For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public high schools serving 8,083 students in Wake Forest, NC. The top ranked public high schools in Wake Forest, NC are Franklin Academy, North Wake College And Career Academy and Wake Forest High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Wake Forest, NC public high schools have an average math proficiency score of 79% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 76% (versus the 58% statewide average). High schools in Wake Forest have an average ranking of 10/10, which is in the top 10% of North Carolina public high schools.
Wake Forest, NC public high school have a Graduation Rate of 91%, which is more than the North Carolina average of 85%.
The school with highest graduation rate is North Wake College And Career Academy, with ≥95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best Public High Schools in Wake Forest, NC (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Franklin Academy
Charter School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1127 Chalk Rd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 570-8262
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 570-8262
Grades: K-12
| 1,652 students
Rank: #22.
North Wake College And Career Academy
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: 90-94%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
931 Durham Rd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 694-8650
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 694-8650
Grades: 9-13
| 336 students
Rank: #33.
Wake Forest High School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
420 West Stadium Drive
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 554-8611
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 554-8611
Grades: 9-12
| 2,075 students
Rank: #44.
Heritage High School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1150 Forestville Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 570-5600
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 570-5600
Grades: 9-12
| 1,817 students
Rank: n/an/a
Wake Preparatory Academy
Charter School
14111 Capital Blvd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(984) 245-0050
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(984) 245-0050
Grades: K-12
| 2,203 students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public high schools in Wake Forest, NC?
The top ranked public high schools in Wake Forest, NC include Franklin Academy, North Wake College And Career Academy and Wake Forest High School. Wake Forest has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in North Carolina.
How many public high schools are located in Wake Forest?
5 public high schools are located in Wake Forest.
What is the racial composition of students in Wake Forest?
Wake Forest public high schools minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the North Carolina public high schools average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Which public high schools in Wake Forest are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public high schools in Wake Forest include: Wake Forest High School vs. Heritage High School, Heritage High School vs. Wake Forest High School, Wake Preparatory Academy vs. Franklin Academy
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.