Rowan-Salisbury Schools School District

500 North Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Rowan-Salisbury 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 2025-26 school year, there are 8 public high schools serving 6,220 students in Rowan-Salisbury Schools School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in North Carolina.
Public High Schools in Rowan-Salisbury Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 45% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Rowan-Salisbury School School District have a Graduation Rate of 86%, which is equal to the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Rowan Co Early College, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 50% of the student body (majority Hispanic), 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
32 Schools
761 Schools
# Students
18,110 Students
565,764 Students
# Teachers
1,098 Teachers
33,453 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Rowan-Salisbury 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 86% has increased from 84% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#268 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
31%
51%
35%
50%
43%
63%
(21-22)
84%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.67
0.70
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
23%
20%
% Black
20%
24%
% White
48%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
8%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,187 is higher 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 $12,154 is higher than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$221 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$220 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,187
$11,187
Spending / Student
$12,154
$11,612

Best Rowan-Salisbury Schools School District Public High Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Rowan Co Early College
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 70-79% )
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
1333 Jake Alexander Blvd S
Salisbury, NC 28145
(704) 216-3873
Gr: 9-12 | 235 students Student-teacher ratio: 26:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #22.
Carson High School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
290 Kress Venture Dr
China Grove, NC 28023
(704) 855-7297
Gr: 9-12 | 1,135 student Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: #33.
East Rowan High School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
175 St Luke's Church Rd
Salisbury, NC 28146
(704) 279-5232
Gr: 9-12 | 1,072 student Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #44.
South Rowan High School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1655 Patterson St
China Grove, NC 28023
(704) 857-1161
Gr: 9-12 | 989 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #55.
Salisbury High School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
500 Lincolnton Rd
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 636-1221
Gr: 9-12 | 1,014 student Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: #66.
West Rowan High School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
8050 Nc 801 Hwy
Mount Ulla, NC 28125
(704) 278-9233
Gr: 9-12 | 1,105 student Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: #77.
North Rowan High School
(Math: 21-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
300 North Whitehead Ave
Spencer, NC 28159
(704) 636-4420
Gr: 9-12 | 592 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #88.
Henderson High School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1215 North Main St
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 639-3134
Gr: 6-12 | 78 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 64%

Recent Articles

10 Advantages of Public Education in 2025
10 Advantages of Public Education in 2025
Explore 10 key benefits of public education in 2025, with fresh statistics, expert insights, and real-world examples for parents and educators.
COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on U.S. Public Schools (2025)
COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on U.S. Public Schools (2025)
Explore how COVID-19 continues to affect U.S. public schools in 2025: learning losses, enrollment shifts, mental health, and recovery strategies.

Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 32 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 18,110 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 52%
  • : 84% (Top 50% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 31% (Btm 50%)
  • : 35% (Btm 50%)
  • : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

Quick Links