Enrollment
218
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hudson, NC
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
Federal NCES profile for Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370058002435
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Hudson · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 32.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy has class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Hudson, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058002435 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy is a small high school in Hudson, North Carolina, enrolling 218 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 218 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 92 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 35/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 218 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 26.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hudson's high schools, it stands alongside South Caldwell High (1,272 students): Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 15:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy.
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 Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy compares
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.7% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 218 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
218
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 71% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
6.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,644
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 218 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 79.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 5.5%
African American 1.8%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: White at 79.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.3, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Caldwell County Schools, which includes Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy.
$11,644
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.4%
Federal 26.1%
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 Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Caldwell High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hibriten High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,272
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Hudson
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 (~218 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy's federal record.
- Compare Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Caldwell 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 Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy
How many students attend Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy?
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy has 218 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hudson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy is 16.8:1, which is 6% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy?
32.7% of students at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy?
The largest demographic group at Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy is White at 79.4% of enrollment, in Hudson, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy?
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy rank among high schools in Hudson?
By Resource Investment Index, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Hudson, 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 Hudson on the city page.
Is Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy a good school?
Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. 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 Caldwell County Schools?
Besides Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy, Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students), Hibriten High (818 students), and Hudson Elementary (665 students). See the Caldwell 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.