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Very Good

#46 of 404 private schools in NC

Top 11% of private schools

Carolina Friends School

School

4809 FRIENDS SCHOOL RD, Durham, NC 27705

Private

Enrollment

473

Student-Teacher

7.5:1

Score

7.7

Grades

Pre-K – 12th

Data vintage2021-22

How this school compares

North Carolina private schools

#46 of 404

In Durham

#4 of 19

public schools

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Carolina Friends School

7.7/10

School in Durham · grades Pre-K – 12th. Start here, then compare fit against nearby and district options.

Forest View Elementary

5.8/10

2.2 mi away. Use as a geographic alternative in the same move search.

Hope Creek Academy

7.2/10

2.4 mi away. Use as a geographic alternative in the same move search.

About Carolina Friends School

Carolina Friends School is a private school in Durham, NC. Carolina Friends School serves approximately 473 students, and covers grades Pre-K-12th, and has a 7.5:1 student-teacher ratio. Carolina Friends School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #46 of 404 private schools in NC.

How it compares1.5 pts above NC schools
  • This school 7.7 · Very Good
  • NC avg 6.2

What Parents Should Know

At 7.5:1 students to teachers, Carolina Friends School sits well below the national average. Smaller classes like that usually mean more one-on-one time between students and teachers.

Carolina Friends School is private, so it runs independently of the local district and sets its own curriculum. That freedom cuts both ways depending on what you want for your child. If you're considering it, start with the practical questions: tuition, financial aid, and how admissions work.

Carolina Friends School sits in a rural area, which can mean longer drives for some families. Rural schools are often community anchors with smaller classes, but check transportation, after-school options, and access to specialized services before you commit.

Compare to Public Schools

Beta

How Carolina Friends School compares to 68 public schools serving similar grades in Durham, NC

Student-Teacher Ratio
7.5:1
This School
vs
13.8:1
Public Avg
Avg School Size
473
This School
vs
648
Public Avg
Avg School Scout Rating
7.7
This School
vs
6.6
Public Avg

Student Demographics

White 73.6% vs 0%
Black 5.9% vs 0%
Hispanic 3.6% vs 0%
Asian 3.2% vs 0%
Carolina Friends School Durham Public Avg

Nearby Other Schools

School Rating
Carolina Friends School (this school) 7.7
Forest View Elementary 5.8
Community School of Digital & Visual Art 4.5
Sherwood Githens Middle 7.3
Lakewood Elementary 6.0
Rogers-Herr Middle 8.7
Lakewood Montessori Middle 9.6
Hope Valley Elementary 6.5
E K Powe Elementary 7.9
Ignite Online Academy 4.9
Creekside Elementary 4.4
Riverside High 5.5
Hillandale Elementary 3.8
Durham Charter School 7.1
Morehead Montessori 8.8
George Watts Elementary 8.9
Brogden Middle 4.6
Durham School of the Arts 8.7
C E Jordan High 5.0
Central Park School For Children 5.6
C C Spaulding Elementary 4.9

Showing 20 of 68 schools. View all schools in Durham

Demographics sourced from NCES Private School Survey (PSS) and Common Core of Data (CCD). Comparisons are based on enrollment-weighted averages.

Score Breakdown

Preliminary

What This Rating Measures

This rating reflects classroom size, instructional time, student diversity, community resources, and school characteristics. Private schools are ranked against other private schools in NC.

Classroom Attention
? Student-teacher ratio calibrated against other private schools. Lower ratios mean more individual attention. (30% of overall score)
A- 8.0 / 10
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio 7.5:1
Instructional Commitment
? Total annual instructional hours based on school day length and days per year. (15% of overall score)
B 6.2 / 10
View breakdown
School Day Length 7 hours
Annual Instructional Hours 1,225
Diversity & Inclusion
? Racial and ethnic diversity of the student body using Simpson's diversity index. (20% of overall score)
A- 7.8 / 10
View breakdown
Diversity Index 43%
Community Context

Data Unavailable

School Profile
? Enrollment size and grade span breadth — indicators of program depth and peer community. (15% of overall score)
A- 8.3 / 10
View breakdown
Enrollment 473
View data sources

Score basis: Private school model

Data coverage: 80% of scoring components had data

Components scored: 4 of 5

Ranking pool: Private schools in NC

Test Scores

Test score data not yet available for this school.

Student Demographics NCES PSS (SY 2021-22)

White 73.6%
Two or More 12.9%
Black 5.9%
Hispanic 3.6%
Asian 3.2%
Native American 0.8%

Source: NCES Private School Survey (PSS)

Location

4809 FRIENDS SCHOOL RD, Durham, NC 27705

Nearby Alternatives

Families considering Carolina Friends School may also want to explore other schools in the area. CRESSET CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (rated 8.4/10, 3.7 miles away), which scores slightly higher. Another option is HILL LEARNING CENTER (rated 7.4/10, 3.6 miles away), with a very similar rating. Additionally, TRINITY SCHOOL OF DURHAM & CHAPEL HILL (rated 7.3/10, 2.7 miles away), with a comparable rating. For more schools in Durham, see our Durham schools guide .

Nearby Schools

20 within 5.0 mi
School Distance Rating
Forest View Elementary Durham 2.2 mi 5.8
HOPE CREEK ACADEMY Durham 2.4 mi 7.2
HOPE CREEK ACADEMY Durham 2.4 mi 6.9
TRINITY SCHOOL OF DURHAM & CHAPEL HILL Durham 2.7 mi 7.3
East Chapel Hill High Chapel Hill 3.3 mi 8.7
New Hope Elementary Chapel Hill 3.0 mi 5.3
TRIANGLE DAY SCHOOL Durham 3.1 mi 7.2
DUKE SCHOOL Durham 3.2 mi 8.2
A L Stanback Middle Hillsborough 3.3 mi 5.9
EMERSON WALDORF SCHOOL Chapel Hill 3.4 mi 7.0
HILL LEARNING CENTER Durham 3.6 mi 7.4
CRESSET CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Durham 3.7 mi 8.4
DURHAM ACADEMY Durham 3.7 mi 7.3
MONTESSORI DAY SCHOOL Chapel Hill 5.0 mi 4.8
Community School of Digital & Visual Art Durham 4.2 mi 4.5
LERNER JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL Durham 4.3 mi 5.9
Ephesus Elementary Chapel Hill 5.2 mi 8.3
Estes Hills Elementary Chapel Hill 5.1 mi 8.5
Phillips Middle Chapel Hill 5.2 mi 8.0
Sherwood Githens Middle Durham 5.0 mi 7.3

Neighborhood Census ACS (2019-2023)

Census data for ZIP 27705 (ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates) · Data sources

Median Income

$71,153

Median Home Value

$398,500

Median Rent

$1,422/mo

Population

48,412

College Educated

62.4%

Homeownership

44.6%

Avg Commute

21.6 min

Poverty Rate

16.9%

Median Age

35.2

Similar Schools

Schools in the same state with comparable level, size, and ratings

School Rating
GASTON DAY SCHOOL Gastonia, NC 7.8
NORTH HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Salisbury, NC 7.6
THE BURLINGTON SCHOOL Burlington, NC 7.9
Arapahoe Charter School Arapahoe, NC 8.0
FAYETTEVILLE ACADEMY Fayetteville, NC 8.0
GRAMERCY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Newport, NC 7.4

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Carolina Friends School

What grades does Carolina Friends School serve?

Carolina Friends School serves students in grades Pre-K through 12th.

How many students attend Carolina Friends School?

Carolina Friends School has an enrollment of approximately 473 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Carolina Friends School?

The student-teacher ratio at Carolina Friends School is 7.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 11:1 for private schools.

How does Carolina Friends School rank in NC?

Carolina Friends School ranks #46 of 404 private schools in NC.

What is Carolina Friends School's MySchoolScout rating?

Carolina Friends School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

Is Carolina Friends School a private school?

Yes, Carolina Friends School is a private coeducational school with a Nonsectarian affiliation. Private schools are not required to participate in state standardized testing, so academic performance data may be limited compared to public schools.

Is Carolina Friends School a religious school?

No, Carolina Friends School is a nonsectarian (non-religious) private school.

11 schools nearby View map →

Neighborhood Context

Walk Score
3 Car-Dependent
Bike Score
15 Somewhat Bikeable

Powered by Walk Score

Quick Facts NCES PSS (SY 2021-22)

Grades
Pre-K – 12th
Enrollment
473
Gender Split
49% M / 51% F
Student-Teacher Ratio
7.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
63
Type
private
Coed Status
coed
Affiliation
Nonsectarian
School Day
7 hours
Days Per Year
175 days
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Orange County

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