Public schools in Merrillville, IN
9 open public schools with an address in Merrillville, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,163
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.1:1
Indiana median 14.8:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Merrillville public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Merrillville, IN: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,163 students, an average of 685 per school. The largest campus is Merrillville High School (2,115 students), and the largest elementary school is Jonas E Salk Elementary School (565).
Merrillville Community School Corp operates the most schools here (8), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13.1:1, lower than the statewide school median of 14.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
About 53% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Merrillville
Elementary schools in Merrillville
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edgar L Miller Elementary School Merrillville Community School Corp | PK–04 | 330 | 12.5:1 | |
| Henry P Fieler Elementary School Merrillville Community School Corp | PK–04 | 466 | 14.9:1 | |
| Higher Institute of Arts & Tech Higher Institute of Arts & Tech · Charter | KG–08 | 259 | 14.4:1 | |
| Homer Iddings Elementary School Merrillville Community School Corp | PK–04 | 535 | 14.7:1 | |
| John Wood Elementary School Merrillville Community School Corp | PK–04 | 227 | 10.8:1 | |
| Jonas E Salk Elementary School Merrillville Community School Corp | PK–04 | 565 | 13.1:1 |
Middle schools in Merrillville
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville Intermediate School Merrillville Community School Corp | 05–06 | 788 | 13:1 | |
| Pierce Middle School Merrillville Community School Corp | 07–08 | 878 | 12.8:1 |
High schools in Merrillville
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville High School Merrillville Community School Corp | 09–12 | 2,115 | 15.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White7.7%
- Hispanic19.3%
- Black66.4%
- Asian0.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial5.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Merrillville schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,163 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Merrillville
How many public schools are in Merrillville, IN?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Merrillville: 6 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 6,163 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Merrillville?
Schools with an address in Merrillville belong to 2 education agencies, led by Merrillville Community School Corp (8 schools), Higher Institute of Arts & Tech (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Merrillville?
Merrillville High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Merrillville, with 2,115 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Merrillville?
Yes. 1 of the 9 public schools in Merrillville are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Higher Institute of Arts & Tech. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Merrillville schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Merrillville public schools is 13.1:1, lower than the Indiana school median of 14.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Merrillville guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Indiana cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Indiana cities