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 2025-26 school year, there are 7 public high schools serving 5,301 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 39% of the student body (majority Hispanic), 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
28 Schools
759 Schools
# Students
15,880 Students
565,383 Students
# Teachers
1,007 Teachers
33,426 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Catawba County Schools, 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 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
0.60
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
7%
4%
% Hispanic
19%
20%
% Black
6%
24%
% White
60%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,638 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,191. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,571 is less than the state median of $11,616. 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
$10,638
$11,191
Spending / Student
$10,571
$11,616
Best Catawba County Schools Public High Schools (2025-26)
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 | 923 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
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 | 956 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
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 | 879 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
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 | 1,298 student Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
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 | 883 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 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 | 362 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
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
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