For the 2025 school year, there are 23 public high schools serving 21,547 students in Durham, NC.
The top ranked public high schools in Durham, NC are J D Clement Early College High School, Research Triangle High School and Durham School Of The Arts. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Durham, NC public high schools have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the North Carolina public high school average of 58%), and reading proficiency score of 55% (versus the 58% statewide average). High schools in Durham have an average ranking of 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of North Carolina public high schools.
Durham, NC public high school have a Graduation Rate of 81%, which is less than the North Carolina average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Durham School Of The Arts, with 96% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in North Carolina or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the North Carolina public high school average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best Public High Schools in Durham, NC (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
J D Clement Early College High School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 85-89% )
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1801 Fayetteville Street, Nccu
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-2696
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-2696
Gr: 9-12 | 386 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Rank: #22.
Research Triangle High School
Charter School
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
3106 East Nc Highway 54
Durham, NC 27709
(919) 998-6757
Durham, NC 27709
(919) 998-6757
Gr: 9-12 | 564 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 62%
Rank: #33.
Durham School Of The Arts
Magnet School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
401 North Duke Street
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-3926
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-3926
Gr: 6-12 | 1,767 student Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: #44.
Voyager Academy
Charter School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
101 Hock Parc Drive
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 433-3301
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 433-3301
Gr: K-12 | 1,363 student Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
Rank: #55.
Durham School Of Technology
(Math: 60-79% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3727 Fayetteville St
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-9183
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-9183
Gr: 9-12 | 239 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Rank: #66.
Riverside High School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
3218 Rose Of Sharon Road
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 560-3965
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 560-3965
Gr: 9-12 | 1,851 student Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #77.
Dps Hospital School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50% )
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Dumc Room 3605
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684-5684
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684-5684
Gr: PK-12
Rank: #88.
Durham Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
807 West Chapel Hill Street
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 956-5599
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 956-5599
Gr: K-10 | 777 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
Rank: #99.
Excelsior Classical Academy
Charter School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4100 N Roxboro Street
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 213-8585
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 213-8585
Gr: K-12 | 1,029 student Student-teacher ratio: 25:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #1010.
Discovery Charter
Charter School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
501 Orange Factory Road
Durham, NC 27722
(984) 888-5504
Durham, NC 27722
(984) 888-5504
Gr: 6-10 | 412 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #1111.
C E Jordan High School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
6806 Garrett Road
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3912
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3912
Gr: 9-12 | 2,068 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 71%
Rank: #1212.
Northern High School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
4622 N Roxboro Street
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3956
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3956
Gr: 9-12 | 1,334 student Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #1313.
City Of Medicine Academy
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
301 Crutchfield Road
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2001
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2001
Gr: 9-12 | 336 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 93%
Rank: #1414.
Nc Virtual Academy
Charter School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
4220 Nc Highway 55, Suite 130
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 346-0121
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 346-0121
Gr: K-12 | 2,959 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #1515.
North Carolina Cyber Academy
Charter School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2800 Meridian Parkway, Suite 1
Durham, NC 27713
(984) 262-9237
Durham, NC 27713
(984) 262-9237
Gr: K-12 | 2,523 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #1616.
Hillside High School
Magnet School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
3727 Fayetteville St
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3925
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 560-3925
Gr: 9-12 | 1,454 student Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 98%
Rank: #1717.
The School For Creative Studies
Magnet School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
5001 Red Mill Rd
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3535
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-3535
Gr: 6-12 | 438 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: #1818.
Durham's Performance Learning Center
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
401 North Driver Street
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-9190
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-9190
Gr: 9-12 | 122 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 99%
Rank: #1919.
Ignite Online Academy
(Math: 19% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
5321 Ephesus Church Rd.
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 972-4400
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 972-4400
Gr: K-12 | 369 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #2020.
Southern School Of Energy And Sustainabi
Magnet School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
800 Clayton Road
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-3968
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-3968
Gr: 9-12 | 1,352 student Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #2121.
Lakeview School
Alternative School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: ≤5%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3507 Dearborn Drive
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2520
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-2520
Gr: 6-12 | 70 students Student-teacher ratio: 4:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: n/an/a
Holton Career And Resource Center
Vocational School
401 North Driver St
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-2219
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-2219
Gr: 9-12
Rank: n/an/a
1637 Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 536-7203
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 536-7203
Gr: 11-12 | 134 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Durham, North Carolina 51±¬ÁÏs (Closed)
School
Location
Quick Facts
Communities In School Academy (Closed 2004)
Alternative School
401 N Driver St
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-3931
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-3931
Gr: 5-12 | 174 students Minority enrollment: 98%
1219 Broad Street
Durham, NC 27715
(919) 416-2600
Durham, NC 27715
(919) 416-2600
Gr: Inquire with school
2700 Meridian Parkway
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 224-4040
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 224-4040
Gr: PK-12
4220 Nc Highway 55
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 346-0121
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 346-0121
Gr: PK-12
910 Cook Road
Durham, NC 27717
(919) 687-0870
Durham, NC 27717
(919) 687-0870
Gr: K-8 | 63 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
800 Clayton Rd
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-9184
Durham, NC 27703
(919) 560-9184
Gr: 9-12 | 278 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Wg Pearson Magnet Middle School (Closed 2015)
Magnet School
600 E Umstead St
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-2208
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-2208
Gr: 8 | 79 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 99%
The Wright School (Closed 2023)
Special Education School
3132 North Roxboro St
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-5790
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 560-5790
Gr: K-8
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public high schools in Durham, NC?
The top ranked public high schools in Durham, NC include J D Clement Early College High School, Research Triangle High School and Durham School Of The Arts.
How many public high schools are located in Durham?
23 public high schools are located in Durham.
What is the racial composition of students in Durham?
Durham public high schools minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the North Carolina public high schools average of 55% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Which public high schools in Durham are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public high schools in Durham include: Nc Virtual Academy vs. North Carolina Cyber Academy, North Carolina Cyber Academy vs. Nc Virtual Academy, Hillside High School vs. C E Jordan High School
Recent Articles
Why Single-Sex 51±¬ÁÏs are Growing in Popularity
This article examines the growing trend of single-sex public schools in the United States. It explores the potential benefits, research findings, and controversies surrounding gender-specific education, as well as the factors driving its increasing popularity among parents and educators.
When Teachers Cheat: The Standardized Test Controversies
Teachers across the country are being accused of cheating on standardized tests, using erasers to conveniently change their students’ answers. However, are these teachers driven to cheat because the funding system is flawed?
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
Recent deaths during field trips have parents and school officials questioning the safety of these excursions. Learn about these tragedies and what parameters should be in place to ensure a safe field trip.
