Enrollment
803
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Jacksonville, NC
Southwest High
Federal NCES profile for Southwest High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370345001431
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southwest High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools.
- #3 of 5
- high schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 49.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southwest High has class sizes larger than 91% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Jacksonville, NC.
School address
District: Onslow County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370345001431 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southwest High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southwest High
Southwest High is a mid-sized high school in Jacksonville, North Carolina, enrolling 803 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.6:1 is larger than about 91% of North Carolina schools and 30% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 803 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 420 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #246.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 229 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Jacksonville's high schools, it stands alongside Jacksonville High (1,441 students): Southwest High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 20.3:1).
Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students) and White Oak High (1,252 students) alongside Southwest 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 Southwest High compares
Southwest 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 | 20.6:1 | ▲ 30% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.0% | ▼ 26% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 803 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
803
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 91% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.0%
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
$10,680
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
Counselors3.5 FTE
Per 229 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
92
in-school suspensions + 58 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.7 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 52.8%
African American 20.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%
Two or More 10.5%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 52.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Southwest High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Onslow County Schools, which includes Southwest High.
$10,680
Per student
-11%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.1%
State 57.2%
Federal 21.7%
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 Southwest High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| White Oak High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Swansboro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dixon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southwest High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,441
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar high schools in Jacksonville
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Jacksonville High
Standard public school
1,441 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
White Oak High
Standard public school
1,252 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Northside High
Standard public school
1,067 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Onslow Early College
Standard public school
189 students 31.5:1 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 (~803 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southwest High's federal record.
- Compare Southwest High against another school. Compare schools
- Onslow 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 Southwest High
How many students attend Southwest High?
Southwest High has 803 students enrolled. It is a high school in Jacksonville, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southwest High?
The student-teacher ratio at Southwest High is 20.6:1, which is 30% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southwest High?
49.0% of students at Southwest High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southwest High?
The largest demographic group at Southwest High is White at 52.8% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southwest High?
Southwest High has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Southwest High rank among high schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Southwest High ranks #3 of 5 high schools in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville on the city page.
Is Southwest High a good school?
Southwest High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% 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 Onslow County Schools?
Besides Southwest High, Onslow County Schools also operates Jacksonville High (1,441 students), White Oak High (1,252 students), and Swansboro High (1,232 students). See the Onslow 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.