Swain County Schools

50 Main Street
Bryson City, NC 28713
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Swain County Schools ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public high schools serving 661 students in Swain County Schools. 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 Swain County Schools have an average math proficiency score of 47% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 62% (versus the 58% statewide average).
Public High School in Swain County School have a Graduation Rate of 87%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Swain County High School, with 85-89% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 34% of the student body (majority American Indian), 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
6 Schools
758 Schools
# Students
1,897 Students
565,236 Students
# Teachers
125 Teachers
33,421 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Swain County Schools, 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 87% has increased from 75-79% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (NC)
#187 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(21-22)
47%
51%
46%
50%
58%
63%
(21-22)
85-89%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.55
0.70
% American Indian
17%
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
7%
20%
% Black
1%
24%
% White
64%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
10%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,269 is higher than the state median of $11,192. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,846 is higher than the state median of $11,617. The school district spending/student has grown by 10% over four school years.
This School District
This State (NC)
Total Revenue
$31 MM
$17,307 MM
Spending
$30 MM
$17,964 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,269
$11,192
Spending / Student
$15,846
$11,617

Best Swain County Schools Public High Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Swain County High School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1415 Fontana Road
Bryson City, NC 28713
(828) 488-2152
Gr: 9-12 | 559 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 34%
Rank: n/an/a
50 Main Street
Bryson City, NC 28713
(828) 488-3129
Gr: K-12 | 102 students Minority enrollment: 33%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 6 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,897 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 36%
  • : 85-89% (Top 20% in NC)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 47% (Btm 50%)
  • : 46% (Btm 50%)
  • : 58% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NC Dept. of Education

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