools for its Asian student population. The school also ranks 8th out of 652 Pennsylvania high schools for its low socioeconomic status (SES) student population, and 15th out of 502 for its performance with disabled students, demonstrating a commitment to equity and inclusion. These factors, combined with the school's consistent top rankings and exceptional graduation and retention rates, make South Fayette Township High School an exceptional choice for families seeking a high-quality education for their children.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3640 Old Oakdale Rd
Mc Donald, PA 15057-2580

(412) 221-4542

District: South Fayette Township School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
14^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,422

Feeder schools for South Fayette High School:

Elementary:	South Fayette Elementary School
	South Fayette Intermediate School
Middle:	South Fayette Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 1,074

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.4%

Asian:

18.9%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 10%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare South Fayette High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Fayette High School ranks better than 97.9% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.77. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of South Fayette 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 (72.4%), Asian (18.9%), two or more races (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 10% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Fayette High School is 15.4. (See more...)

Compare South Fayette High School employs 69.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Fayette High School is $16,422.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

South Fayette High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Fayette High School 14^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See South Fayette High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

Asian students:

White students:

South Fayette Township School District:

SchoolDigger ranks South Fayette Township School District 4^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for South Fayette High School.

What do you think?

Your rating for South Fayette High School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for South Fayette High School

Compare

Rank History for all students at South Fayette High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	89.86	30^th	583	94.9%
2004	94.90	7^th	590	98.8%
2005	88.70	22^nd	593	96.3%
2006	83.85	47^th	604	92.2%
2007	84.04	51^st	615	91.7%
2008	88.82	24^th	621	96.1%
2009	90.24	20^th	632	96.8%
2010	90.15	18^th	649	97.2%
2011	90.63	15^th	660	97.7%
2012	85.86	37^th	664	94.4%
2013	90.94	16^th	591	97.3%
2014	90.51	19^th	580	96.7%
2015	89.34	21^st	680	96.9%
2016	82.87	69^th	677	89.8%
2017	87.04	31^st	663	95.3%
2018	86.60	38^th	673	94.4%
2019	90.25	19^th	693	97.3%
2021	84.64	51^st	537	90.5%
2022	90.30	19^th	634	97.0%
2023	94.77	14^th	674	97.9%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Fayette High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	96.87	8^th	652	98.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at South Fayette High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	97.39	15^th	502	97.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at South Fayette High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	86.16	10^th	112	91.1%

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

Rank History for White students at South Fayette High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	92.24	25^th	577	95.7%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for South Fayette High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	447	19	36	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	502
1989	454	39	12	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
1990	436	43	10	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
1991	455	45	12	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	514
1992	473	36	10	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	520
1993	507	36	12	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	557
1994	551	45	15	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
1995	595	44	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	656
1996	595	44	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	656
1997	595	44	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	656
1998	415	26	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1999	404	24	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	439
2000	434	25	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
2001	456	21	10	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
2002	491	18	7	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
2003	491	18	7	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
2004	507	22	11	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	544
2005	512	20	13	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	548
2006	552	19	13	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	586
2007	581	23	13	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	622
2008	561	23	10	5	3	n/a	n/a	2	604
2009	604	21	15	6	3	n/a	n/a	1	650
2010	610	17	19	4	2	n/a	n/a	4	656
2011	643	23	28	4	1	0	8	0	707
2012	609	22	28	8	1	0	7	0	675
2013	642	26	40	5	2	1	11	0	727
2014	663	25	44	8	2	1	12	0	755
2015	659	25	51	10	2	1	15	0	763
2016	698	28	59	9	3	1	14	0	812
2017	685	27	76	12	3	0	16	0	819
2018	733	29	97	14	2	0	20	0	895
2019	774	30	122	15	3	0	23	0	967
2020	785	25	153	18	2	0	28	0	1011
2021	835	17	169	19	4	0	32	0	1076
2022	825	13	191	21	4	1	39	0	1094
2023	778	18	203	18	4	1	52	0	1074

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 South Fayette High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	502	37.0	13.5	n/a
1989	506	39.0	12.9	n/a
1990	491	38.0	12.9	0
1991	514	38.0	13.5	n/a
1992	520	40.5	12.8	n/a
1993	557	36.1	15.4	n/a
1994	612	40.8	15.0	n/a
1995	656	47.8	13.7	n/a
1996	656	47.8	13.7	n/a
1997	656	46.8	14.0	n/a
1998	458	36.4	12.6	n/a
1999	439	38.0	11.6	n/a
2000	472	41.0	11.5	13.8
2001	491	42.0	11.7	11.4
2002	522	40.0	13.1	8.8
2003	522	40.0	13.1	8.8
2004	544	43.0	12.7	8.3
2005	548	43.1	12.7	8.4
2006	586	41.6	14.1	4.8
2007	622	45.0	13.8	6.9
2008	604	27.6	21.9	11
2009	650	27.2	23.8	10.5
2010	656	30.1	21.7	12.9
2011	707	30.8	22.9	10.5
2012	675	31.7	21.2	13.6
2013	727	49.9	14.5	10.9
2014	755	48.9	15.4	11.1
2015	763	51.0	14.9	8.5
2016	812	52.0	15.6	13.4
2017	819	52.4	15.6	n/a
2018	895	58.9	15.1	n/a
2019	967	62.0	15.5	7.8
2020	1011	65.2	15.5	n/a
2021	1076	69.7	15.4	7.9
2022	1094	69.3	15.7	6.6
2023	1074	69.3	15.4	10

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 South Fayette High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	502	37.0	13.5	n/a
1989	506	39.0	12.9	n/a
1990	491	38.0	12.9	0
1991	514	38.0	13.5	n/a
1992	520	40.5	12.8	n/a
1993	557	36.1	15.4	n/a
1994	612	40.8	15.0	n/a
1995	656	47.8	13.7	n/a
1996	656	47.8	13.7	n/a
1997	656	46.8	14.0	n/a
1998	458	36.4	12.6	n/a
1999	439	38.0	11.6	n/a
2000	472	41.0	11.5	13.8
2001	491	42.0	11.7	11.4
2002	522	40.0	13.1	8.8
2003	522	40.0	13.1	8.8
2004	544	43.0	12.7	8.3
2005	548	43.1	12.7	8.4
2006	586	41.6	14.1	4.8
2007	622	45.0	13.8	6.9
2008	604	27.6	21.9	11
2009	650	27.2	23.8	10.5
2010	656	30.1	21.7	12.9
2011	707	30.8	22.9	10.5
2012	675	31.7	21.2	13.6
2013	727	49.9	14.5	10.9
2014	755	48.9	15.4	11.1
2015	763	51.0	14.9	8.5
2016	812	52.0	15.6	13.4
2017	819	52.4	15.6	n/a
2018	895	58.9	15.1	n/a
2019	967	62.0	15.5	7.8
2020	1011	65.2	15.5	n/a
2021	1076	69.7	15.4	7.9
2022	1094	69.3	15.7	6.6
2023	1074	69.3	15.4	10

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 South Fayette High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$75 (0.5%)	$15,410 (99.5%)	$15,485
2020	$55 (0.3%)	$16,496 (99.7%)	$16,551
2021	$193 (1.2%)	$15,848 (98.8%)	$16,041
2022	$201 (1.2%)	$16,220 (98.8%)	$16,422

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Fayette 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 19^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 14^th of 674 High schools	0.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (South Fayette High School)	88.7	73.8	14.9%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (South Fayette High School)	91.1	81.5	9.6%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (South Fayette High School)	93.5	91.6	1.9%
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	967	1074	11.1%
African American	30	18	40%
American Indian	3	4	33.3%
Asian	122	203	66.4%
Hispanic	15	18	20%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	774	778	0.5%
Two or More Races	23	52	126.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	7.8%	10%	2.2%

Schools Near South Fayette 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 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	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
South Fayette High School	Public	9-12	3640 Old Oakdale Rd	Mc Donald	15057	Washington County	South Fayette Township School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 221-4542	1,074	69	15.4	10.0%	778 (72.4%)	18 (1.7%)	18 (1.7%)	203 (18.9%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (4.8%)	94.8	14^th of 674 public high schools	97.9%		90.3	19^th of 634 public high schools	97.0%	5	73.8	81.5	91.6									$16,422	$201	$16,220
Chartiers Valley High School	Public	9-12	50 Thoms Run Rd	Bridgeville	15017	Allegheny County	Chartiers Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 429-2273	1,018	66	15.3	25.0%	843 (82.8%)	35 (3.4%)	29 (2.8%)	55 (5.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (5.4%)	40.8	453^rd of 674 public high schools	32.8%		62.2	271^st of 634 public high schools	57.3%	182	30.8	40.6	54.6									$21,108	$224	$20,884
Parkway West Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	7101 Steubenville Pike	Oakdale	15071	Allegheny County	Parkway West Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(412) 923-1772	7	31	.2		7 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Carlynton Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	435 Kings Hwy	Carnegie	15106	Allegheny County	Carlynton School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 429-2500	595	46	12.9	85.5%	412 (69.2%)	80 (13.4%)	17 (2.9%)	21 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (10.9%)	64.6	257^th of 674 public high schools	61.9%		64.3	252^nd of 634 public high schools	60.3%	5	22.4	60.3	75.0	27.1	11.2	19.1	53.0	53.0	57.5	52.1	54.8	$24,734	$588	$24,146
Upper Saint Clair High School	Public	9-12	1825 McLaughlin Run Rd	Pittsburgh	15241	Allegheny County	Upper St. Clair School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 833-1600	1,288	92	13.9	12.1%	1,030 (80.0%)	23 (1.8%)	34 (2.6%)	168 (13.0%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (2.3%)	92.2	25^th of 674 public high schools	96.3%		91.4	14^th of 634 public high schools	97.8%	11	49.3	75.9	93.5									$24,055	$592	$23,463
Mt Lebanon Senior High School	Public	9-12	155 Cochran Rd	Pittsburgh	15228	Allegheny County	Mt Lebanon School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 344-2003	1,840	126	14.5	15.1%	1,543 (83.9%)	34 (1.8%)	69 (3.8%)	112 (6.1%)	5 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (4.1%)	96	10^th of 674 public high schools	98.5%		94.1	6^th of 634 public high schools	99.1%	4	54.6	84.8	96.1									$18,502	$363	$18,139
Fort Cherry Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	110 Fort Cherry Road	Mc Donald	15057	Washington County	Fort Cherry School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 796-1551	450	37	12.0	38.0%	416 (92.4%)	8 (1.8%)	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	44.2	429^th of 674 public high schools	36.4%		58.7	309^th of 634 public high schools	51.3%	120	16.2	47.7	63.1	25.7	17.2	21.8	62.1	62.1	62.1	77.6	69.4	$20,396	$655	$19,740
West Allegheny Senior High School	Public	9-12	205 W Allegheny Rd	Imperial	15126	Allegheny County	West Allegheny School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 695-5245	997	61	16.4	23.2%	885 (88.8%)	34 (3.4%)	24 (2.4%)	19 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.5%)	87.3	60^th of 674 public high schools	91.1%		82.7	86^th of 634 public high schools	86.4%	26	56.0	73.1	80.0									$17,301	$929	$16,372
Montour High School	Public	9-12	223 Clever Rd	Mc Kees Rocks	15136	Allegheny County	Montour School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 490-6500	936	60	15.5	20.1%	808 (86.3%)	48 (5.1%)	28 (3.0%)	11 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (4.3%)	68.7	219^th of 674 public high schools	67.5%		74.1	175^th of 634 public high schools	72.4%	44	51.3	47.3	73.2									$22,696	$764	$21,932
Bethel Park High School	Public	9-12	309 Church Rd	Bethel Park	15102	Allegheny County	Bethel Park School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 854-8581	1,338	95	14.0	16.2%	1,211 (90.5%)	38 (2.8%)	12 (0.9%)	48 (3.6%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	25 (1.9%)	81.2	104^th of 674 public high schools	84.6%		89.5	27^th of 634 public high schools	95.7%	77	45.8	67.6	78.8									$12	$00	$12

South Fayette High School

South Fayette High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

South Fayette Township School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Fayette High School

Rank History for all students at South Fayette High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Fayette High School

Rank History for Disabled students at South Fayette High School

Rank History for Asian students at South Fayette High School

Rank History for White students at South Fayette High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Fayette High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Fayette High School

Student/Teacher Ratio South Fayette High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Fayette High School

Impact of COVID-19 on South Fayette High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Fayette High School

Frequently Asked Questions about South Fayette High School

Rate South Fayette High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!