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Best Schools in Cary, NC
Cary, NC has 69 public schools (11 high, 12 middle, 40 elementary) serving 52,418 students. On average they score 72% on state proficiency tests against a projected 62%, so schools in Cary meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Cary, NC
The top high schools in Cary, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Wake Stem Early College High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 263 Students
2. Crossroads Flex
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 148 Students
3. Green Level High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2052 Students
4. Green Hope High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2001 Students
5. Panther Creek High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2435 Students
6. Vernon Malone College And Career Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 353 Students
7. Apex High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2500 Students
8. Middle Creek High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1659 Students
9. Cary High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2145 Students
10. Athens Drive High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2062 Students
Best Middle Schools in Cary, NC
The top middle schools in Cary, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Mills Park Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1630 Students
2. Davis Drive Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 959 Students
3. Alston Ridge Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1459 Students
4. Salem Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1071 Students
5. West Cary Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 860 Students
6. Apex Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 905 Students
7. East Cary Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 627 Students
8. Margaret B. Pollard Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Chatham County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 768 Students
9. Lufkin Road Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 995 Students
10. Reedy Creek Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 768 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Cary, NC
The top elementary schools in Cary, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. White Oak Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 778 Students
2. Mills Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 702 Students
3. Hortons Creek Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 720 Students
4. Davis Drive Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 825 Students
5. Highcroft Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 721 Students
6. Olive Chapel Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 982 Students
7. Green Hope Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 605 Students
8. Parkside Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 871 Students
9. Morrisville Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 651 Students
10. Farmington Woods Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wake County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 623 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Cary, NC
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Cary, NC has a total population of 161,953 with 26% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 96%, and 70% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Cary, NC
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Cary, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
14.03 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
1.83 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
12.20 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Cary, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Cary, NC.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Cary, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Cary, NC
How many schools are in Cary, NC?
Cary, NC has 69 public schools: 11 high schools, 12 middle schools and 40 elementary schools, serving 52,418 students in total.
How do schools in Cary perform on state tests?
On average, 69 schools in Cary score 72% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 62%, so on average schools in Cary meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Cary?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Cary, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 67%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 76%
- Projected: 67%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 71%
- Projected: 63%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 76%
- Projected: 67%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 79%
- Projected: 68%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 43%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 72%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 49%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Every school in Cary
33 of 33 schools in Cary carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 23B: 5C: 3F: 2
All 33 public schools we grade in Cary. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (5)
Middle and junior high schools (6)
- Alston Ridge Middle
- Davis Drive Middle
- East Cary Middle
- Mills Park Middle
- Reedy Creek Middle
- West Cary Middle
Elementary and primary schools (17)
- Adams Elementary
- Alston Ridge Elementary
- Briarcliff Elementary
- Carpenter Elementary
- Cary Elementary
- Davis Drive Elementary
- Farmington Woods Elementary
- Green Hope Elementary
- Highcroft Elementary
- Hortons Creek Elementary
- Kingswood Elementary
- Mills Park Elementary
- Northwoods Elementary
- Penny Road Elementary
- Reedy Creek Elementary
- Turner Creek Elementary
- Weatherstone Elementary
Other schools and academies (5)
- Cardinal Charter Academy
- Connections Academy
- Crossroads Flex
- Score Academy
- Triangle Math And Science Academy
Private schools (12)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.
- Cary Academy
- Chesterbrook Academy-preschool And Elementary
- Grove School Of Cary
- Knowledge Beginnings School
- Lucy Daniels School
- Mariposa School
- Renaissance Montessori School Of Cary
- Resurrection Lutheran School
- Scholars Academy Gifted And Artistically Elite
- St Michael The Archangel Catholic School
- Triangle Montessori Academy
- True Abalities Lrng. Academy Llc