Enrollment
1,608
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill High
Federal NCES profile for Chapel Hill High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370072000295
👥 S:T ratio 35
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chapel Hill High earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #14 of 21
- public schools in Chapel Hill · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 23.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Chapel Hill High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chapel Hill High ranks #14 of 21 public schools in Chapel Hill, NC.
School address
District: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370072000295 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
99.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.5%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chapel Hill High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chapel Hill High
Chapel Hill High is a large high school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, enrolling 1,608 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.5% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the North Carolina average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,608 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 99 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 32 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 268 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools spends $16,534 per pupil, 38% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Chapel Hill's high schools, it stands alongside East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students): Chapel Hill High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 15.8:1).
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also operates East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students) and Carrboro High (885 students) alongside Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill High compares
Chapel Hill 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.5% | ▼ 64% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,608 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,608
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 65% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.2%
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
$16,534
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 268 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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 51.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.7%
Asian 11.8%
African American 10.8%
Two or More 6.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 51.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.0, Chapel Hill High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 32
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, which includes Chapel Hill High.
$16,534
Per student
+38%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.2%
State 43.3%
Federal 10.5%
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 Chapel Hill High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Chapel Hill High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carrboro High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Smith Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcdougle Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Culbreth Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chapel Hill High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,419
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar high schools in Chapel Hill
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 (~1,608 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chapel Hill High's federal record.
- Compare Chapel Hill High against another school. Compare schools
- Chapel Hill-Carrboro City 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 Chapel Hill High
How many students attend Chapel Hill High?
Chapel Hill High has 1,608 students enrolled. It is a high school in Chapel Hill, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chapel Hill High?
The student-teacher ratio at Chapel Hill High is 16.2:1, which is 3% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chapel Hill High?
23.5% of students at Chapel Hill High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chapel Hill High?
The largest demographic group at Chapel Hill High is White at 51.1% of enrollment, in Chapel Hill, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chapel Hill High?
Chapel Hill High has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (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 Chapel Hill High rank among public schools in Chapel Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Chapel Hill High ranks #14 of 21 public schools in Chapel Hill, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Chapel Hill on the city page.
Is Chapel Hill High a good school?
Chapel Hill High earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?
Besides Chapel Hill High, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools also operates East Chapel Hill High (1,419 students), Carrboro High (885 students), and Smith Middle (763 students). See the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district page for the complete list.
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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.