Upper Merion Area High School

Summary:

Upper Merion Area High School is a public high school located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, serving 1,345 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Upper Merion Area School District. The school has experienced fluctuations in its statewide ranking and rating, currently holding a 2-star rating and ranking 409th out of 686 Pennsylvania high schools for the 2023-2024 school year.

The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with lower rankings for Asian (93rd out of 121 Pennsylvania high schools), African American (127th out of 284), Low Socioeconomic Status (402nd out of 595), and Disabled (249th out of 595) students. While the school's graduation rate ranges from 87.0% to 92.0% and its dropout rate is between 0.3% and 1.6%, its academic performance on Keystone Exams has been mixed, with some notable declines in recent years, particularly in Literature. Compared to nearby high-performing schools, such as Methacton High School, Plymouth-Whitemarsh Senior High School, Conestoga Senior High School, and Harriton Senior High School, Upper Merion Area High School's performance is generally lower, which may be influenced by its relatively higher percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients and lower per-student spending.

However, the school does outperform the nearby Norristown Area High School and its Roosevelt Campus, which are among the lowest-ranked high schools in Pennsylvania. Overall, Upper Merion Area High School's performance has been mixed, with room for improvement, particularly in addressing the needs of its diverse student population and closing achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 465 Crossfield Rd
       King of Prussia, PA  19406-2363


(610) 205-3802

District: Upper Merion Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
409th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $23,143 Help


Feeder schools for Upper Merion Area High School:

Elementary:    Bridgeport Elementary School
    Caley Elementary School
    Candlebrook Elementary School
    Roberts Elementary School
Middle:    Upper Merion Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.9 Help
Number of students:  1,386

Racial breakdown:

White:
44.7%
Hispanic:
17.7%
African American:
16.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Upper Merion Area High School ranks worse than 59.6% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.46. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Upper Merion Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Upper Merion Area High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (44.7%), Hispanic (17.7%), African American (16.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 49.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Upper Merion Area High School is 14.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Upper Merion Area High School employs 93 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Upper Merion Area High School is $23,143.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Upper Merion Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper Merion Area High School 409th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Upper Merion Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Upper Merion Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper Merion Area School District 275th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Upper Merion Area High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 57.26 286th 583 50.9%
2004 50.25 342nd 590 42.0%
2005 74.10 134th 593 77.4%
2006 78.30 96th 604 84.1%
2007 71.77 159th 615 74.1%
2008 81.79 66th 621 89.4%
2009 75.96 125th 632 80.2%
2010 75.12 131st 649 79.8%
2011 73.18 169th 660 74.4%
2012 67.54 240th 664 63.9%
2013 82.18 72nd 591 87.8%
2014 85.50 48th 580 91.7%
2015 87.05 40th 680 94.1%
2016 79.13 116th 677 82.9%
2017 76.56 151st 663 77.2%
2018 77.85 139th 673 79.3%
2019 79.65 124th 693 82.1%
2021 79.28 91st 537 83.1%
2022 84.65 66th 634 89.6%
2023 68.37 222nd 674 67.1%
2024 47.46 409th 686 40.4%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.98 115th 150 23.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 48.56 362nd 652 44.5%
2024 41.66 402nd 664 39.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 47.62 396th 665 40.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.12 322nd 502 35.9%
2024 42.83 249th 513 51.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 46.33 389th 662 41.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.31 37th 112 67.0%
2024 32.95 93rd 121 23.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.61 116th 260 55.4%
2024 52.03 127th 284 55.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 36.24 167th 274 39.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Upper Merion Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.70 75th 577 87.0%
2024 50.73 302nd 595 49.2%
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.

Upper Merion Area High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Upper Merion Area High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1008 38 37 14 0 n/a n/a 0 1097
1989 844 41 58 11 0 n/a n/a 0 954
1990 836 53 66 7 0 n/a n/a 0 962
1991 848 46 73 14 0 n/a n/a 0 981
1992 859 59 67 19 0 n/a n/a 0 1004
1993 785 54 64 20 0 n/a n/a 0 923
1994 872 60 56 15 0 n/a n/a 0 1003
1995 856 82 54 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1001
1996 856 82 54 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1001
1997 851 76 65 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1004
1998 839 68 74 14 1 n/a n/a 0 996
1999 834 76 84 17 0 n/a n/a 0 1011
2000 820 68 86 17 0 n/a n/a 0 991
2001 867 73 93 13 0 n/a n/a 0 1046
2002 895 79 97 18 1 n/a n/a 0 1090
2003 895 79 97 18 1 n/a n/a 0 1090
2004 934 83 107 28 1 n/a n/a 0 1153
2005 881 91 102 31 0 n/a n/a 0 1105
2006 878 94 128 29 0 n/a n/a 0 1129
2007 873 101 121 43 1 n/a n/a 0 1139
2008 844 99 128 48 1 n/a n/a 0 1120
2009 842 92 134 50 1 n/a n/a 2 1121
2010 805 106 112 62 1 n/a n/a 11 1097
2011 745 118 117 90 3 3 49 0 1125
2012 772 129 121 81 4 6 29 0 1142
2013 728 139 142 82 9 7 22 0 1129
2014 727 129 155 78 13 6 15 0 1123
2015 725 130 156 73 11 20 22 0 1137
2016 700 144 155 88 9 18 28 0 1142
2017 708 144 146 106 7 17 44 0 1172
2018 666 140 144 122 4 15 56 0 1147
2019 669 155 135 136 4 0 65 0 1164
2020 670 145 158 150 5 0 70 0 1198
2021 668 170 175 154 5 0 66 0 1238
2022 656 181 178 191 4 0 81 0 1291
2023 659 188 195 220 3 1 79 0 1345
2024 620 228 187 246 1 1 103 0 1386

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 Upper Merion Area High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1097 94.0 11.6 n/a
1989 954 84.5 11.2 n/a
1990 962 85.5 11.2 0
1991 981 84.0 11.6 n/a
1992 1004 91.2 11.0 n/a
1993 923 72.3 12.8 n/a
1994 1003 74.0 13.6 n/a
1995 1001 73.6 13.6 n/a
1996 1001 73.6 13.6 n/a
1997 1004 71.6 14.0 n/a
1998 996 71.0 14.0 n/a
1999 1011 71.6 14.1 n/a
2000 991 72.8 13.6 7.9
2001 1046 72.8 14.4 10
2002 1090 75.7 14.4 8.5
2003 1090 75.7 14.4 8.5
2004 1153 77.9 14.8 7.1
2005 1105 80.1 13.8 8.4
2006 1129 81.6 13.8 10
2007 1139 76.8 14.8 12.2
2008 1120 80.2 14.0 12.3
2009 1121 83.0 13.5 13.6
2010 1097 83.0 13.2 16.9
2011 1125 82.0 13.7 16.7
2012 1142 80.5 14.1 21.5
2013 1129 81.6 13.8 26.9
2014 1123 79.8 14.0 27.5
2015 1137 82.0 13.8 31.6
2016 1142 83.0 13.7 33.8
2017 1172 86.4 13.5 31.7
2018 1147 85.8 13.3 32
2019 1164 90.3 12.8 33.6
2020 1198 89.5 13.3 32.1
2021 1238 89.5 13.8 34
2022 1291 90.5 14.2 31.5
2023 1345 93.8 14.3 37.8
2024 1386 93.0 14.9 49.1

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 Upper Merion Area High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1097 94.0 11.6 n/a
1989 954 84.5 11.2 n/a
1990 962 85.5 11.2 0
1991 981 84.0 11.6 n/a
1992 1004 91.2 11.0 n/a
1993 923 72.3 12.8 n/a
1994 1003 74.0 13.6 n/a
1995 1001 73.6 13.6 n/a
1996 1001 73.6 13.6 n/a
1997 1004 71.6 14.0 n/a
1998 996 71.0 14.0 n/a
1999 1011 71.6 14.1 n/a
2000 991 72.8 13.6 7.9
2001 1046 72.8 14.4 10
2002 1090 75.7 14.4 8.5
2003 1090 75.7 14.4 8.5
2004 1153 77.9 14.8 7.1
2005 1105 80.1 13.8 8.4
2006 1129 81.6 13.8 10
2007 1139 76.8 14.8 12.2
2008 1120 80.2 14.0 12.3
2009 1121 83.0 13.5 13.6
2010 1097 83.0 13.2 16.9
2011 1125 82.0 13.7 16.7
2012 1142 80.5 14.1 21.5
2013 1129 81.6 13.8 26.9
2014 1123 79.8 14.0 27.5
2015 1137 82.0 13.8 31.6
2016 1142 83.0 13.7 33.8
2017 1172 86.4 13.5 31.7
2018 1147 85.8 13.3 32
2019 1164 90.3 12.8 33.6
2020 1198 89.5 13.3 32.1
2021 1238 89.5 13.8 34
2022 1291 90.5 14.2 31.5
2023 1345 93.8 14.3 37.8
2024 1386 93.0 14.9 49.1

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 Upper Merion Area High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $102 (0.4%) $23,194 (99.6%) $23,296
2020 $89 (0.4%) $22,488 (99.6%) $22,577
2021 $453 (2.0%) $21,970 (98.0%) $22,423
2022 $277 (1.2%) $22,866 (98.8%) $23,142

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Upper Merion Area 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 124th of 693 High schoolsRanks 222nd of 674 High schools
 15%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Upper Merion Area High School)80.138.9
 41.2%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Upper Merion Area High School)83.973.1
 10.8%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Upper Merion Area High School)79.217.1
 62.1%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11641345
 15.5%
African American155188
 21.3%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian135195
 44.4%
Hispanic136220
 61.8%
Pacific Islander01
White669659
 1.5%
Two or More Races6579
 21.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33.6%37.8%
 4.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Upper Merion Area High School

Students at Upper Merion Area High School are 45% White, 18% Hispanic, 16% African American, 13% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,386 students attended Upper Merion Area High School.

Upper Merion Area High School ranks 409th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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.





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