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Public high school · Carteret County Public Schools · Morehead City, North Carolina

West Carteret High

West Carteret High rates 5.9, below most Carteret County Public Schools high schools, whose rated median is 6.9.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.9this school

5.9 on a one-to-ten scale; the Carteret County Public Schools median is 6.9.

#1,669 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Carteret County Public Schools: 3 high schools rated, median 6.9

The brief

A Carteret County Public Schools high school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,669 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 14 of 16 in Carteret County Public Schools.

West Carteret High is listed in Carteret County Public Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math79%10 points above the North Carolina average of 69%258 students tested · 2026 NC
Reading73%9 points above the North Carolina average of 64%311 students tested · 2026 NC
In 2026, 79% of students were proficient in math and 73% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 69% and 64%.2026 NC; 34 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.9
25% of the rating
Academics
8.7
25% of the rating
College Readiness
5.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.2
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 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 · 2026 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)
State assessments · 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 28557; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
West Carteret High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$67,753
Median home value
$331,800
Median rent
$1,143/mo
College educated
40%
Homeownership
63.4%
Poverty rate
10.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28557; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
38
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
49
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,286/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Morehead City. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Morehead City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
4 AP courses
12.9% participation · state average 3 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
6 sports
3 boys' · 3 girls' · 28 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
46.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. West Carteret Highthis school
    5.9
  2. not ratedCompare →
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does West Carteret High serve?

West Carteret High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend West Carteret High?

West Carteret High has an enrollment of approximately 1,097 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West Carteret High?

The student-teacher ratio at West Carteret High is 15.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West Carteret High rank in NC?

West Carteret High ranks #1,669 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is West Carteret High's MySchoolScout rating?

West Carteret High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 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 West Carteret High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West Carteret High has 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is West Carteret High a charter school?

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

Is West Carteret High a Title I school?

No, West Carteret High is not currently a Title I school.

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

46.9% of students at West Carteret 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 facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,097
Student-teacher ratio
15.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
69
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Town
County
Carteret County
4-year graduation
80.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#14 of 16
Schools in district
17
District spending per student
$12,846
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.8%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 28557)
15,355
Area average commute
21.1 min
Area median age
48.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.