Apex High

Summary:

Apex High is a public high school serving around 2,500 students in grades 9-12 in Apex, North Carolina, which is part of the Wake County Schools district. The school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic metrics, maintains a strong statewide ranking, and serves a diverse student population.

Apex High's academic performance is particularly impressive, with students scoring well above the Wake County Schools and North Carolina state averages on end-of-course tests. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Apex High had a 70.1% proficiency rate in Biology EOC, compared to 61.7% for Wake County and 53.4% for the state. The school also has a more diverse student population than some nearby schools, with a racial makeup of 58% White, 10.32% African American, 15.12% Hispanic, and 11.56% Asian. Apex High has maintained a strong statewide ranking, consistently placing in the top 25-30% of North Carolina high schools over the past decade, and has received a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Apex High's overall performance is impressive, its statewide ranking has declined over the years, from a high of 21st in 2013-2014 to 169th in 2023-2024, suggesting increased competition from other high-performing schools in the state. The school also serves a relatively affluent student population, with a low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients. Compared to nearby schools, Apex High outperforms Middle Creek High and Athens Drive High, but faces strong competition from schools like Panther Creek High and Apex Friendship High. Additionally, the nearby Crossroads FLEX virtual high school has also consistently performed well, providing an alternative option for students in the Apex area.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1501 Laura Duncan Road
       Apex, NC  27502


(919) 387-2208

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
169th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,281 Help


Feeder schools for Apex High:

Elementary:    Baucom Elementary
    Salem Elementary
Middle:    Lufkin Road Middle
    Salem Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  2,500

Racial breakdown:

White:
58.0%
Hispanic:
15.1%
Asian:
11.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  20.4% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Apex High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Apex High ranks better than 73.6% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 12th among 32 ranked high schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.47. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (58%), Hispanic (15.1%), Asian (11.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 20.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Apex High is 19.5. 24 high schools in the Wake County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Apex High employs 127.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Apex High is $8,281. 24 high schools in the Wake County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Apex High:

SchoolDigger ranks Apex High 169th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Apex High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Wake County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wake County Schools 59th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Apex High.

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Rank History for Apex High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 76.66 35th 431 91.9%
2007 84.48 15th 453 96.7%
2008 81.44 18th 477 96.2%
2009 84.56 15th 490 96.9%
2010 80.83 18th 499 96.4%
2011 80.79 23rd 506 95.5%
2012 74.06 47th 502 90.6%
2013 74.96 34th 505 93.3%
2014 84.49 21st 451 95.3%
2015 83.54 27th 531 94.9%
2016 77.41 45th 507 91.1%
2017 81.86 37th 476 92.2%
2018 83.86 45th 469 90.4%
2019 75.29 70th 514 86.4%
2021 71.86 144th 594 75.8%
2022 73.36 156th 621 74.9%
2023 71.10 170th 626 72.8%
2024 72.47 169th 640 73.6%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.22 24th 185 87.0%
2019 83.86 20th 195 89.7%
2021 83.80 21st 199 89.4%
2022 81.43 31st 226 86.3%
2023 62.73 75th 249 69.9%
2024 84.12 26th 261 90.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.74 16th 147 89.1%
2019 53.99 48th 173 72.3%
2022 67.13 18th 156 88.5%
2023 66.84 36th 226 84.1%
2024 81.35 20th 262 92.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 80.10 24th 349 93.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.82 210th 424 50.5%
2019 45.31 171st 446 61.7%
2021 35.52 224th 432 48.1%
2022 44.92 248th 544 54.4%
2023 37.84 341st 597 42.9%
2024 50.13 247th 613 59.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.16 43rd 449 90.4%
2019 75.92 68th 475 85.7%
2021 70.68 81st 475 82.9%
2022 72.94 153rd 594 74.2%
2023 69.66 165th 588 71.9%
2024 70.70 173rd 602 71.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.16 44th 349 87.4%
2019 74.16 41st 364 88.7%
2021 66.86 57th 334 82.9%
2022 63.90 66th 330 80.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.49 4th 100 96.0%
2021 62.63 136th 337 59.6%
2022 75.32 79th 398 80.2%
2023 73.00 100th 403 75.2%
2024 70.02 109th 403 73.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 55.82 20th 47 57.4%
2023 55.38 20th 48 58.3%
2024 23.80 42nd 49 14.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.11 49th 463 89.4%
2019 76.80 57th 488 88.3%
2021 71.34 73rd 481 84.8%
2022 72.90 152nd 585 74.0%
2023 71.18 164th 602 72.8%
2024 72.84 159th 607 73.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.07 16th 77 79.2%
2019 74.87 24th 89 73.0%
2021 60.34 40th 83 51.8%
2022 60.00 40th 91 56.0%
2023 71.09 29th 98 70.4%
2024 73.57 29th 101 71.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.32 82nd 359 77.2%
2019 59.90 67th 369 81.8%
2021 72.14 39th 364 89.3%
2022 60.04 122nd 430 71.6%
2023 49.27 169th 434 61.1%
2024 54.45 141st 437 67.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.74 101st 340 70.3%
2019 40.15 176th 354 50.3%
2021 29.13 254th 370 31.4%
2022 40.74 231st 436 47.0%
2023 40.72 247th 449 45.0%
2024 46.14 209th 454 54.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Apex High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.86 44th 427 89.7%
2019 72.83 74th 444 83.3%
2021 72.19 73rd 439 83.4%
2022 77.48 126th 534 76.4%
2023 73.56 142nd 537 73.6%
2024 72.46 158th 553 71.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Apex High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.2)
20%

0%

20%

0%

60%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, May 24, 2019

Open Quote Unfortunately, I cannot rate this school very high. My child attended Apex HS and had only a handful
of decent teachers. The main focus of this school is sports. If you aren’t an athlete, forget it. At the time my child attended the schools, drugs were pretty prevalent and the school did nothing about it. It was a sad situation. This may have improved over time, but the school is so huge, they don’t have time to deal with all the issues. I wish I could say something positive. I recommend touring the school and decide for yourself. Close Quote


Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Open Quote Many /most of the teachers at AHS have burn out and are not invested in teaching. They don't teach effectively and don't work with students or parents who want help and communication. I would only send my kid there if they are a self learner. Close Quote


by a citizen
Thursday, January 9, 2014

Open Quote My family is moving to the Raleigh area and I WAS very interested in Apex high school mainly b/c I thought it "looked" good on paper. I called to ask if I could tour the school while I was in Raleigh. I was told by Student Services they do not give tours. I asked how do prospective students and parents get to see the school. I was told once you register your child at the school, then they come to a type of orientation if they are freshman and upper classman can come during the summer to walk around the building. She then informed me otherwise they would have people school shopping all the time. What a load of crap. No thanks. A school that doesn't give tours has something to HIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most schools love to brag about the facility, the students and their achievements as well as the faculty. Not this one. Close Quote


by a student
Monday, March 21, 2011

Open Quote This is the best school ever absolutely love it. Although the best part is AOIT which i am a part of so we go on all these cool field trips Close Quote



Enrollment information for Apex High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1066 152 6 7 1 n/a n/a 0 1232
1989 1076 134 9 7 1 n/a n/a -1 1226
1990 1036 188 15 9 2 n/a n/a 0 1250
1991 1080 182 19 7 4 n/a n/a 0 1292
1992 1165 193 23 6 5 n/a n/a 0 1392
1993 1275 212 20 12 3 n/a n/a 0 1522
1994 1330 273 26 11 3 n/a n/a 0 1643
1995 1585 271 35 20 1 n/a n/a 0 1912
1996 1585 271 35 20 1 n/a n/a 0 1912
1997 1766 276 43 23 3 n/a n/a 0 2111
1998 1769 242 54 21 0 n/a n/a 0 2086
1999 1900 256 73 42 5 n/a n/a 0 2276
2000 1681 265 60 31 3 n/a n/a 0 2040
2001 1599 268 66 39 4 n/a n/a 0 1976
2002 1585 245 52 87 5 n/a n/a 0 1974
2003 1585 245 52 87 5 n/a n/a 0 1974
2004 1650 230 57 105 5 n/a n/a 0 2047
2005 1745 246 60 106 4 n/a n/a 0 2161
2006 1844 275 81 107 7 n/a n/a 0 2314
2007 1768 194 78 112 4 n/a n/a 44 2200
2008 1763 179 81 116 4 n/a n/a 59 2202
2009 1728 256 88 124 5 n/a n/a 0 2201
2010 1784 259 107 115 4 n/a n/a 0 2269
2011 1745 163 132 199 11 0 91 0 2341
2012 1745 189 142 192 12 0 86 0 2366
2013 1940 189 150 194 8 0 104 0 2585
2014 1869 189 140 203 8 4 114 0 2527
2015 1889 190 142 209 5 4 110 0 2549
2016 1594 192 137 243 8 5 97 0 2276
2017 1368 201 143 248 4 8 85 0 2057
2018 1338 186 168 264 3 3 71 0 2033
2019 1329 196 203 273 4 3 92 0 2100
2020 1392 195 217 270 3 2 91 0 2170
2021 1394 226 211 288 6 3 101 0 2229
2022 1433 261 240 354 7 10 108 0 2413
2023 1450 258 289 378 4 7 114 0 2500

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Apex High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1232 76.0 16.2 3.1
1989 1226 76.0 16.1 8.5
1990 1250 59.0 21.1 4.4
1991 1292 85.0 15.2 4.3
1992 1392 85.0 16.3 2.4
1993 1522 89.0 17.1 3.5
1994 1643 97.0 16.9 4.2
1995 1912 112.0 17.1 4.4
1996 1912 112.0 17.1 4.4
1997 2111 121.0 17.4 3.4
1998 2086 127.0 16.4 3.3
1999 2276 130.0 17.5 4.4
2000 2040 130.0 15.7 4.5
2001 1976 123.0 16.1 20
2002 1974 123.0 16.0 7
2003 1974 123.0 16.0 7
2004 2047 123.0 16.6 9.4
2005 2161 115.0 18.8 7.9
2006 2314 132.0 17.5 8.3
2007 2200 128.7 17.1 8
2008 2202 128.0 17.2 n/a
2009 2201 128.1 17.2 n/a
2010 2269 121.9 18.6 8.9
2011 2341 123.5 18.9 9.7
2012 2366 126.0 18.7 11
2013 2585 132.3 19.5 9.5
2014 2527 130.5 19.3 9.5
2015 2549 132.0 19.3 8.9
2016 2276 124.0 18.3 12.1
2017 2057 109.5 18.7 13.2
2018 2033 108.5 18.7 15
2019 2100 107.1 19.5 14.3
2020 2170 111.8 19.3 12.9
2021 2229 112.7 19.7 14.8
2022 2413 122.5 19.6 10.7
2023 2500 127.7 19.5 20.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Apex High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1232 76.0 16.2 3.1
1989 1226 76.0 16.1 8.5
1990 1250 59.0 21.1 4.4
1991 1292 85.0 15.2 4.3
1992 1392 85.0 16.3 2.4
1993 1522 89.0 17.1 3.5
1994 1643 97.0 16.9 4.2
1995 1912 112.0 17.1 4.4
1996 1912 112.0 17.1 4.4
1997 2111 121.0 17.4 3.4
1998 2086 127.0 16.4 3.3
1999 2276 130.0 17.5 4.4
2000 2040 130.0 15.7 4.5
2001 1976 123.0 16.1 20
2002 1974 123.0 16.0 7
2003 1974 123.0 16.0 7
2004 2047 123.0 16.6 9.4
2005 2161 115.0 18.8 7.9
2006 2314 132.0 17.5 8.3
2007 2200 128.7 17.1 8
2008 2202 128.0 17.2 n/a
2009 2201 128.1 17.2 n/a
2010 2269 121.9 18.6 8.9
2011 2341 123.5 18.9 9.7
2012 2366 126.0 18.7 11
2013 2585 132.3 19.5 9.5
2014 2527 130.5 19.3 9.5
2015 2549 132.0 19.3 8.9
2016 2276 124.0 18.3 12.1
2017 2057 109.5 18.7 13.2
2018 2033 108.5 18.7 15
2019 2100 107.1 19.5 14.3
2020 2170 111.8 19.3 12.9
2021 2229 112.7 19.7 14.8
2022 2413 122.5 19.6 10.7
2023 2500 127.7 19.5 20.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Apex High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $390 (4.7%) $7,891 (95.3%) $8,280

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Apex High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 70th of 514 High schoolsRanks 170th of 626 High schools
 13.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Apex High)73.566.6
 6.9%
   End of Course Biology (Wake County Schools)66.162
 4.1%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Apex High)80.172.6
 7.5%
   End of Course English II (Wake County Schools)68.671.4
 2.8%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Apex High)5053.5
 3.5%
   End of Course Math I (Wake County Schools)34.633
 1.6%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Apex High)64.873.2
 8.4%
   End of Course Math III (Wake County Schools)53.571.4
 17.9%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students21002500
 19%
African American196258
 31.6%
American Indian44
Asian203289
 42.4%
Hispanic273378
 38.5%
Pacific Islander37
 133.3%
White13291450
 9.1%
Two or More Races92114
 23.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients14.3%20.4%
 6.2%


Schools Near Apex High









Frequently Asked Questions about Apex High

Apex High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Baucom Elementary
Elementary : Salem Elementary
Middle : Lufkin Road Middle
Middle : Salem Middle

Students at Apex High are 58% White, 15% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 10% African American, 5% Two or more races.

Apex High ranks 169th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,500 students attended Apex High.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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