Enrollment
1,437
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Wilmington, NC
New Hanover High
Federal NCES profile for New Hanover High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370333001384
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
New Hanover High earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #3 of 5
- high schools in Wilmington · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 99.6%
- free-lunch eligible
New Hanover High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, New Hanover High ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Wilmington, NC.
School address
District: New Hanover County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370333001384 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
98.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How New Hanover High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at New Hanover High
New Hanover High is a high-poverty, large high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, enrolling 1,437 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 99.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the North Carolina average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,437 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 48 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 240 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.8% 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.
Discipline events run high: 336 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,437 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wilmington's high schools, it stands alongside Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students): New Hanover High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 19:1).
New Hanover County Schools also operates Emsley a Laney High (2,243 students) and John T Hoggard High (2,082 students) alongside New Hanover 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 New Hanover High compares
New Hanover 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.6% | ▲ 51% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,437 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,437
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 45% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.8%
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 240 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
152
in-school suspensions + 184 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 36.4%
African American 31.8%
Hispanic or Latino 26.5%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 36.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.4, New Hanover High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Hanover County Schools, which includes New Hanover High.
$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 New Hanover High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley a Laney High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John T Hoggard High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eugene Ashley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Charles P Murray Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roland-Grise Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to New Hanover High'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
- 907
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Wilmington
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Emsley a Laney High
Standard public school
2,243 students 19:1 students per teacher
John T Hoggard High
Standard public school
2,082 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Eugene Ashley High
Standard public school
1,893 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Isaac M Bear Early College High School
Standard public school
260 students 26:1 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 (~1,437 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on New Hanover High's federal record.
- Compare New Hanover High 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 New Hanover High
How many students attend New Hanover High?
New Hanover High has 1,437 students enrolled. It is a high school in Wilmington, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at New Hanover High?
The student-teacher ratio at New Hanover High is 14.7:1, which is 7% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 New Hanover High?
99.6% of students at New Hanover High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of New Hanover High?
The largest demographic group at New Hanover High is White at 36.4% of enrollment, in Wilmington, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for New Hanover High?
New Hanover High has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 New Hanover High rank among high schools in Wilmington?
By Resource Investment Index, New Hanover High ranks #3 of 5 high 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 high schools in Wilmington on the city page.
Is New Hanover High a good school?
New Hanover High earns 50/100 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 New Hanover County Schools?
Besides New Hanover High, 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.