Enrollment
2,044
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Cary, NC
Cary High
Federal NCES profile for Cary 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 370472001844
👥 S:T ratio 33
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cary High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #4 of 7
- high schools in Cary · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 36.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cary High has class sizes larger than 71% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cary High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Cary, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001844 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
122.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cary High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cary High
Cary High is a large high school in Cary, North Carolina, enrolling 2,044 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 36.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,044 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 73 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
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 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Cary's high schools, it stands alongside Panther Creek High (2,609 students): Cary High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.8:1 vs 22.1:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Cary 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 Cary High compares
Cary 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.0% | ▼ 45% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,044 | top 1% | - | - |
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.
2,044
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.0%
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
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
22.5%
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
$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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
156
in-school suspensions + 122 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.6 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 43.0%
Hispanic or Latino 29.2%
African American 17.2%
Asian 5.6%
Two or More 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 43.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Cary High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wake County Schools, which includes Cary 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 Cary High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cary High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- 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
Similar high schools in Cary
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Panther Creek High
Standard public school
2,609 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Green Hope High
Standard public school
2,304 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Green Level High
Standard public school
2,283 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Score Academy
Alternative education program
584 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Wake Stem Early College High School
Standard public school
294 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Crossroads Flex
Standard public school
139 students 23.2:1 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 (~2,044 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cary High's federal record.
- Compare Cary 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 Cary High
How many students attend Cary High?
Cary High has 2,044 students enrolled. It is a high school in Cary, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cary High?
The student-teacher ratio at Cary High 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 Cary High?
36.0% of students at Cary High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cary High?
The largest demographic group at Cary High is White at 43.0% of enrollment, in Cary, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cary High?
Cary 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 Cary High rank among high schools in Cary?
By Resource Investment Index, Cary High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Cary, 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 Cary on the city page.
Is Cary High a good school?
Cary High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Cary High, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 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.