Top Rankings
New Hanover County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 9 public high schools serving 8,658 students in New Hanover County Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in New Hanover County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 68% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 65% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in New Hanover County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 89%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Isaac M Bear Early College High School, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
43 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
24,978 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
1,682 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
District Rank
New Hanover County Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 89% has increased from 83% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#111 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
55%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
67%
63%
Graduation Rate
89%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.61
0.70
# American Indian Students
68 Students
5,772 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
439 Students
21,293 Students
% Asian Students
2%
4%
# Hispanic Students
4,790 Students
115,235 Students
% Hispanic Students
19%
20%
# Black Students
4,036 Students
138,700 Students
% Black Students
16%
24%
# White Students
14,322 Students
254,801 Students
% White Students
57%
45%
# Hawaiian Students
37 Students
765 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
1,336 Students
30,969 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
147
491
# Students in K Grade:
1,696
6,922
# Students in 1st Grade:
1,856
6,949
# Students in 2nd Grade:
1,892
7,207
# Students in 3rd Grade:
1,828
7,125
# Students in 4th Grade:
1,812
7,196
# Students in 5th Grade:
1,848
7,763
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,722
11,146
# Students in 7th Grade:
1,763
12,024
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,757
12,284
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,389
137,976
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,151
126,349
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,234
117,582
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,883
104,750
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,729 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,991 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$293 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$300 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,729
$11,187
Spending / Student
$11,991
$11,612
Best New Hanover County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Wilmington Early College High School
(Math: ≥90% | Reading: 90-94% )
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
4500 Blue Clay Rd, Wechs Bldg.
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(910) 362-7789
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(910) 362-7789
Grades: 9-13
| 241 students
Rank: #22.
Isaac M Bear Early College High School
(Math: ≥90% | Reading: 85-89% )
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
630 Macmillan Avenue
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-1387
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-1387
Grades: 9-12
| 251 students
Rank: #33.
John T Hoggard High School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4305 Shipyard Blvd
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-2072
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 350-2072
Grades: 9-12
| 2,178 students
Rank: #44.
Eugene Ashley High School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 68%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
555 Halyburton Memorial Parkwy
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 790-2360
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 790-2360
Grades: 9-12
| 1,899 students
Rank: #55.
Emsley A Laney High School
(Math: 72% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
2700 N College Rd
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 350-2089
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 350-2089
Grades: 9-12
| 2,248 students
Rank: #66.
New Hanover High School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1307 Market St
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 251-6100
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 251-6100
Grades: 9-12
| 1,515 students
Rank: #77.
Sea-tech
Vocational School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: 70-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
5301 Sidbury Road
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(910) 530-6300
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(910) 530-6300
Grades: 9-13
| 228 students
Rank: #88.
Career Readiness Academy At Mosley Plc
Alternative School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
3702 Princess Place Drive
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 251-6161
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 251-6161
Grades: 6-12
| 86 students
Rank: #99.
J. C. Roe Center
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2875 Worth Drive
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 395-4472
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 395-4472
Grades: 6-12
| 12 students
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