Best schools in North Carolina (2025)
The top five of 2,556 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (US), built only from official American data.
North Carolina has 2,556 schools educating 1,527,584 students in 2025: 2,355 public, 201 charter.
The median Enrollment across North Carolina is 512. Students enrolled in the latest NCES directory year.
Browse every school in North Carolina →
Best elementary schools in North Carolina
Schools classified as elementary by NCES.
Quest Academy
Raleigh · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
139 students
Metrolina Reg Scholars Academy
Charlotte · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
396 students
Weddington Elementary
Matthews · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
652 students
Marvin Elementary
Marvin · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
666 students
Wrightsville Beach Elem
Wrightsville Beach · Public elementary · Grades K–5
280 students
Best middle schools in North Carolina
Schools classified as middle schools by NCES.
Magellan Charter
Raleigh · Charter middle · Grades 3–8
411 students
Brown Summit Middle
Browns Summit · Public middle · Grades 6–8
242 students
The Brawley School
Mooresville · Public middle · Grades 6–8
641 students
Mills Park Middle
Cary · Public middle · Grades 6–8
1,632 students
Davis Drive Middle
Cary · Public middle · Grades 6–8
992 students
Best high schools in North Carolina
Schools classified as high schools by NCES.
Raleigh Charter High School
Raleigh · Charter high · Grades 9–12
552 students
Central Academy of Technology and Arts
Monroe · Public high · Grades 9–12
875 students
Highland Sch of Technology
Gastonia · Public high · Grades 9–12
538 students
Research Triangle High School
Durham · Charter high · Grades 9–12
572 students
Marvin Ridge High
Waxhaw · Public high · Grades 9–12
1,961 students
Best traditional public schools in North Carolina
District-run public schools.
Weddington Elementary
Matthews · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
652 students
Marvin Elementary
Marvin · Public elementary · Grades PK–5
666 students
Wrightsville Beach Elem
Wrightsville Beach · Public elementary · Grades K–5
280 students
Brown Summit Middle
Browns Summit · Public middle · Grades 6–8
242 students
Davis Drive Elementary
Cary · Public elementary · Grades K–5
794 students
Best charter schools in North Carolina
Publicly funded charter schools.
Magellan Charter
Raleigh · Charter middle · Grades 3–8
411 students
Quest Academy
Raleigh · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
139 students
Raleigh Charter High School
Raleigh · Charter high · Grades 9–12
552 students
Metrolina Reg Scholars Academy
Charlotte · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
396 students
The Expedition School
Hillsborough · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
380 students
Best schools by math proficiency in North Carolina
Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in math on the state assessment (EDFacts, all students), for schools with 30 or more tested students.
Nesbitt Discovery Academy
Asheville · Public high · Grades 9–12
372 students
Levine Middle College High Sch
Matthews · Public high · Grades 11–13
216 students
Brown Summit Middle
Browns Summit · Public middle · Grades 6–8
242 students
Metrolina Reg Scholars Academy
Charlotte · Charter elementary · Grades K–8
396 students
Early College at Guilford
Greensboro · Public high · Grades 9–12
193 students
Best schools by reading proficiency in North Carolina
Schools ranked by the share of tested students proficient or above in reading/language arts (EDFacts, all students).
Brown Summit Middle
Browns Summit · Public middle · Grades 6–8
242 students
Nesbitt Discovery Academy
Asheville · Public high · Grades 9–12
372 students
Early College of Forsyth Co
Winston Salem · Public high · Grades 9–12
306 students
Highland Sch of Technology
Gastonia · Public high · Grades 9–12
538 students
Raleigh Charter High School
Raleigh · Charter high · Grades 9–12
552 students
Best lowest student–teacher ratio in North Carolina
Schools with the fewest students per FTE teacher, among schools with at least 100 students.
Career Academy and Technical School
Troutman · Public high · Grades 6–12
103 students
Philip J Weaver Ed Center
Greensboro · Public high · Grades 9–12
260 students
Bethel Elementary
Sugar Grove · Public elementary · Grades PK–8
128 students
Kearns Academy
High Point · Public high · Grades 9–12
108 students
Madison High School
Marshall · Public high · Grades 9–12
377 students
Best largest schools in North Carolina
Schools with the highest enrollment.
Myers Park High School
Charlotte · Public high · Grades 9–12
3,225 students
Ardrey Kell High School
Charlotte · Public high · Grades 9–12
3,036 students
Apex Friendship High
Apex · Public high · Grades 9–12
2,748 students
Enloe High
Raleigh · Public high · Grades 9–12
2,643 students
Panther Creek High
Cary · Public high · Grades 9–12
2,609 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best elementary school in North Carolina?
Quest Academy in Raleigh ranks first among elementary schools in North Carolina with a Success Index (US) of 91.7 out of 100 (Enrollment: 139).
How are elementary schools in North Carolina ranked?
Each school's Success Index (US) combines 4 factors: math proficiency (30%), reading proficiency (30%), community advantage (fewer free/reduced-price lunch) (25%), students per teacher (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across United States. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2025 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official American data (Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES CCD, EDFacts); NCES Common Core of Data). States set their own assessments and proficiency cut scores, so proficiency rates are most comparable within a state. Use the state rankings for like-for-like comparisons.