Rowan-Salisbury Schools

Salisbury, North Carolina — 33 schools

18,225
Total Enrollment
33
Schools
$12,322
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Rowan-Salisbury Schools operates 33 public schools serving 18,225 students, placing it in the mid-size range in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 13 other, 7 high, 7 middle, 6 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 18,197 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Rowan County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,322 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 18.6% local, 60.4% state, and 21.0% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $72,587 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 47/100, ranked #134 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 6 of 33 schools offering Advanced Placement (62 AP courses district-wide), a 463:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 35.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 46.3% White, 24.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% African American across the district's schools.

Rowan-Salisbury Schools school enrollment varies 15× across entities

Rowan-Salisbury Schools school enrollment ranges from 71 students (lowest) to 1,063 students (highest), a spread of 992 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Rowan-Salisbury Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 68.7% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Rowan-Salisbury Schools student-counselor ratio is 463:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Rowan-Salisbury Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 35.7% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.0%
Federal
60.4%
State
18.6%
Local

Funding Equity

47
Equity Score
134 / 293
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Rowan County county, where this district is located.

$952
Studio/mo
$958
1 BR/mo
$1,196
2 BR/mo
$1,573
3 BR/mo
$2,006
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$72,587
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 33 schools in Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

White 46.3%
Hispanic or Latino 24.3%
African American 20.9%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 7.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

6 / 33
Schools with AP
62 AP courses total
463:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Rowan-Salisbury Schools

School Enrollment
Carson High
1,063
West Rowan High
988
East Rowan High
986
South Rowan High
932
Salisbury High
930
Erwin Middle
763
West Rowan Middle
707
North Rowan Middle
649
Southeast Middle
628
Landis Elementary
613
West Rowan Elementary
611
China Grove Elementary
592
Granite Quarry Elementary
586
Knollwood Elementary
585
China Grove Middle
572
North Rowan High
555
Koontz Elementary
554
Millbridge Elementary
547
Knox Middle
514
Isenberg Elementary
509
Rockwell Elementary
502
Hurley Elementary
466
Corriher Lipe Middle
457
Shive Elementary
413
North Rowan Elementary
405
Dole Elementary
388
Bostian Elementary
342
Mt Ulla Elementary
281
Morgan Elementary
275
Summit Virtual Academy
241
Overton Elementary
237
Rowan Co Early College
235
Henderson High
71

Nearby Districts in North Carolina

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Wake County Schools
159,778 students · 197 schools · $14,074/pupil
Compare vs Rowan-Salisbury Schools →
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
144,197 students · 180 schools · $15,997/pupil
Compare vs Rowan-Salisbury Schools →
Guilford County Schools
68,894 students · 126 schools · $13,788/pupil
Compare vs Rowan-Salisbury Schools →
Cumberland County Schools
49,661 students · 86 schools · $12,982/pupil
Compare vs Rowan-Salisbury Schools →

Compare Rowan-Salisbury Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Wake County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Rowan-Salisbury Schools?

Rowan-Salisbury Schools has 33 schools, including 7 high, 7 middle, 6 elementary, 13 other. Total enrollment is 18,225 students.

How much does Rowan-Salisbury Schools spend per student?

Rowan-Salisbury Schools spends $12,322 per student. The district has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #134 in North Carolina.

What is the average teacher salary in Rowan-Salisbury Schools?

The average teacher salary in Rowan-Salisbury Schools is $72,587 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Rowan-Salisbury Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Rowan County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Rowan-Salisbury Schools?

Rowan-Salisbury Schools students are 46.3% White, 24.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 33 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Rowan-Salisbury Schools?

Rowan-Salisbury Schools has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #134 out of 293 districts in North Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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