Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 156 schools in district

Milwaukee High School of the Arts

2300 W Highland Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233Milwaukee School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
989
Students
Total enrolled
87%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$20,171
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 41% vs nat'l
15.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
37/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 26% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 989 students in grades 09–12 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
41% above average funding
District spends $20,171 per pupil, 41% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 37th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Milwaukee High School of the Arts is a large high in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving grades 09–12 with 989 students. The district invests $20,171 per student — 41% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 74% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 37/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Milwaukee High School of the Arts

989
Total Students
15.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
74%
Free Lunch
65
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 Distribution343 male · 645 female
35%
65%
Male 35%Female 65%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility74%
National avg 52% · 731 students
Student Composition
12%
11%
22%
51%
Asian12%
White11%
Hispanic / Latino22%
Black51%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 550960002339

Academic Outcomes at Milwaukee High School of the Arts

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
85-89
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
87%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
37
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 37th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 16th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 53233

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,171Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,171
State avg
$18,944
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,875
Student Support$3,833
Administration$2,421
Operations$3,026
Other$2,017
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,171 spent per student, an estimated $8,936 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
27%
State government
57.7%
Local (property tax)
27.3%
Federal programs
15.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 87% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $20,171/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (37/100) — national median is 50
  • 74% 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
Milwaukee Parkside SchoolFernwood MontessoriCongress ElementaryMilwaukee Spanish Immersion
+7 more
↓
Middle
Wedgewood Park School
↓
High School
Hamilton HighReagan College Preparatory HighKing InternationalRiverside High
+10 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMilwaukee County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMilwaukee School District →
Phone: (414)934-7000
NCES ID: 550960002339
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee School District
Other
HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
1,828 students · PK–12
● 41 opp83% FRL
High
Hamilton High
1,439 students · 09–12
● 51 opp82% FRL
Other
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
1,402 students · PK–12
● 47 opp88% FRL
High
Reagan College Preparatory High
1,343 students · 09–12
● 41 opp52% FRL
High
King International
1,283 students · 09–12
● 47 opp65% FRL
High
Riverside High
1,229 students · 09–12
● 45 opp78% FRL
Other
Golda Meir School
1,174 students · 03–12
● 31 opp48% FRL
High
Milwaukee School of Languages
985 students · 06–12
● 52 opp58% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2300 W Highland Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233
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.