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Needs Improvement

#2618 of 2,648 schools in NC

Salisbury High

High School · Rowan-salisbury Schools · Salisbury, NC

A Rowan-salisbury Schools high school where students score 17 points below what's typical for similar communities.

500 Lincolnton Rd, Salisbury, NC 28144

  • Math 22% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 36% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 71.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress2.1Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.73 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.7Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22.3% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency35.9% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-33.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.7 pts
Overall Proficiency29% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-17.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile10th
College Readiness3.6Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate71%
AP Participation9%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment1.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.1:1
District spending per student$12,141
Chronic Absenteeism64.2%

Students at Salisbury High score 29% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency22%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2019, reaching 29% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
72%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2013
Math
19%
ELA
45%
2014
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
17%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
3%
ELA
31%
2018
Math
17%
ELA
30%
2019
Math
17%
ELA
30%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
22%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 31% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Salisbury High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Charlotte map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 61Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 43Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,950/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Salisbury), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$51,432

Median home value

$205,900

Median rent

$982/mo

College educated

27.4%

Homeownership

54.1%

Poverty rate

26.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28144; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
9% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics4sports offered
2 boys'·2 girls'·4 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Henderson HighEnrollment path unverified5.26–121.8 mi78Compare →
Rowan Co Early CollegeEnrollment path unverified8.09–121.9 mi235Compare →
North Hills Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition7.6privatePK–122.7 mi384Compare →
North Rowan HighEnrollment path unverified4.19–123.8 mi592Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Rowan-salisbury Schools

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#28 of 32
District spending per student
$12,141NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Salisbury High is listed in Rowan-Salisbury Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Salisbury High

Salisbury High is a public high school in Salisbury, NC, part of Rowan-salisbury Schools, serving approximately 1,014 students in grades 9th-12th with a 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,618 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Salisbury High

What grades does Salisbury High serve?

Salisbury High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Salisbury High?

Salisbury High has an enrollment of approximately 1,014 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Salisbury High?

The student-teacher ratio at Salisbury High is 19.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Salisbury High rank in NC?

Salisbury High ranks #2,618 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Salisbury High's MySchoolScout rating?

Salisbury High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Salisbury High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Salisbury High has 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Salisbury High a charter school?

No, Salisbury High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Salisbury High a Title I school?

No, Salisbury High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Salisbury High?

99.4% of students at Salisbury High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,014
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Rowan County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
64.2%
4-Year Graduation
71.0%
Area population (ZIP 28144)
27,238
Area average commute
21.1 min
Area median age
39.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28144; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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