- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Hampstead, NC
Topsail High
Federal NCES profile for Topsail High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370357001469
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Topsail High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #2 of 7
- public schools in Hampstead · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.7:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 20.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Topsail High has class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Topsail High ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Hampstead, NC.
School address
District: Pender County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370357001469 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+111 students YoY
Topsail High grew from 1,777 students in 2022-23 to 1,888 in 2023-24 (+6.2%).
Teacher FTE added 82.5 → 88.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+111 students YoY 370357001469 · Hampstead, NC High · MID · TRAD
1,945 enr · 23.7:1 · 20.3% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Surf City Elementary (857 students)
Topsail High grew from 1,777 students in 2022-23 to 1,888 in 2023-24 (+6.2%). Teacher FTE added 82.5 → 88.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Topsail High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- This school
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
- Pender High 648
Pender High
648 students
What this shows Topsail High reports 1,945 students on the CCD universe file.
How Topsail High compares
Topsail High is a growing campus on CCD: 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 50% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.3% | ▼ 69% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,945 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,945
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
20.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 50% above state mean
Top 95% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.2%
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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
101
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 82.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%
Two or More 5.7%
African American 3.1%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.1, Topsail High is less mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
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 Topsail High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf City Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Topsail Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Surf City Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heide Trask High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pender High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Topsail High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 648
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
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 (~1,945 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Topsail High
How many students attend Topsail High?
Topsail High has 1,945 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hampstead, NC. CCD year-over-year: 1,777 (2022-23) → 1,888 (2023-24), up 111.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Topsail High?
The student-teacher ratio at Topsail High is 23.7:1, which is 50% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Topsail High?
20.3% of students at Topsail High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Topsail High?
The largest demographic group at Topsail High is White at 82.4% of enrollment, in Hampstead, NC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Topsail High?
Topsail High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Topsail High rank among public schools in Hampstead?
By Resource Investment Index, Topsail High ranks #2 of 7 public schools in Hampstead, 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 Hampstead on the city page.
What other schools are in Pender County Schools?
Besides Topsail High, Pender County Schools also operates Surf City Elementary (857 students), Topsail Middle (837 students), and Surf City Middle (752 students). See the Pender County Schools district page for the complete list.