Cary High

Summary:

Cary High is a public high school serving 2,145 students in grades 9-12 in Cary, North Carolina, which is part of the Wake County Schools district. The school has a relatively diverse student population, with a mix of academic performance outcomes compared to the district and state averages.

Cary High's academic performance, as measured by end-of-course test scores, is generally on par with or slightly below the Wake County Schools and North Carolina averages. The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with White and multi-racial students performing better than Hispanic and English Language Learner students. Cary High has also seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 20.76% in 2021-2022 to 39.16% in 2022-2023, suggesting a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to nearby high-performing schools, such as Raleigh Charter High School, Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy, and Green Hope High, Cary High's performance is generally lower, with higher end-of-course proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. Addressing the achievement gaps between different student subgroups and improving the school's overall academic performance should be priorities for Cary High.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 638 Walnut St
       Cary, NC  27511-4224


(919) 460-3549

District: Wake County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
296th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,602 Help


Feeder schools for Cary High:

Elementary:    Briarcliff Elementary
    Cary Elementary
    Northwoods Elementary
Middle:    Reedy Creek Middle
    West Cary Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  17.4 Help
Number of students:  2,136

Racial breakdown:

White:
43.8%
Hispanic:
28.5%
African American:
17.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  41.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Cary High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cary High ranks better than 53.8% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 22nd 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 50.54. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Cary High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (43.8%), Hispanic (28.5%), African American (17%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 41.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cary High is 17.4, which is the 12th best among 32 high schools in the Wake County Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cary High employs 122.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cary High is $8,602. 22 high schools in the Wake County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cary High:

SchoolDigger ranks Cary High 296th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Cary 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:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented 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:

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Rank History for Cary High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 79.00 23rd 431 94.7%
2007 77.19 34th 453 92.5%
2008 74.92 44th 477 90.8%
2009 78.32 29th 490 94.1%
2010 72.45 59th 499 88.2%
2011 74.87 55th 506 89.1%
2012 63.91 110th 502 78.1%
2013 67.07 58th 505 88.5%
2014 75.65 45th 451 90.0%
2015 66.29 92nd 531 82.7%
2016 67.45 81st 507 84.0%
2017 68.89 86th 476 81.9%
2018 68.47 109th 469 76.8%
2019 53.85 180th 514 65.0%
2021 54.70 245th 594 58.8%
2022 61.42 222nd 621 64.3%
2023 54.51 260th 626 58.5%
2024 50.54 296th 640 53.8%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.69 34th 185 81.6%
2019 88.65 15th 195 92.3%
2021 84.33 19th 199 90.5%
2022 64.75 59th 226 73.9%
2023 57.43 93rd 249 62.7%
2024 66.80 73rd 261 72.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.54 77th 147 47.6%
2019 32.60 126th 173 27.2%
2021 53.52 35th 124 71.8%
2022 43.66 66th 156 57.7%
2023 36.77 120th 226 46.9%
2024 33.71 172nd 262 34.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 71.87 47th 349 86.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.72 124th 424 70.8%
2019 40.14 215th 446 51.8%
2021 36.59 218th 432 49.5%
2022 44.20 252nd 544 53.7%
2023 38.24 337th 597 43.6%
2024 35.21 377th 613 38.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 50.33 12th 34 64.7%
2023 61.02 13th 45 71.1%
2024 26.09 42nd 47 10.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.09 105th 449 76.6%
2019 52.62 183rd 475 61.5%
2021 52.47 176th 475 62.9%
2022 60.96 219th 594 63.1%
2023 54.90 256th 588 56.5%
2024 50.42 288th 602 52.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.86 18th 349 94.8%
2019 58.84 99th 364 72.8%
2021 57.06 90th 334 73.1%
2022 64.19 63rd 330 80.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 42.13 222nd 325 31.7%
2021 54.05 185th 337 45.1%
2022 78.21 52nd 398 86.9%
2023 62.99 172nd 403 57.3%
2024 61.65 184th 403 54.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.63 103rd 463 77.8%
2019 53.49 179th 488 63.3%
2021 54.88 145th 481 69.9%
2022 60.43 201st 585 65.6%
2023 52.78 260th 602 56.8%
2024 49.57 292nd 607 51.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.12 31st 77 59.7%
2019 47.02 53rd 89 40.4%
2021 40.40 58th 83 30.1%
2022 58.17 44th 91 51.6%
2023 50.12 55th 98 43.9%
2024 54.08 57th 101 43.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.01 91st 359 74.7%
2019 48.56 125th 369 66.1%
2021 40.01 160th 364 56.0%
2022 60.74 119th 430 72.3%
2023 49.74 165th 434 62.0%
2024 45.73 198th 437 54.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.18 150th 340 55.9%
2019 32.14 236th 354 33.3%
2021 35.63 216th 370 41.6%
2022 34.42 277th 436 36.5%
2023 30.64 314th 449 30.1%
2024 25.68 351st 454 22.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cary High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.26 59th 427 86.2%
2019 65.45 107th 444 75.9%
2021 72.26 72nd 439 83.6%
2022 82.31 94th 534 82.4%
2023 74.97 136th 537 74.7%
2024 73.22 155th 553 72.0%
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.

Cary 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: 3.5)
50%

0%

0%

50%

0%

  

by a parent
Friday, May 24, 2019

Open Quote The class sizes are huge. Teachers are doing their best, but the budget cuts have effected the quality of education. Certain classes have been cut which makes it difficult for placement of students in the appropriate classes. Lower the teacher: student ratio!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Cary High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1106 233 36 5 4 n/a n/a 0 1384
1989 981 208 33 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1227
1990 1200 238 42 12 3 n/a n/a 0 1495
1991 1183 236 48 10 2 n/a n/a 0 1479
1992 1247 224 48 13 2 n/a n/a 0 1534
1993 1318 235 49 16 3 n/a n/a 0 1621
1994 1318 313 54 23 3 n/a n/a 0 1711
1995 1413 279 64 32 8 n/a n/a 0 1796
1996 1413 279 64 32 8 n/a n/a 0 1796
1997 1533 299 77 51 7 n/a n/a 0 1967
1998 1561 315 94 43 10 n/a n/a 0 2023
1999 1552 316 136 83 4 n/a n/a 0 2091
2000 1341 240 149 83 4 n/a n/a 0 1817
2001 1276 238 139 86 3 n/a n/a 0 1742
2002 1367 300 129 119 6 n/a n/a 0 1921
2003 1367 300 129 119 6 n/a n/a 0 1921
2004 1507 384 151 161 6 n/a n/a 0 2209
2005 1550 479 171 203 7 n/a n/a 0 2410
2006 1541 553 185 214 6 n/a n/a 0 2499
2007 1299 332 147 194 3 n/a n/a 73 2048
2008 1107 317 110 216 1 n/a n/a 67 1818
2009 1040 375 96 237 3 n/a n/a 0 1751
2010 1181 469 114 256 10 n/a n/a 0 2030
2011 1231 387 128 379 15 0 110 0 2250
2012 1213 406 126 404 15 0 116 0 2280
2013 1231 467 131 420 15 0 115 0 2379
2014 1206 463 132 417 12 3 116 0 2349
2015 1238 476 137 434 12 3 96 0 2396
2016 1187 465 136 495 13 3 99 0 2398
2017 1176 448 151 556 14 5 108 0 2458
2018 1130 432 144 572 12 4 96 0 2390
2019 1064 390 128 596 12 4 93 0 2287
2020 961 387 123 597 10 3 102 0 2183
2021 921 357 125 569 7 1 91 0 2071
2022 916 357 108 585 5 4 96 0 2071
2023 912 392 108 626 4 4 99 0 2145
2024 935 363 122 608 5 3 100 0 2136

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 Cary High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1384 87.0 15.9 4.7
1989 1227 87.0 14.1 12.5
1990 1495 71.0 21.0 7.1
1991 1479 99.0 14.9 7.2
1992 1534 99.0 15.4 2.9
1993 1621 99.0 16.4 3.9
1994 1711 104.0 16.5 4.6
1995 1796 111.0 16.2 6.3
1996 1796 111.0 16.2 6.3
1997 1967 114.0 17.3 5.8
1998 2023 125.0 16.2 5.6
1999 2091 124.0 16.9 7.7
2000 1817 124.0 14.7 9.7
2001 1742 118.0 14.8 11.9
2002 1921 119.0 16.1 13.4
2003 1921 119.0 16.1 13.4
2004 2209 119.0 18.6 17.3
2005 2410 131.0 18.4 17.9
2006 2499 160.0 15.6 18.4
2007 2048 128.7 15.9 17.9
2008 1818 119.6 15.2 n/a
2009 1751 113.6 15.4 n/a
2010 2030 116.6 17.4 26.4
2011 2250 123.8 18.1 29.6
2012 2280 125.0 18.2 30.7
2013 2379 131.6 18.0 33.7
2014 2349 129.9 18.0 31.6
2015 2396 136.0 17.6 31.6
2016 2398 136.0 17.6 32.4
2017 2458 136.0 18.0 32.1
2018 2390 133.5 17.9 29.6
2019 2287 126.1 18.1 29.1
2020 2183 121.0 18.0 28
2021 2071 119.7 17.2 27.7
2022 2071 120.5 17.1 20.8
2023 2145 122.1 17.5 39.2
2024 2136 122.6 17.4 41.7

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 Cary High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1384 87.0 15.9 4.7
1989 1227 87.0 14.1 12.5
1990 1495 71.0 21.0 7.1
1991 1479 99.0 14.9 7.2
1992 1534 99.0 15.4 2.9
1993 1621 99.0 16.4 3.9
1994 1711 104.0 16.5 4.6
1995 1796 111.0 16.2 6.3
1996 1796 111.0 16.2 6.3
1997 1967 114.0 17.3 5.8
1998 2023 125.0 16.2 5.6
1999 2091 124.0 16.9 7.7
2000 1817 124.0 14.7 9.7
2001 1742 118.0 14.8 11.9
2002 1921 119.0 16.1 13.4
2003 1921 119.0 16.1 13.4
2004 2209 119.0 18.6 17.3
2005 2410 131.0 18.4 17.9
2006 2499 160.0 15.6 18.4
2007 2048 128.7 15.9 17.9
2008 1818 119.6 15.2 n/a
2009 1751 113.6 15.4 n/a
2010 2030 116.6 17.4 26.4
2011 2250 123.8 18.1 29.6
2012 2280 125.0 18.2 30.7
2013 2379 131.6 18.0 33.7
2014 2349 129.9 18.0 31.6
2015 2396 136.0 17.6 31.6
2016 2398 136.0 17.6 32.4
2017 2458 136.0 18.0 32.1
2018 2390 133.5 17.9 29.6
2019 2287 126.1 18.1 29.1
2020 2183 121.0 18.0 28
2021 2071 119.7 17.2 27.7
2022 2071 120.5 17.1 20.8
2023 2145 122.1 17.5 39.2
2024 2136 122.6 17.4 41.7

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 Cary High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $403 (4.7%) $8,198 (95.3%) $8,602

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Cary 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 180th of 514 High schoolsRanks 260th of 626 High schools
 6.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Cary High)70.259
 11.2%
   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 (Cary High)66.461.4
 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 (Cary High)2828.2
 0.2%
   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 (Cary High)49.775.7
 26%
   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 Students22872145
 6.2%
African American390392
 0.5%
American Indian124
 66.7%
Asian128108
 15.6%
Hispanic596626
 5%
Pacific Islander44
White1064912
 14.3%
Two or More Races9399
 6.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients29.1%39.2%
 10.1%


Schools Near Cary High









Frequently Asked Questions about Cary High

Students at Cary High are 44% White, 28% Hispanic, 17% African American, 6% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Cary High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Briarcliff Elementary
Elementary : Cary Elementary
Elementary : Northwoods Elementary
Middle : Reedy Creek Middle
Middle : West Cary Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,136 students attended Cary High.

Cary High ranks 296th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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