New Hanover County Schools
Public school district · New Hanover County · North Carolina · NCES district ID 3703330
New Hanover County Schools spent $13,808 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 72% of the other North Carolina districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $12,366). Its 42 schools enrolled 24,791 students in 2024-25; 51.3% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $14,042 per student, up 1.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 88% (North Carolina: 86.5%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among North Carolina districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to New Hanover County Schools in enrollment (20,050 to 31,531 students) and New Hanover County Schools itself.
Where the money came from
$364,220,000 in revenue: 51.3% state, 30.8% local and 17.9% federal. Total spending including $10,280,000 of capital outlay was $368,553,000, or $14,600 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$187,019,000 51%
- Local$112,124,000 31%
- Federal$65,077,000 18%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 150 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
25,244 students in 2022-23, 25,028 students in 2023-24, 24,791 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 25,244 | 1676.0 | 15.1 |
| 2023-24 | 25,028 | 1678.9 | 14.9 |
| 2024-25 | 24,791 | 1607.6 | 15.4 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$88,295,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $3,498 per student
New Hanover County Schools booked $88,295,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,735 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $50,896 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 67 in 100 North Carolina districts with a figure (state median $49,503, 293 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average North Carolina teacher salary at $53,644 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $51,404,000 | 58.2% |
| Special education | $11,664,000 | 13.2% |
| Vocational | $4,626,000 | 5.2% |
| Other programs | $20,601,000 | 23.3% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,173 in 2018-19, $3,193 in 2019-20, $3,309 in 2020-21, $3,525 in 2021-22, $3,498 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in New Hanover County Schools scored proficient or above: 53% in reading and 56% in math, against 48% in reading and 50% in math across North Carolina. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within North Carolina, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | North Carolina | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 53% | 48% | 10,937 |
| Math | 56% | 50% | 10,927 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
88% of the 2,192 students in New Hanover County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.5% across North Carolina. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 88% | 86.5% |
| Students in the class | 2,192 | 120,822 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
26 elementary schools, 11,062 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porters Neck Elementary | 666 | 16.0 | 20.7% | Not Title I |
| Ogden Elementary | 619 | 15.9 | 16.3% | Not Title I |
| Murrayville Elementary | 573 | 14.2 | 99.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Masonboro Elementary | 564 | 16.0 | 19.3% | Not Title I |
| Heyward C Bellamy Elementary | 533 | 15.1 | 37.0% | Eligible, no program |
| Castle Hayne Elementary | 531 | 14.5 | 98.1% | Schoolwide program |
| The International School at Gregory | 514 | 13.8 | 99.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Edwin A Anderson Elementary | 514 | 13.2 | 43.0% | Eligible, no program |
| Wrightsboro Elementary | 502 | 14.9 | 98.4% | Schoolwide program |
| College Park Elementary | 470 | 13.3 | 98.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Dr John Codington Elementary | 470 | 15.0 | 24.0% | Not Title I |
| Pine Valley Elementary | 465 | 15.9 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
The other 14 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Hubert Eaton Sr Elementary | 461 | 14.2 | 27.3% | Not Title I |
| John J Blair Elementary | 451 | 13.1 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Sunset Park Elementary | 450 | 13.0 | 99.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Carolina Beach Elementary | 383 | 14.2 | 32.1% | Eligible, no program |
| Holly Tree Elementary | 383 | 13.6 | 25.1% | Not Title I |
| Mary C Williams Elementary | 355 | 11.3 | 99.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Bradley Creek Elementary | 344 | 12.2 | 97.4% | Schoolwide program |
| A H Snipes Academy of Arts/Des | 342 | 12.7 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Forest Hills Global Elementary | 340 | 10.7 | 99.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Winter Park Model Elementary | 311 | 12.3 | 99.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Wrightsville Beach Elementary | 280 | 14.5 | 8.9% | Not Title I |
| Edwin A Alderman Elementary | 255 | 11.5 | 98.4% | Schoolwide program |
| R Freeman Sch of Engineering | 241 | 10.8 | 98.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Lake Forest Academy | 45 | 3.2 | 93.3% | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
7 middle schools, 5,153 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles P Murray Middle | 907 | 17.6 | 31.3% | Eligible, no program |
| Roland-Grise Middle | 878 | 16.6 | 32.3% | Eligible, no program |
| Holly Shelter Middle | 801 | 15.0 | 97.9% | Schoolwide program |
| M C S Noble Middle | 690 | 17.3 | 37.2% | Eligible, no program |
| Williston Middle | 666 | 14.1 | 99.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Emma B Trask Middle | 611 | 14.9 | 98.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Myrtle Grove Middle | 600 | 15.0 | 96.2% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
9 high schools, 8,576 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley A Laney High | 2,243 | 20.2 | 94.2% | Eligible, no program |
| John T Hoggard High | 2,082 | 19.6 | 35.5% | Not Title I |
| Eugene Ashley High | 1,893 | 20.0 | 38.4% | Eligible, no program |
| New Hanover High | 1,437 | 15.7 | 98.4% | Eligible, no program |
| Wilmington Early College High | 270 | 20.7 | 98.9% | Eligible, no program |
| Isaac M Bear Early College High School | 260 | 24.8 | 24.2% | Eligible, no program |
| SEA-Tech | 227 | 13.7 | 98.7% | Eligible, no program |
| Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC | 150 | 10.3 | 98.0% | Eligible, no program |
| J. C. Roe Center | 14 | 1.2 | 78.6% | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact New Hanover County Schools
- Website: nhcs.net
- Phone: (910) 254-4200
- Office: 6410 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28412
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about New Hanover County Schools
- North Carolina districts by spending per studentNew Hanover County Schools ranks 43 of 150 North Carolina districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($13,808).#43 of 150
- Every school district in North CarolinaNew Hanover County Schools is the number 12 by size of 332 North Carolina districts, with 25,244 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#12 of 332
- Onslow County SchoolsThe next larger North Carolina district: 27,921 students in fall 2022, $11,056 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$11,056
- Pitt County SchoolsThe next smaller North Carolina district: 24,091 students in fall 2022, $12,253 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,253
- Compare New Hanover County Schools with Onslow County SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Emsley A Laney High, its largest high school2,243 students in 2024-25, 20.2 per teacher.2,243
- Teacher salary spending across North CarolinaNew Hanover County Schools spent $50,896 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $49,503); spending, not a salary.$50,896
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about New Hanover County Schools
How many schools and students are in New Hanover County Schools?
42 schools were open in 2024-25 (26 elementary, 7 middle, 9 high), enrolling 24,791 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does New Hanover County Schools spend per student?
$13,808 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the North Carolina median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $12,366 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $14,042 per student, up 1.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does New Hanover County Schools' money come from?
$364,220,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 51.3% state, 30.8% local and 17.9% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in New Hanover County Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,977 of the 30,903 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 12.9%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does New Hanover County Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$88,295,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $3,498 per student. Divided by the 1,735 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $50,896 per teacher, more than 67 in 100 North Carolina districts (state median $49,503). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average North Carolina teacher salary at $53,644 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in New Hanover County Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in New Hanover County Schools scored proficient or above: 53% in reading and 56% in math, against 48% in reading and 50% in math across North Carolina. North Carolina's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in New Hanover County Schools?
88% of the 2,192 students in New Hanover County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 86.5% across North Carolina. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is New Hanover County Schools' NCES district ID?
3703330. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25