Enrollment
340
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Monroe, NC
Union County Early College
Federal NCES profile for Union County Early College, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370462002893
👥 S:T ratio 3
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 66
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Union County Early College earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools.
- #1 of 6
- high schools in Monroe · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.3:1
- large classes for North Carolina
- 33.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Union County Early College has class sizes larger than 95% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Union County Early College ranks #1 of 6 high schools in Monroe, NC.
School address
District: Union County Public Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370462002893 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
+54% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.0%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Union County Early College compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Union County Early College
Union County Early College is a mid-sized high school in Monroe, North Carolina, enrolling 340 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24.3:1 is larger than about 95% of North Carolina schools and 54% 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 33.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 340 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 164 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%) (diversity index 63/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 170 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Monroe's high schools, it stands alongside Sun Valley High (1,272 students): Union County Early College is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.3:1 vs 16.5:1).
Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students) and Weddington High (1,899 students) alongside Union County Early College.
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 Union County Early College compares
Union County Early College 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 | 24.3:1 | ▲ 54% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.0% | ▼ 50% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 340 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
340
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 54% above state mean
Top 95% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
7.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,010
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 170 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 47.6%
Hispanic or Latino 36.8%
African American 7.4%
Asian 6.2%
Two or More 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Union County Early College is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Union County Public Schools, which includes Union County Early College.
$11,010
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.9%
State 55.8%
Federal 15.3%
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 Union County Early College Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Ridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Weddington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cuthbertson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Porter Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Union County Early College's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,961
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,899
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,857
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,809
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,447
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar high schools in Monroe
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Sun Valley High
Standard public school
1,272 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Piedmont High
Standard public school
1,270 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Monroe High
Standard public school
1,215 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Parkwood High
Standard public school
1,082 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Central Academy of Technology and Arts
Standard public school
875 students 17.2:1 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 (~340 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Union County Early College's federal record.
- Compare Union County Early College against another school. Compare schools
- Union County 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 Union County Early College
How many students attend Union County Early College?
Union County Early College has 340 students enrolled. It is a high school in Monroe, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Union County Early College?
The student-teacher ratio at Union County Early College is 24.3:1, which is 54% higher than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Union County Early College?
33.0% of students at Union County Early College are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Union County Early College?
The largest demographic group at Union County Early College is White at 47.6% of enrollment, in Monroe, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Union County Early College?
Union County Early College has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Union County Early College rank among high schools in Monroe?
By Resource Investment Index, Union County Early College ranks #1 of 6 high schools in Monroe, 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 Monroe on the city page.
Is Union County Early College a good school?
Union County Early College earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Union County Public Schools?
Besides Union County Early College, Union County Public Schools also operates Marvin Ridge High (1,961 students), Weddington High (1,899 students), and Cuthbertson High (1,857 students). See the Union County 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.