Enrollment
2,748
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Apex, NC
Apex Friendship High
Federal NCES profile for Apex Friendship High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370472003351
👥 S:T ratio 17
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Apex Friendship High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Apex · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 8.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Apex Friendship High has class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Apex Friendship High ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Apex, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472003351 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
132.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Apex Friendship High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Apex Friendship High
Apex Friendship High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Apex, North Carolina, enrolling 2,748 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.8:1 is larger than about 91% of North Carolina schools and 32% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.5% free-meal eligibility runs 87% below the North Carolina average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,748 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 21 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Asian (14%) (diversity index 54/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 25 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 344 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Apex's high schools, it stands alongside Apex High (2,449 students): Apex Friendship High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.8:1 vs 19.3:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Enloe High (2,643 students) and Panther Creek High (2,609 students) alongside Apex Friendship High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Apex Friendship High compares
Apex Friendship High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.8:1 | ▲ 32% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.5% | ▼ 87% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,748 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,748
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 91% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,859
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 344 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 71 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 65.1%
Asian 14.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
African American 6.8%
Two or More 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 65.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, Apex Friendship High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 25
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes Apex Friendship High.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Apex Friendship High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enloe High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Leesville Road High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Apex Friendship High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,411
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar high schools in Apex
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,748 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Apex Friendship High's federal record.
- Compare Apex Friendship High against another school. Compare schools
- Wake County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Apex Friendship High
How many students attend Apex Friendship High?
Apex Friendship High has 2,748 students enrolled. It is a high school in Apex, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Apex Friendship High?
The student-teacher ratio at Apex Friendship High is 20.8:1, which is 32% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Apex Friendship High?
8.5% of students at Apex Friendship High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Apex Friendship High?
The largest demographic group at Apex Friendship High is White at 65.1% of enrollment, in Apex, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Apex Friendship High?
Apex Friendship High has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Apex Friendship High rank among high schools in Apex?
By Resource Investment Index, Apex Friendship High ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Apex, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Apex on the city page.
Is Apex Friendship High a good school?
Apex Friendship High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Wake County Schools?
Besides Apex Friendship High, Wake County Schools also operates Enloe High (2,643 students), Panther Creek High (2,609 students), and Millbrook High (2,498 students). See the Wake County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.