Best Student-Teacher Ratios in North Carolina

The schools in North Carolina with the lowest student-teacher ratios offer smaller class sizes, which research links to better academic outcomes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The top-ranked school, Shaw Academy, has a ratio of just 4.1:1.

The North Carolina state average is 16.4:1, compared to the national average of 15.7:1. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded to ensure meaningful comparisons.

4.1:1
Best Ratio
Shaw Academy
16.4:1
State Average
15.7:1
National Average
50
Schools Listed
# School Student:Teacher Enrollment
1. Shaw Academy Laurinburg 4.1:1
-75% vs state
122
2. Phillips High Raleigh 4.3:1
-74% vs state
123
3. Marjorie Williams Academy Newland 4.4:1
-73% vs state
130
4. Gateway Education Center Greensboro 4.6:1
-72% vs state
146
5. Haynes Inman Education Center Jamestown 5.2:1
-68% vs state
135
6. Northview Academy Statesville 5.9:1
-64% vs state
108
7. Lowrance Middle Winston Salem 6:1
-63% vs state
129
8. Performance Learning Center Charlotte 6.2:1
-62% vs state
278
9. Metro School Charlotte 6.6:1
-60% vs state
258
10. Career Academy and Technical School Troutman 6.9:1
-58% vs state
103
11. Community High School Swannanoa 7:1
-57% vs state
127
12. Ocracoke School Ocracoke 7.5:1
-54% vs state
139
13. Barnardsville Elementary Barnardsville 7.6:1
-54% vs state
125
14. Turning Point Academy Shelby 7.7:1
-53% vs state
142
15. Conover Special Education Conover 7.8:1
-52% vs state
107
16. Bethel Elementary Sugar Grove 7.9:1
-52% vs state
128
17. Philip J Weaver Ed Center Greensboro 8:1
-51% vs state
260
18. Movement School Southwest Charlotte 8.1:1
-51% vs state
284
19. Webb Street School Gastonia 8.2:1
-50% vs state
163
20. Asheville Peak Academy Asheville 8.2:1
-50% vs state
161
21. Mabel Elementary Zionville 8.2:1
-50% vs state
140
22. Bugg Elementary Raleigh 8.3:1
-49% vs state
345
23. Alamance Virtual School Burlington 8.4:1
-49% vs state
203
24. Southeast Elementary Kinston 8.6:1
-48% vs state
326
25. Durham'S Performance Learning Center Durham 8.6:1
-48% vs state
122
26. Poe Elementary Raleigh 8.8:1
-46% vs state
324
27. Henderson County Career Academy Flat Rock 8.9:1
-46% vs state
114
28. Madison High School Marshall 9:1
-45% vs state
377
29. Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School Hollister 9:1
-45% vs state
140
30. Powell Elementary Raleigh 9.2:1
-44% vs state
335
31. Career Readiness Academy at Mosley Plc Wilmington 9.2:1
-44% vs state
150
32. North Kannapolis Elementary Kannapolis 9.3:1
-43% vs state
296
33. Druid Hills Academy Charlotte 9.3:1
-43% vs state
288
34. Woods Charter Chapel Hill 9.4:1
-43% vs state
515
35. Ecu Community School Greenville 9.5:1
-42% vs state
108
36. Little River K-8 School Durham 9.6:1
-41% vs state
326
37. Bennett School Bennett 9.6:1
-41% vs state
187
38. Woodfin Elementary Asheville 9.6:1
-41% vs state
111
39. Saluda Elementary School Saluda 9.7:1
-41% vs state
142
40. Kearns Academy High Point 9.7:1
-41% vs state
108
41. Highlands School Highlands 9.8:1
-40% vs state
344
42. Rosman High Rosman 9.8:1
-40% vs state
254
43. Partnership Elementary Raleigh 9.9:1
-40% vs state
276
44. Selma Middle School Selma 10:1
-39% vs state
339
45. C C Spaulding Elementary Durham 10:1
-39% vs state
247
46. Weldon Stem High School Career Academies Weldon 10:1
-39% vs state
145
47. Cape Hatteras Secondary School Buxton 10.1:1
-38% vs state
364
48. Cove Creek Elementary Vilas 10.1:1
-38% vs state
289
49. West Smithfield Elementary Smithfield 10.2:1
-38% vs state
494
50. Underwood Elementary Raleigh 10.3:1
-37% vs state
405
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data (CCD), 2022-23 school year. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded.
Largest Schools in North Carolina → Highest-Spending Districts → Chronic Absenteeism →

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.