Enrollment
387
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hudson, NC
Caldwell Early College
Federal NCES profile for Caldwell Early College, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370058002880
👥 S:T ratio 9
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Caldwell Early College earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of North Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Hudson · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 36.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Caldwell Early College has class sizes larger than 94% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Caldwell Early College ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Hudson, NC.
School address
District: Caldwell County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370058002880 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Caldwell Early College compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Caldwell Early College
Caldwell Early College is a mid-sized high school in Hudson, North Carolina, enrolling 387 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.8:1 is larger than about 94% of North Carolina schools and 44% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 387 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 257 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #151.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 42/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 387 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
12.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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 Early College is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.8:1 vs 15:1).
Caldwell County Schools also operates South Caldwell High (1,272 students) and Hibriten High (818 students) alongside Caldwell Early College.
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 Early College compares
Caldwell Early College 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 | 22.8:1 | ▲ 44% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.4% | ▼ 45% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.8:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.8:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 94% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.7 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 73.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.6%
Two or More 4.7%
African American 2.1%
Asian 2.1%
Largest group: White at 73.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.4, Caldwell Early College 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 Early College.
$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 Early College 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 | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hudson Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Granite Falls Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Caldwell High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Caldwell Early College'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 (~387 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Caldwell Early College's federal record.
- Compare Caldwell Early College 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 Early College
How many students attend Caldwell Early College?
Caldwell Early College has 387 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hudson, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Caldwell Early College?
The student-teacher ratio at Caldwell Early College is 22.8:1, which is 44% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Caldwell Early College?
36.4% of students at Caldwell Early College are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Caldwell Early College?
The largest demographic group at Caldwell Early College is White at 73.6% of enrollment, in Hudson, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Caldwell Early College?
Caldwell Early College has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 Early College rank among high schools in Hudson?
By Resource Investment Index, Caldwell Early College ranks #2 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 Early College a good school?
Caldwell Early College earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Early College, 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.