Best Schools in Hickory, North Carolina
23 schools · 12 Elementary · 3 Middle · 5 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Hickory?
Use this page to compare every school in Hickory 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.
Ray Childers Elementary
Elementary · Burke County Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Oakwood Elementary
Elementary · Hickory City Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School
High · Hickory City Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Hickory for 2026 are Ray Childers Elementary (8.3/10), Oakwood Elementary (7.7/10), and Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School (7.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 17 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
23
17 public · 6 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$208,200
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
23
17 public · 6 private
Avg Score
6.0
out of 10
Median Home
$208,200
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 8.3/10 despite 99% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.4 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 Hickory schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +13.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Hickory schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Hickory
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 17 rated schools; 23 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray Childers Elementary | 8.3 / 10 |
| 2 | Oakwood Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 4 | Hickory High | 6.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Challenger Early College High | 6.5 / 10 |
| 6 | Webb a Murray Elementary | 6.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Clyde Campbell Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Snow Creek Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 9 | Viewmont Elementary | 6.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Saint Stephens High | 6.1 / 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
- 6.0/10
- Median household income
- $61,935
- Median home value
- $208,200
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 26%
- Avg commute
- 21 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67%
14% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Hickory compares
North Carolina rank
#165 of 255
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.3
below North Carolina avg (6.3)
Median household income
$62k
91% of North Carolina median
Schools in this city
21
Hickory's public schools split across 3 districts
No single ISD owns Hickory. The public campuses divide among 3 districts.
The largest shares: Hickory City Schools (9), Catawba County Schools (7), Burke County Schools (1).
Among 17 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 2.7 to 8.3 — the spread is inside Hickory, not a citywide average.
- Hickory City Schools9 public · 53%
- Catawba County Schools7 public · 41%
- Burke County Schools1 public · 6%
About Schools in Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory's public school system spans 17 ranked schools, with an average score of 6.2 out of 10 across the district. That average masks a meaningful split at the top: 6 of those 17 schools — 35% of the ranked pool — clear the 7-point threshold, giving families who prioritize academic performance a real set of options to target. The remaining majority clusters below that line, so school selection matters here more than in cities where performance is uniformly strong.
Elementary-aged families have the clearest path to high-performing placements. Ray Childers Elementary leads the city at 8.6 out of 10, the highest score in Hickory's ranked schools. Clyde Campbell Elementary and Oakwood Elementary sit just behind at 8.5 and 8.4, respectively. All three deliver scores well above the city average and signal consistent academic output at the grade-school level. W M Jenkins Elementary (7.5) and Webb A Murray Elementary (7.4) round out the top five, both above the 7-point mark that separates the stronger performers from the field.
The concentration of top-scorers at the elementary level is notable. Parents entering the system at kindergarten have multiple 8-plus-rated options, which is a stronger starting lineup than many comparably sized cities offer. What's less clear from the data is how that momentum carries into middle and high school — families planning for the long arc should treat the elementary picture as a starting point and look hard at the secondary schools serving those feeder zones before committing to a neighborhood.
Practically, Hickory rewards early research. With only 6 schools scoring 7 or above, seat competition in the strongest buildings is real. Families who start their search before enrollment deadlines, understand attendance boundaries, and know which elementary schools feed into which secondary programs will be better positioned than those who decide late. The top of Hickory's school landscape is genuinely strong — Ray Childers at 8.6 would rank well in most peer markets — but the gap between the top tier and the city average is wide enough that zip code decisions carry significant weight here.
Elementary Schools
12 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 447 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.3 |
| 2 | 326 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.7 |
| 3 | 384 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.4 |
| 4 | 501 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.3 |
| 5 | 569 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.3 |
| 6 | 489 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.3 |
| 7 | 713 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.0 |
| 8 | 313 students · 3rd–5th | 5.9 |
| 9 | 261 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.4 |
| 10 | 311 students · Pre-K–2nd | 2.7 |
Show all 12 elementary schools in Hickory
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 628 students · 7th–8th | 5.1 |
| 2 | 458 students · 6th–8th | 4.6 |
| 3 | 393 students · 6th–8th | 4.3 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 232 students · 9th–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 2 | 1,034 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 | ||
| 3 | 362 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 4 | 1,298 students · 9th–12th | 6.1 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 151 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hickory Christian AcademyPrivate 529 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 2 | Tabernacle Christian SchoolPrivate 389 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated |
| 3 | 29 students · 3rd–11th | Not Rated |
Schools in Hickory
Hickory, North Carolina · 23 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$61,935
Median Home Value
$208,200
Median Rent
$891/mo
Population
82,112
College Educated
26%
Homeownership
67%
Avg Commute
21 min
Poverty Rate
14.5%
Community Profile
Hickory has a median household income of $61,935. It is an area where 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $208,200, with a median rent of $891/month. The area has a poverty rate of 14.5%. The average commute for residents is 21 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- North Carolina
- Elementary
- 12
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 5
- Other
- 3
Resources
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 Hickory, North Carolina
How many schools are in Hickory, North Carolina?
Hickory has 23 schools, including 17 public and 6 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Hickory, North Carolina?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Hickory is 6.0 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 Hickory, North Carolina?
The top-ranked school in Hickory on MySchoolScout is Ray Childers Elementary with a composite score of 8.3/10.
What is the best elementary school in Hickory, North Carolina?
The top-ranked elementary school in Hickory on MySchoolScout is Ray Childers Elementary with a composite score of 8.3/10.
What is the best middle school in Hickory, North Carolina?
The top-ranked middle school in Hickory on MySchoolScout is Harry M Arndt Middle with a composite score of 5.1/10.
What is the best high school in Hickory, North Carolina?
The top-ranked high school in Hickory on MySchoolScout is Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School with a composite score of 7.7/10.
How many school districts serve Hickory, North Carolina?
Hickory is served by 3 school districts: Burke County Schools, Catawba County Schools, Hickory City Schools.
What is the education level in Hickory, North Carolina?
According to Census data, 26% of adults in Hickory have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Hickory, North Carolina?
The median household income in Hickory is approximately $61,935 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Hickory, North Carolina?
Yes, Hickory has 6 private schools alongside 17 public schools. The top-rated private school is University Christian High School with a score of 6.7/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Hickory, North Carolina?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Hickory is 14.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Hickory, 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
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Charter Schools vs Public Schools: What the Data Actually Shows (2026)school choice
- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
- The New School Choice Map: Is Your State Participating in the Federal Tuition Tax Credit?data insights
- Moving to Raleigh-Durham? A Parent's Guide to School Choice in the Triangleguides
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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.