Enrollment
1,281
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Durham, NC
Northern High
Federal NCES profile for Northern High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370126000545
👥 S:T ratio 40
📚 AP courses 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #8 of 11
- high schools in Durham · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 60.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern High ranks #8 of 11 high schools in Durham, NC.
School address
District: Durham Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370126000545 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
86.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern High
Northern High is a higher-need, large high school in Durham, North Carolina, enrolling 1,281 students.
At 14.9:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.7% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,281 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 143 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #15, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and African American (39%) (diversity index 66/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 13 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 214 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Durham Public Schools spends $14,937 per pupil, 24% above the North Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 266 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,281 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 51 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Durham's high schools, it stands alongside C E Jordan High (2,189 students): Northern High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 19.4:1).
Durham Public Schools also operates C E Jordan High (2,189 students) and Riverside High (1,900 students) alongside Northern 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 Northern High compares
Northern 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 | 14.9:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.7% | ▼ 8% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,281 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,281
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 48% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
49.3%
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
$14,937
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 214 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
109
in-school suspensions + 157 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 51 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
Hispanic or Latino 40.4%
African American 38.9%
White 15.4%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Northern High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 13
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Durham Public Schools, which includes Northern High.
$14,937
Per student
+24%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.5%
State 46.0%
Federal 19.5%
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 Northern High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| C E Jordan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverside High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Durham School of the Arts | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hillside High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,189
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,900
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,764
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,433
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,384
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar high schools in Durham
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
C E Jordan High
Standard public school
2,189 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Riverside High
Standard public school
1,900 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Hillside High
Standard public school
1,433 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi
Standard public school
1,384 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Research Triangle High School
Standard public school
572 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
J D Clement Early College Hs
Standard public school
380 students 25.3:1 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 (~1,281 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern High's federal record.
- Compare Northern High against another school. Compare schools
- Durham Public 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 Northern High
How many students attend Northern High?
Northern High has 1,281 students enrolled. It is a high school in Durham, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern High?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern High is 14.9:1, which is 6% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 5% 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 Northern High?
60.7% of students at Northern High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern High?
The largest demographic group at Northern High is Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment, in Durham, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern High?
Northern High has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical 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 Northern High rank among high schools in Durham?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern High ranks #8 of 11 high schools in Durham, 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 Durham on the city page.
Is Northern High a good school?
Northern High earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Durham Public Schools?
Besides Northern High, Durham Public Schools also operates C E Jordan High (2,189 students), Riverside High (1,900 students), and Durham School of the Arts (1,764 students). See the Durham Public 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.