Enrollment
201
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hickory, NC
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School
Federal NCES profile for Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370219002108
👥 S:T ratio 62
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 4
- high schools in Hickory · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 52.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School has class sizes smaller than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Hickory, NC.
School address
District: Hickory City Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370219002108 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is a higher-need, small high school in Hickory, North Carolina, enrolling 201 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.6:1, Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is leaner than roughly 95% of North Carolina schools and 39% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 201 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 122 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%) (diversity index 64/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 201 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
15.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 19.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hickory's high schools, it stands alongside Saint Stephens High (1,268 students): Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.6:1 vs 18.6:1).
Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students) and Viewmont Elementary (509 students) alongside Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School.
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 Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School compares
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School 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 | 9.6:1 | ▼ 39% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.4% | ▼ 21% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 201 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.6:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
201
Bigger than 20% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
9.6:1
students per teacher
- 39% below state mean
Top 5% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 95% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
15.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,646
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 201 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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 53.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.4%
African American 10.9%
Two or More 10.4%
Asian 3.0%
Largest group: White at 53.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.3, Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hickory City Schools, which includes Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School.
$11,646
Per student
-3%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.9%
State 61.5%
Federal 19.6%
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 Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Viewmont Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grandview Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oakwood Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 481
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Hickory
3 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 (~201 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School's federal record.
- Compare Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School against another school. Compare schools
- Hickory 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 Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School
How many students attend Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School?
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School has 201 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hickory, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is 9.6:1, which is 39% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 39% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School?
52.4% of students at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School?
The largest demographic group at Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School is White at 53.2% of enrollment, in Hickory, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School?
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School rank among high schools in Hickory?
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School ranks #1 of 4 high schools in Hickory, 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 Hickory on the city page.
Is Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School a good school?
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 95% 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 Hickory City Schools?
Besides Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School, Hickory City Schools also operates Hickory High (1,024 students), Viewmont Elementary (509 students), and Northview Middle (481 students). See the Hickory City 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.