Top Rankings
Onslow County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 9 public high schools serving 8,527 students in Onslow County Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Onslow County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 55% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 57% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Onslow County School School District have a Graduation Rate of 88%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Jacksonville High School, with 95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
39 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
27,592 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
1,725 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Onslow County Schools School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 88% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#186 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
51%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
50%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
63%
Graduation Rate
88%
86%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.64
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
18%
20%
% Black
16%
24%
% White
55%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
10%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $10,765 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,626 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$297 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$321 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$10,765
$11,187
Spending / Student
$11,626
$11,612
Best Onslow County Schools School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Swansboro High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
161 Queens Creek Rd
Swansboro, NC 28584
(910) 326-4300
Swansboro, NC 28584
(910) 326-4300
Grades: 9-12
| 1,192 students
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Dixon High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
160 Dixon School Rd
Holly Ridge, NC 28445
(910) 347-2958
Holly Ridge, NC 28445
(910) 347-2958
Grades: 9-12
| 1,187 students
Rank: #2 - 32. - 3.
Jacksonville High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1021 Henderson Dr
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 989-2048
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 989-2048
Grades: 9-12
| 1,449 students
Rank: #44.
White Oak High School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1001 Piney Green Rd
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-1541
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-1541
Grades: 9-12
| 1,226 students
Rank: #55.
Richlands High School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
8100 Richlands Hwy
Richlands, NC 28574
(910) 324-4191
Richlands, NC 28574
(910) 324-4191
Grades: 9-12
| 1,043 students
Rank: #66.
Onslow Virtual School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
200 Broadhurst Road
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 989-2013
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 989-2013
Grades: K-12
| 484 students
Rank: #77.
Southwest High School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1420 Burgaw Hwy
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 455-4888
Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910) 455-4888
Grades: 9-12
| 685 students
Rank: #88.
Northside High School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
365 Commons Drive South
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-4868
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 455-4868
Grades: 9-12
| 1,074 students
Rank: n/an/a
444 Western Blvd
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 938-6702
Jacksonville, NC 28546
(910) 938-6702
Grades: 9-12
| 187 students
Recent Articles

Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
The issue of school choice and a voucher system is currently being revisited in Houston and across the state of Texas, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate.

Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
What if NFL players came to your school? With the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, nutrition and exercise are promoted during the school day. NFL players participate in the program by coming to schools and talking to students about fitness. Learn more about the program and some of the schools that are implementing it.

What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
Students all over the nation go hungry every day not because their schools don’t offer lunch, but because they refuse them to children with outstanding debts. Read on to learn about the horror that is lunch shaming and what can be done about it.