Top Rankings
Catawba 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 5,213 students in Catawba County Schools. This district's average high testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Catawba County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 78% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Catawba County School have a Graduation Rate of 87%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Challenger 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), 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
28 Schools
760 Schools
# Students
16,003 Students
568,877 Students
# Teachers
903 Teachers
31,559 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Catawba County Schools, which is ranked within the top 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 86% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#119 out of 325 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(21-22)59%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
71%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)86%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.61
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
8%
4%
% Hispanic
20%
21%
% Black
6%
25%
% White
58%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,556 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,168. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,490 is less than the state median of $11,592. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$169 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$168 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,556
$11,168
Spending / Student
$10,490
$11,592
Best Catawba County Schools Public High Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Bandys High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
5040 E Bandys Road
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-1471
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-1471
Gr: 9-12 | 935 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #22.
Fred T Foard High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3407 Plateau Road
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1496
Newton, NC 28658
(704) 462-1496
Gr: 9-12 | 930 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #33.
Maiden High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
600 West Main Street
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8197
Maiden, NC 28650
(828) 428-8197
Gr: 9-12 | 852 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #44.
Saint Stephens High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3205 34th Street Drive Ne
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9841
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 256-9841
Gr: 9-12 | 1,268 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #55.
Bunker Hill High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4675 Oxford School Road
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-3355
Claremont, NC 28610
(828) 241-3355
Gr: 9-12 | 845 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #66.
Challenger Early College High School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥95%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2550 Hwy 70 Se
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-2980
Hickory, NC 28602
(828) 485-2980
Gr: 9-12 | 376 students Student-teacher ratio: 34:1 Minority enrollment: 65%
Rank: #77.
Catawba Rosenwald Education Center
Special Education School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10% )
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
403 6th Ave Sw
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-2734
Catawba, NC 28609
(828) 241-2734
Gr: K-12 | 7 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
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