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Ben Davis University High School

Q: Is Ben Davis University High School a good school?

Ben Davis University High School ranks 128 th of 429 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 10-12

128^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 429 Indiana High Schools

Better than 70% of Indiana high schools

Summary

Ben Davis University High School is a public high school serving grades 10-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana, part of the MSD Wayne Township school district. With 378 students, the school consistently ranks in the top half of Indiana high schools, with a ranking as high as 83 out of 431 in 2023-2024.

Ben Davis University High School's academic performance is significantly better than the district average, with 60.77% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-based Reading and Writing in 2024-2025, compared to 35.88% for the MSD Wayne Township district. The school's graduation rates have also been consistently high, ranging from 78.2% to 100% over the past few years. Despite having a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the school has performed exceptionally well, ranking 26th out of 377 Indiana high schools for low socioeconomic status students in 2024-2025.

Compared to nearby schools, Ben Davis High School has significantly lower academic performance, while Achieve Virtual Education Academy has mixed results. Schools outside the MSD Wayne Township district, such as George Washington High School and Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, have significantly lower academic performance compared to Ben Davis University High School. The school's consistent improvement and exceptional performance for underrepresented groups are notable strengths.

375

Students ?

22.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,391

Per pupil spending ?

73.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1155 S High School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46241

(317) 988-7800

District: MSD Wayne Township

Feeder schools for Ben Davis University High School:

Elementary:	Bridgeport Elementary School
	Chapel Glen Elementary School
	Chapelwood Elementary School
	Garden City Elementary School
	More...
	Maplewood Elementary School
	McClelland Elementary School
	North Wayne Elementary School
	Rhoades Elementary School
	Robey Elementary School
	Stout Field Elementary School
	Westlake Elementary School
Middle:	Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center
	Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

43.7%

African American:

33.3%

White:

20.5%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare Ben Davis University High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 30th percentile in 2016 → 70th in 2025

Strengths

✓99% graduate in 4 years — above the Indiana average (90%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 40 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Indiana median (70th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Large classes — about 22 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school40%

District avg23%

Indiana avg40%

128^th of 429

Indiana public high schools ?

Top 30%▲ up 40 pts since 2016

From bottom 30% (2016) to top 30% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3High Schools in the MSD Wayne Township

289^th of 380MSD Wayne Township among Indiana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	61.8	128 of 429	70.2%	★★★★☆
2024	69.1	83 of 432	80.8%	★★★★☆
2023	34.8	272 of 398	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	62.7	141 of 409	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	57.0	131 of 388	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.7	136 of 389	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.6	195 of 385	49.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	42.3	239 of 380	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	37.7	275 of 394	30.2%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	85.2	17 of 132	87.1%	★★★★☆
2024	90.5	10 of 132	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	71.7	28 of 125	77.6%	★★★★☆
2022	86.1	19 of 125	84.8%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	75.8	15 of 119	87.4%	★★★★☆
2023	80.6	5 of 74	93.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	49.2	196 of 387	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	65.3	99 of 392	74.7%	★★★★☆
2023	26.7	302 of 388	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	82.5	22 of 181	87.8%	★★★★☆
2024	91.3	11 of 184	94.0%	★★★★★
2023	47.3	78 of 166	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	89.5	17 of 164	89.6%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	81.6	26 of 377	93.1%	★★★★★
2024	92.8	9 of 377	97.6%	★★★★★
2023	49.6	176 of 379	53.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	70.9	74 of 386	80.8%	★★★★☆
2024	69.3	83 of 392	78.8%	★★★★☆
2023	43.2	210 of 383	45.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2023	45.8	133 of 285	53.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	55.6	134 of 377	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.5	148 of 381	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.1	156 of 375	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.9	132 of 378	65.1%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)93rd percentile+23 vs school

Hispanic (2025)88th percentile+18 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)87th percentile+17 vs school

African American (2025)87th percentile+17 vs school

Male (2025)81st percentile+11 vs school

White (2025)64th percentile-6 vs school

Special Education (2023)53rd percentile+22 vs school

Female (2025)49th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Indiana (2024-2025) ?

Evidence-based Reading and Writing61%+6 vs state

Mathematics18%-7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ben Davis University High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2025)	SAT Mathematics (2025)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2025)				ILEARN Math (2025)				ILEARN Science (2025)		ILEARN Biology (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 6th Grade	ILEARN Science All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ben Davis University High School	Public	10-12	1155 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46241	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7800	375	17	22.0	73.6%	77 (20.5%)	125 (33.3%)	164 (43.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.1%)	61.8	128^th of 429 public high schools	70.2%		69.1	83^rd of 432 public high schools	80.8%	45	60.8	18.5												$15,391	$1,516	$13,875
Achieve Virtual Education Academy	Public, Virtual	7-12	1250 N High School Rd	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	Yes	No	(317) 988-7144	668	27	24.5	42.8%	344 (51.5%)	136 (20.4%)	142 (21.3%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.0%)	26.9	316^th of 429 public high schools	26.3%		47.5	215^th of 432 public high schools	50.2%	101	41.2	8.8			50.0	50.0			0.0	13.6			26.1	$8,036	$4,207	$3,829
Ben Davis High School	Public	10-12	1200 N Girls Sch Rd	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7000	3,315	180	18.4	69.1%	606 (18.3%)	1,291 (38.9%)	1,225 (37.0%)	12 (0.4%)	1 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	178 (5.4%)	22	333^rd of 429 public high schools	22.4%		17.3	357^th of 432 public high schools	17.4%	24	32.0	9.9											10.5	$13,675	$1,059	$12,616
Area 31 Career & Technical Center	Public	6-12	1200 N High School Rd	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7230	0	10	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Speedway Senior High School	Public	9-12	5357 W 25th St	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	No	(317) 244-7238	602	37	16.4	56.0%	242 (40.2%)	140 (23.3%)	151 (25.1%)	31 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.3%)	84.1	32^nd of 429 public high schools	92.5%		84.5	37^th of 432 public high schools	91.4%	5	68.6	40.9											61.6	$12,926	$612	$12,314
George Washington High School	Public	9-12	2215 W Washington St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 693-5555	729	50	14.5	59.1%	100 (13.7%)	317 (43.5%)	275 (37.7%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.1%)	5.5	413^th of 429 public high schools	3.7%		8.5	395^th of 432 public high schools	8.6%	18	9.4	2.3											3.8	$24,623	$4,875	$19,749
Excel Center - Michigan Street	Public, Charter	9-12	1635 W Michigan St	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Excel Center - Michigan Street	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 524-3910	385	10	38.5	43.9%	40 (10.4%)	255 (66.2%)	72 (18.7%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)								(n/a)														$3,967	$153	$3,814
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1635 W Michigan St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Indianapolis Metropolitan High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 524-4638	194	22	8.8	73.7%	29 (14.9%)	102 (52.6%)	50 (25.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (6.2%)	6.3	407^th of 429 public high schools	5.1%		6.9	407^th of 432 public high schools	5.8%		7.8	2.0											10.0	$15,162	$3,147	$12,015
Excel Center - Decatur	Public, Charter	9-12	5106 S. High School Rd.	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	Excel Center - Decatur	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(317) 524-3770	259	8	32.3	71.4%	45 (17.4%)	155 (59.8%)	41 (15.8%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)								(n/a)
Monarca Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	5525 W 34th Street	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Monarca Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(317) 379-0499	219	12	18.2	47.9%	6 (2.7%)	6 (2.7%)	205 (93.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)								(n/a)			9.4	11.4	21.8	14.6	1.6	8.6	12.8	8.0	3.1	3.1		$14,702	$471	$14,232

Frequently Asked Questions about Ben Davis University High School

What district is Ben Davis University High School in?

MSD Wayne Township

How many students attend Ben Davis University High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 375 students attended Ben Davis University High School.

What schools feed into Ben Davis University High School?

Is Ben Davis University High School a good school?

Ben Davis University High School ranks 128^th of 429 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ben Davis University High School?

Students at Ben Davis University High School are 44% Hispanic, 33% African American, 21% White, 2% Two or more races.

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