Durham County Schools & Education
Durham County, North Carolina
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
80.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
80.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 88.0%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,673
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,969
School Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 40/100
State Score Position
#62
of 100 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Durham County
Measured School Summary
Durham County faces educational challenges with a school score of 33/100 and a graduation rate of 80.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,673 per pupil, Durham County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 17% below the North Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 7.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Durham County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
72 public schools and 17 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
33/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #62 of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data.
Completion
80.2%
7.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,673
$704 above the state average
School coverage
72
17 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Durham County has 72 public schools across 17 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Durham County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
Durham Public Schools carries most of the listed public-school system, with 56 of 72 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#62
of 100 North Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Durham Public Schools
Elementary to high school visible
31,531 students
56 listed schools in this county slice.
NC Virtual Academy
Other grade structure
3,047 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
North Carolina Cyber Academy
Other grade structure
2,372 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Voyager Academy
Other grade structure
1,361 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Durham Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 56 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Durham County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Durham County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Comparison context
Compare Durham County With Nearby School Markets
Durham County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.
Research Triangle
Wake County vs Durham County vs Orange County Schools
This guide is built for families comparing Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and nearby communities using county-level education signals.
Compared with
Wake County, NC and Orange County, NC
Current leader
Orange County, NC at 72/100
Graduation-rate leader: Orange County, NC at 92.3%
Education Overview
About Schools in Durham County, North Carolina
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Dense and Diverse Urban School Market
Durham County features 72 public schools and 17 districts serving a total of 44,718 students. The system is composed of 39 elementary, 11 middle, and 14 high schools, along with eight specialized campuses. This complex landscape offers a wide variety of educational pathways for residents.
A Major Hub for Charter School Choice
Durham Public Schools manages 31,531 students, while 16 charter schools serve a massive 22.2% of the local student population. Large virtual options like NC Virtual Academy and NC Cyber Academy collectively serve over 5,000 students. This high concentration of charters makes Durham one of the most choice-heavy markets in the state.
City Classrooms and Massive High Schools
The educational experience is overwhelmingly urban, with 59 schools located in city settings. C E Jordan High and Riverside High are major anchors with nearly 2,000 students each. While the average school size is 639 students, the presence of large virtual and magnet schools provides a modern, fast-paced educational feel.
School Overview
Total Schools
72
in Durham County
Reported Enrollment
44,718
72 schools reporting
School Districts
17
districts
Charter Schools
16
22% of total
School Level Breakdown
17 School Districts in Durham County
Durham Public Schools
GuideNC Virtual Academy
North Carolina Cyber Academy
Voyager Academy
Excelsior Classical Academy
Research Triangle Charter
Durham Charter School
Maureen Joy Charter
Central Park School For Children
Research Triangle High School
72 Public Schools in Durham County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 10 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 72 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Virtual Academy | Profile | NC Virtual Academy | Durham, 27713City: Large | KG–12 | CharterVirtual | 3,047 |
| North Carolina Cyber Academy | Profile | North Carolina Cyber Academy | Durham, 27713City: Large | KG–12 | CharterVirtual | 2,372 |
| C E Jordan High | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27707City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,040 |
| Riverside High | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27712City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,812 |
| Durham School of the Arts | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27701City: Large | 6–12 | High | 1,705 |
| Hillside High | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27707City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,526 |
| Voyager Academy | Profile | Voyager Academy | Durham, 27704City: Large | KG–12 | Charter | 1,361 |
| Northern High | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27712City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,308 |
| Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi | Profile | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27703City: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,283 |
| Excelsior Classical Academy | Profile | Excelsior Classical Academy | Durham, 27704City: Large | KG–11 | Charter | 987 |
| Neal Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27704Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 789 |
| Sherwood Githens Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27707City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 763 |
| George L Carrington Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27712City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 755 |
| Brogden Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27704City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 742 |
| Pearsontown Elementary | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27713City: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 726 |
| Lowe's Grove Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27713City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 700 |
| Research Triangle Charter | Record | Research Triangle Charter | Durham, 27703City: Large | KG–8 | Charter | 693 |
| Southwest Elementary | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27713City: Large | PK–5 | Primary | 663 |
| Durham Charter School | Record | Durham Charter School | Durham, 27701City: Large | KG–9 | Charter | 643 |
| Rogers-Herr Middle | Record | Durham Public Schools | Durham, 27707City: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 643 |
NC Virtual Academy
NC Virtual Academy
Durham, 27713 / City: Large
North Carolina Cyber Academy
North Carolina Cyber Academy
Durham, 27713 / City: Large
C E Jordan High
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27707 / City: Large
Riverside High
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27712 / City: Large
Durham School of the Arts
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27701 / City: Large
Hillside High
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27707 / City: Large
Voyager Academy
Voyager Academy
Durham, 27704 / City: Large
Northern High
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27712 / City: Large
Southern School of Energy and Sustainabi
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27703 / City: Large
Excelsior Classical Academy
Excelsior Classical Academy
Durham, 27704 / City: Large
George L Carrington Middle
Durham Public Schools
Durham, 27712 / City: Large
Research Triangle Charter
Research Triangle Charter
Durham, 27703 / City: Large
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,673
State avg $6,969
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Durham County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which North Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in North Carolina?
How should I read the school score in Durham County?
What is the graduation rate in Durham County?
How much does Durham County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Durham County, North Carolina — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Durham County, North Carolina?
Durham County features 72 public schools and 17 districts serving a total of 44,718 students. The system is composed of 39 elementary, 11 middle, and 14 high schools, along with eight specialized campuses. This complex landscape offers a wide variety of educational pathways for residents.
What are the major school districts in Durham County, North Carolina?
Durham Public Schools manages 31,531 students, while 16 charter schools serve a massive 22.2% of the local student population. Large virtual options like NC Virtual Academy and NC Cyber Academy collectively serve over 5,000 students. This high concentration of charters makes Durham one of the most choice-heavy markets in the state.
What is the school experience like in Durham County?
The educational experience is overwhelmingly urban, with 59 schools located in city settings. C E Jordan High and Riverside High are major anchors with nearly 2,000 students each. While the average school size is 639 students, the presence of large virtual and magnet schools provides a modern, fast-paced educational feel.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.