Enrollment
907
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Wilmington, NC
Charles P Murray Middle
Federal NCES profile for Charles P Murray Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370333002594
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charles P Murray Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 6
- middle schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 31.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Charles P Murray Middle has class sizes larger than 73% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charles P Murray Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333002594 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.3%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charles P Murray Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charles P Murray Middle
Charles P Murray Middle is a large middle school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 907 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 31.3% free-meal eligibility runs 53% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 907 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 299 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #82.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 302 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Wilmington's middle schools, it stands alongside Roland-Grise Middle (878 students): Charles P Murray Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.1:1 vs 17.2:1).
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside Charles P Murray Middle.
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 Charles P Murray Middle compares
Charles P Murray Middle 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.3% | ▼ 53% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 907 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
907
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 73% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.0%
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
$13,724
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 302 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.9 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 81.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Two or More 4.0%
African American 3.9%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 81.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.1, Charles P Murray Middle is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Hanover County Schools, which includes Charles P Murray Middle.
$13,724
Per student
+14%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 51.7%
Federal 18.8%
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 Charles P Murray Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley a Laney High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John T Hoggard High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eugene Ashley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Hanover High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roland-Grise Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Charles P Murray Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,243
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,082
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,893
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,437
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Wilmington
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Roland-Grise Middle
Standard public school
878 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
M C S Noble Middle
Standard public school
690 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Williston Middle
Standard public school
666 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Emma B Trask Middle
Standard public school
611 students 13:1 students per teacher
Myrtle Grove Middle
Standard public school
600 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~907 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charles P Murray Middle's federal record.
- Compare Charles P Murray Middle against another school. Compare schools
- New Hanover 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 Charles P Murray Middle
How many students attend Charles P Murray Middle?
Charles P Murray Middle has 907 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charles P Murray Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Charles P Murray Middle is 17.1:1, which is 8% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charles P Murray Middle?
31.3% of students at Charles P Murray Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charles P Murray Middle?
The largest demographic group at Charles P Murray Middle is White at 81.1% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charles P Murray Middle?
Charles P Murray Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Charles P Murray Middle rank among middle schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, Charles P Murray Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Wilmington, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Wilmington on the city page.
Is Charles P Murray Middle a good school?
Charles P Murray Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 New Hanover County Schools?
Besides Charles P Murray Middle, New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students), John T Hoggard High (2,082 students), and Eugene Ashley High (1,893 students). See the New Hanover 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.