- Enrollment
- 1,945
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Burgaw, NC
Pender High
Federal NCES profile for Pender High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370357001466
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pender High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 6
- public schools in Burgaw · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.1:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 66.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pender High has class sizes larger than 87% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pender High ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357001466 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-5 students YoY
Pender High held near 672 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 34.7 → 35.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-5 students YoY 370357001466 · Burgaw, NC High · MID · TRAD
648 enr · 19.1:1 · 66.5% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Topsail High (1,945 students)
Pender High held near 672 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 34.7 → 35.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Pender High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Topsail High
Topsail High
1,945 students
- Surf City Elem
Surf City Elementary
857 students
- Topsail Middle
Topsail Middle
837 students
- Surf City Midd 752
Surf City Middle
752 students
- Heide Trask Hi 732
Heide Trask High
732 students
- This school 648
Pender High
648 students
What this shows Pender High reports 648 students on the CCD universe file.
How Pender High compares
Pender High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.5% | ▲ 1% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 648 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
648
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
66.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 87% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.3%
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
$11,425
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,294
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 324 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
106
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 40.9%
African American 31.0%
Hispanic or Latino 23.3%
Two or More 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 40.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Pender High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Pender County Schools reports $11,425 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Pender High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsail High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Surf City Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pender High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 837
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 732
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar high schools in Burgaw
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~648 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Frequently asked questions about Pender High
How many students attend Pender High?
Pender High has 648 students enrolled. It is a high school in Burgaw, NC. CCD year-over-year: 677 (2022-23) → 672 (2023-24), nearly flat (-5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pender High?
The student-teacher ratio at Pender High is 19.1:1, which is 21% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pender High?
66.5% of students at Pender High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pender High?
The largest demographic group at Pender High is White at 40.9% of enrollment, in Burgaw, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pender High?
Pender High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pender High rank among public schools in Burgaw?
By Resource Investment Index, Pender High ranks #4 of 6 public schools in Burgaw, 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 Burgaw on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Pender High, Pender County Schools also operates Topsail High (1,945 students), Surf City Elementary (857 students), and Topsail Middle (837 students). See the Pender County Schools district page for the complete list.