The largest public schools in North Carolina
NC Virtual Academy in Durham was North Carolina's largest public school in 2024-25, with 3,482 students. 2 of the 15 largest teach online; their enrollment comes from across the state.
NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · ranked by fall 2024 membership, schools open that year · method
The chart draws the top of the register below; its source is named under the register.
The 50 largest, with their teachers
| School | City | Students | Per teacher | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Virtual Academy | Durham | 3,482 | 18.7 | Yes |
| Myers Park High School | Charlotte | 3,225 | 20.9 | No |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Charlotte | 3,036 | 20.8 | No |
| Apex Friendship High | Apex | 2,748 | 21.1 | No |
| Enloe High | Raleigh | 2,643 | 17.7 | No |
| Wake Preparatory Academy | Wake Forest | 2,617 | 21.5 | No |
| Panther Creek High | Cary | 2,609 | 20.4 | No |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Charlotte | 2,534 | 17.8 | No |
| William Amos Hough High | Cornelius | 2,518 | 21.1 | No |
| Millbrook High | Raleigh | 2,498 | 18.2 | No |
| North Carolina Cyber Academy | Durham | 2,461 | 17.1 | Yes |
| Apex High | Apex | 2,449 | 19.9 | No |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Charlotte | 2,422 | 18.5 | No |
| Leesville Road High | Raleigh | 2,411 | 19.6 | No |
| Palisades High School | Charlotte | 2,332 | 21.4 | No |
The other 35 on the list
| School | City | Students | Per teacher | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolesville High | Rolesville | 2,321 | 18.4 | No |
| Lincoln Charter School | Denver | 2,316 | 16.5 | No |
| Green Hope High | Cary | 2,304 | 20.5 | No |
| Pinecrest High | Southern Pines | 2,290 | 27.6 | No |
| Green Level High | Cary | 2,283 | 20.5 | No |
| Emsley A Laney High | Wilmington | 2,243 | 20.2 | No |
| Julius L. Chambers High School | Charlotte | 2,225 | 18.9 | No |
| Willow Spring High | Fuquay Varina | 2,223 | 20.3 | No |
| Lake Norman Charter | Huntersville | 2,222 | 17.8 | No |
| C E Jordan High | Durham | 2,189 | 20.9 | No |
| Corinth Holders High | Wendell | 2,187 | 23.2 | No |
| Union Academy | Monroe | 2,186 | 15.8 | No |
| Providence High School | Charlotte | 2,167 | 20.6 | No |
| Athens Drive High | Raleigh | 2,156 | 17.2 | No |
| Needham Broughton High | Raleigh | 2,153 | 18.2 | No |
| Uwharrie Charter Academy | Asheboro | 2,145 | 16.2 | No |
| West Forsyth High | Clemmons | 2,145 | 18.5 | No |
| Ronald W Reagan High School | Pfafftown | 2,122 | 18.4 | No |
| Hoke County High | Raeford | 2,110 | 18.7 | No |
| American Leadership Academy - Johnston | Clayton | 2,082 | 22.7 | No |
| John T Hoggard High | Wilmington | 2,082 | 19.6 | No |
| Mallard Creek High School | Charlotte | 2,068 | 19.0 | No |
| Wakefield High | Raleigh | 2,065 | 19.5 | No |
| Northwest Guilford High | Greensboro | 2,055 | 20.5 | No |
| Cary High | Cary | 2,044 | 17.5 | No |
| Wake Forest High School | Wake Forest | 2,043 | 18.8 | No |
| Independence High School | Charlotte | 2,024 | 17.5 | No |
| Holly Springs High | Holly Springs | 2,018 | 19.7 | No |
| West Charlotte High School | Charlotte | 2,008 | 19.7 | No |
| Overhills High | Spring Lake | 1,981 | 26.8 | No |
| Grimsley High | Greensboro | 1,967 | 20.0 | No |
| Piedmont Community Charter School | Gastonia | 1,963 | 15.2 | No |
| Marvin Ridge High | Waxhaw | 1,961 | 20.3 | No |
| Topsail High | Hampstead | 1,945 | 29.1 | No |
| Jack Britt High | Fayetteville | 1,940 | 25.0 | No |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: membership, staff and the directory's virtual-status field.
More lists for North Carolina
- 01Public schools in North Carolina
The state hub: schools, students, districts
- 02Every school district
Directory, 2024-25
- 03Fewest students per teacher
Schools, 2024-25
- 04Highest-spending districts
F-33 fiscal year 2022-23
- 05Teacher salary spending by district
F-33 fiscal year 2022-23
- 06Largest schools in the U.S.
The national list
Sources
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25