Top Rankings
Caldwell County Schools 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 2026 school year, there are 7 public high schools serving 3,450 students in Caldwell County Schools. This district's average high testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Caldwell County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 69% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 57% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Caldwell County School have a Graduation Rate of 83%, which is less than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Caldwell Early College, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 28% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
25 Schools
760 Schools
# Students
10,597 Students
568,877 Students
# Teachers
610 Teachers
31,559 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Caldwell County Schools, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 314 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 81% has decreased from 89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#175 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)47%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)86%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.46
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
15%
21%
% Black
5%
25%
% White
72%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,164 is higher than the state median of $11,168. The school district revenue/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,022 is higher than the state median of $11,592. The school district spending/student has grown by 8% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$129 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$127 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,164
$11,168
Spending / Student
$12,022
$11,592
Best Caldwell County Schools Public High Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Caldwell Early College
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 85-89% )
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
2859 Hickory Blvd Sw
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 759-4636
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 759-4636
Gr: 9-13 | 317 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #22.
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: 80-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
2857 Hickory Boulevard
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 759-4640
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 759-4640
Gr: 9-12 | 218 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #33.
Hibriten High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1350 Panther Trail Se
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-7376
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-7376
Gr: 9-12 | 818 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #44.
South Caldwell High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
7035 Spartan Drive
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 396-2188
Hudson, NC 28638
(828) 396-2188
Gr: 9-12 | 1,272 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
Rank: #55.
West Caldwell High School
(Math: 60-69% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
300 W Caldwell Drive
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-5583
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 758-5583
Gr: 9-12 | 634 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 43%
Rank: #66.
Gateway School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1889 Dudley Shoals Road
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-8373
Granite Falls, NC 28630
(828) 396-8373
Gr: 6-12 | 53 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: n/an/a
332 Greenhaven Dr Nw
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 726-3855
Lenoir, NC 28645
(828) 726-3855
Gr: 4-12 | 138 students Student-teacher ratio: 69:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Recent Articles
AI Report Cards: Should Schools Evaluate AI Use?
Explore whether schools should assess student AI use, the benefits, risks, and what responsible AI report cards could look like in 2026.
The Parent’s Guide to School Cell Phone Bans in 2026
Learn how school cell phone bans work in 2026, why districts are adopting them, and what parents should expect.
Parental Involvement in Public Schools: 2026 Update
Explore the latest 2026 trends, research, and strategies shaping parental involvement in public schools and student success.
