Best Schools in Goldsboro, North Carolina
32 schools · 13 Elementary · 5 Middle · 7 High · 7 Other
Choosing a school in Goldsboro?
Use this page to compare every school in Goldsboro by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Grantham Elementary
Elementary · Wayne County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Wayne School of Engineering
High · Wayne County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Meadow Lane Elementary
Elementary · Wayne County Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Goldsboro for 2026 are Grantham Elementary (8.2/10), Wayne School of Engineering (8.2/10), and Meadow Lane Elementary (7.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 30 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
32
23 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.3
out of 10
Median Home
$182,100
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
32
23 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.3
out of 10
Median Home
$182,100
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 8.2/10 despite 99% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.2 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Goldsboro schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Goldsboro
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (30 of 32). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grantham Elementary | 8.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Wayne School of Engineering | 8.2 / 10 |
| 3 | Meadow Lane Elementary | 7.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Wayne Country Day School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Wayne Early / Middle College High | 6.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Spring Creek Elementary | 6.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Grantham Middle | 6.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Rosewood Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 9 | St Mary School | 6.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Pathway Christian Academy | 6.0 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.3/10
- Median household income
- $57,729
- Median home value
- $182,100
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 15%
- Avg commute
- 21 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 37%
13% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Goldsboro compares
North Carolina rank
#214 of 253
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.9
below North Carolina avg (6.2)
Median household income
$58k
85% of North Carolina median
Schools in this city
30
About Schools in Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina offers parents 22 ranked public schools to evaluate, giving families a meaningful range of options across the city. The district average sits at 6.1 out of 10, and 6 schools — 27% of all ranked schools — clear the 7-point threshold, meaning more than one in four options here reaches above-average performance. That spread matters: parents who research carefully can land a child in a school performing well above the city baseline.
Elementary options lead the pack in Goldsboro. Spring Creek Elementary tops every school in the city with an 8.4 out of 10, the strongest score among all 22 ranked schools. Grantham Elementary and Rosewood Elementary both score 7.8, putting them firmly in the above-average tier alongside Spring Creek. Meadow Lane Elementary posts a 7.4, and Edgewood Community Developmental rounds out the top five at 7.2 — a notable result for a high school in a landscape where the city's elementary schools dominate the performance standings.
The concentration of strong performers at the elementary level is the most useful signal for families with younger children. Three elementaries scoring 7.8 or higher means real choice exists at that grade band — parents are not locked into a single high-performing option. The gap between the top school (8.4) and the city average (6.1) is 2.3 points, which reflects meaningful variation across the district. That range rewards research: a child assigned to a lower-scoring school likely has a transfer or magnet option that scores significantly higher.
For parents actively comparing Goldsboro schools, the practical play is to start with Spring Creek, Grantham, and Rosewood as elementary benchmarks and work backward from there. Check district boundaries and open-enrollment windows early — the three highest-scoring elementaries are likely in demand. Families with high schoolers should look closely at Edgewood Community Developmental, which stands out as the only high school in the top-five list. The 6.1 city average is a useful floor: any school scoring at or above that mark is performing in line with the district, while the 27% above 7.0 represent Goldsboro's strongest academic options.
Elementary Schools
13 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 422 students · Kindergarten–4th | 8.2 | ||
| 2 | 713 students · Pre-K–4th | 7.8 | ||
| 3 | 823 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.7 | ||
| 4 | 648 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.3 | ||
| 5 | 258 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.4 | ||
| 6 | 569 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.2 | ||
| 7 | 525 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.7 | ||
| 8 | 412 students · 3rd–5th | 4.6 | ||
| 9 | 484 students · Pre-K–2nd | 1.5 | ||
| Private Schools 4 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Mary School
Private
222 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.0 | ||
Show all 13 elementary schools in Goldsboro
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 308 students · 5th–8th | 6.5 |
| 2 | 347 students · 6th–8th | 5.6 |
| 3 | 359 students · 5th–8th | 5.4 |
| 4 | 464 students · 6th–8th | 4.0 |
| 5 | 322 students · 6th–8th | 2.7 |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 427 students · 6th–UG | 8.2 |
| 2 | 232 students · 9th–UG | 6.9 |
| 3 | 447 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 |
| 4 | 37 students · 6th–12th | 5.1 |
| 5 | 806 students · 9th–12th | 4.4 |
| 6 | 42 students · 10th–12th | 3.6 |
| 7 | 442 students · 9th–12th | 2.8 |
Other Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 944 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 2 | 222 students · 6th–11th | — | ||
| Private Schools 5 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Wayne Country Day School
Private
278 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 2 | Pathway Christian Academy
Private
49 students · Pre-K–12th | 6.0 | ||
| 3 | Faith Christian Academy
Private
303 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Wayne Christian School
Private
588 students · Pre-K–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 5 | New Independence Academy
Private
32 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.7 | ||
Schools in Goldsboro
Goldsboro, North Carolina · 32 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes
Median Income
$57,729
Median Home Value
$182,100
Median Rent
$967/mo
Population
69,642
College Educated
15%
Homeownership
37%
Avg Commute
21 min
Poverty Rate
9.9%
Community Profile
Goldsboro has a median household income of $57,729. It is a community where 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $182,100, with a median rent of $967/month. The local poverty rate of 9.9% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 21 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- North Carolina
- Elementary
- 13
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 7
- Other
- 7
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in North Carolina
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Goldsboro, North Carolina
How many schools are in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
Goldsboro has 32 schools, including 23 public and 9 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Goldsboro is 5.3 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The top-ranked school in Goldsboro on MySchoolScout is Grantham Elementary with a composite score of 8.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The top-ranked elementary school in Goldsboro on MySchoolScout is Grantham Elementary with a composite score of 8.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The top-ranked middle school in Goldsboro on MySchoolScout is Grantham Middle with a composite score of 6.5/10.
What is the best high school in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The top-ranked high school in Goldsboro on MySchoolScout is Wayne School of Engineering with a composite score of 8.2/10.
How many school districts serve Goldsboro, North Carolina?
Goldsboro is served by 3 school districts: Dillard Academy, Wayne Preparatory, Wayne County Public Schools.
What is the education level in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
According to Census data, 15% of adults in Goldsboro have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The median household income in Goldsboro is approximately $57,729 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
Yes, Goldsboro has 9 private schools alongside 23 public schools. The top-rated private school is Wayne Country Day School with a score of 7.7/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Goldsboro is 14.8:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Goldsboro, North Carolina?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.