Salem City School District

510 South College Ave
Salem, VA 24153-5054
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Salem City School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Virginia for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 2 public high schools serving 1,880 students in Salem City School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public high schools in Virginia.
Public High Schools in Salem City School District have an average math proficiency score of 70% (versus the Virginia public high school average of 68%), and reading proficiency score of 91% (versus the 81% statewide average).
Public High School in Salem City School District have a Graduation Rate of 91%, which is more than the Virginia average of 89%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Salem High School, with 91% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Virginia or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the Virginia public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (VA)
# Schools
8 Schools
354 Schools
# Students
4,318 Students
411,759 Students
# Teachers
355 Teachers
29,555 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Salem City School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 132 school districts in Virginia (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 91% has decreased from 93% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (VA)
#19 out of 132 school districts
(Top 20%)
79%
68%
(20-21)
74%
69%
(20-21)
65%
59%
91%
89%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
3%
8%
% Hispanic
11%
19%
% Black
17%
22%
% White
63%
45%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,594 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,502. The school district revenue/student has declined by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,572 is less than the state median of $15,257. The school district spending/student has declined by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (VA)
Total Revenue
$50 MM
$19,496 MM
Spending
$63 MM
$19,187 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,594
$15,502
Spending / Student
$14,572
$15,257

Best Salem City School District Public High Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Salem High School
(Math: 60-79% | Reading: 91%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
400 Spartan Dr
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-2437
Grades: 9-12
| 1,213 students
Rank: n/an/a
510 South College Ave
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 389-0130
Grades: K-12
| 667 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 8 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 4,318 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 37%
  • : 91% (Top 30% in VA)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 79% (Top 20%)
  • : 74% (Top 20%)
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

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