Enrollment
1,648
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Raleigh, NC
Sanderson High
Federal NCES profile for Sanderson High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370472001892
👥 S:T ratio 29
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sanderson High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #10 of 14
- high schools in Raleigh · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 35.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sanderson High has class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sanderson High ranks #10 of 14 high schools in Raleigh, NC.
School address
District: Wake County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370472001892 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.8%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sanderson High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sanderson High
Sanderson High is a large high school in Raleigh, North Carolina, enrolling 1,648 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,648 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 120 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #70.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 330 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 12 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Raleigh's high schools, it stands alongside Enloe High (2,643 students): Sanderson High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.7:1 vs 18.5:1).
Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students) and Enloe High (2,643 students) alongside Sanderson 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 Sanderson High compares
Sanderson 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 12% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.8% | ▼ 46% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,648 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,648
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 78% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
35.4%
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
$11,859
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 330 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
173
in-school suspensions + 98 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 12 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
White 47.3%
African American 23.3%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 47.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.4, Sanderson 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 Wake County Schools, which includes Sanderson High.
$11,859
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 54.5%
Federal 16.6%
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 Sanderson High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Friendship High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Enloe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Panther Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Millbrook High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apex High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sanderson High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,748
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 2,643
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,609
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,498
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,449
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Raleigh
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Enloe High
Standard public school
2,643 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Millbrook High
Standard public school
2,498 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Leesville Road High
Standard public school
2,411 students 19:1 students per teacher
Athens Drive High
Standard public school
2,156 students 17:1 students per teacher
Needham Broughton High
Standard public school
2,153 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Wakefield High
Standard public school
2,065 students 19.1:1 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 (~1,648 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sanderson High's federal record.
- Compare Sanderson High against another school. Compare schools
- Wake 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 Sanderson High
How many students attend Sanderson High?
Sanderson High has 1,648 students enrolled. It is a high school in Raleigh, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sanderson High?
The student-teacher ratio at Sanderson High is 17.7:1, which is 12% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sanderson High?
35.8% of students at Sanderson High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sanderson High?
The largest demographic group at Sanderson High is White at 47.3% of enrollment, in Raleigh, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sanderson High?
Sanderson High has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Sanderson High rank among high schools in Raleigh?
By Resource Investment Index, Sanderson High ranks #10 of 14 high schools in Raleigh, 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 Raleigh on the city page.
Is Sanderson High a good school?
Sanderson High earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of North Carolina schools. 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 Wake County Schools?
Besides Sanderson High, Wake County Schools also operates Apex Friendship High (2,748 students), Enloe High (2,643 students), and Panther Creek High (2,609 students). See the Wake 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.