Enrollment
1,515
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fayetteville, NC
Cape Fear High
Federal NCES profile for Cape Fear High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370001100402
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cape Fear High earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #11 of 15
- high schools in Fayetteville · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 44.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cape Fear High has class sizes larger than 83% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear High ranks #11 of 15 high schools in Fayetteville, NC.
School address
District: Cumberland County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370001100402 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
83.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cape Fear High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cape Fear High
Cape Fear High is a large high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, enrolling 1,515 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.3:1 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 44.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,515 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 147 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #82.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 379 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% 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 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Fayetteville's high schools, it stands alongside Jack Britt High (1,940 students): Cape Fear High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.3:1 vs 19.4:1).
Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students) and Pine Forest High (1,551 students) alongside Cape Fear 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 Cape Fear High compares
Cape Fear 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 | 18.3:1 | ▲ 16% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.8% | ▼ 32% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,515 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,515
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 83% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,412
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 379 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
99
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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 46.1%
African American 26.8%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Two or More 8.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.7%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 46.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.8, Cape Fear High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cumberland County Schools, which includes Cape Fear High.
$12,412
Per student
+3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.5%
State 57.7%
Federal 25.7%
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 Cape Fear High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Britt High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pine Forest High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South View High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray's Creek High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Seventy-First High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cape Fear High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,940
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,551
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,461
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,332
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Fayetteville
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Jack Britt High
Standard public school
1,940 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Pine Forest High
Standard public school
1,551 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Seventy-First High
Standard public school
1,332 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Westover High
Standard public school
1,234 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Terry Sanford High
Standard public school
1,201 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
E E Smith High
Standard public school
1,017 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,515 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cape Fear High's federal record.
- Compare Cape Fear High against another school. Compare schools
- Cumberland 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 Cape Fear High
How many students attend Cape Fear High?
Cape Fear High has 1,515 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fayetteville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear High?
The student-teacher ratio at Cape Fear High is 18.3:1, which is 16% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cape Fear High?
44.8% of students at Cape Fear High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cape Fear High?
The largest demographic group at Cape Fear High is White at 46.1% of enrollment, in Fayetteville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cape Fear High?
Cape Fear High has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical 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 Cape Fear High rank among high schools in Fayetteville?
By Resource Investment Index, Cape Fear High ranks #11 of 15 high schools in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville on the city page.
Is Cape Fear High a good school?
Cape Fear High earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Cumberland County Schools?
Besides Cape Fear High, Cumberland County Schools also operates Jack Britt High (1,940 students), Pine Forest High (1,551 students), and South View High (1,461 students). See the Cumberland 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.