Best Schools in Columbus County, NC
Columbus County, NC has 37 public schools (12 high, 8 middle, 16 elementary) serving 17,273 students. On average they score 45% on state proficiency tests against a projected 42%, so schools in Columbus County don't meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Columbus County, NC
The top high schools in Columbus County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Columbus Career And College Academy
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 13 • 249 Students
2. South Brunswick High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1172 Students
3. West Brunswick High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1526 Students
4. Whiteville High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Whiteville City Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 662 Students
5. West Bladen High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Bladen County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 701 Students
6. South Columbus High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 692 Students
7. East Bladen High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Bladen County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 545 Students
8. East Columbus Junior-senior High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 594 Students
9. Pender High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pender County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 677 Students
10. West Columbus High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 400 Students
Best Middle Schools in Columbus County, NC
The top middle schools in Columbus County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Town Creek Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 500 Students
2. South Brunswick Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 572 Students
3. Nakina Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 214 Students
4. Clarkton School Of Discovery
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Bladen County Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 212 Students
5. Central Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Whiteville City Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 462 Students
6. Bladenboro Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Bladen County Schools • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 277 Students
7. West Pender Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pender County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 179 Students
8. Tabor City Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 179 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Columbus County, NC
The top elementary schools in Columbus County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Town Creek Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 4 • 654 Students
2. Old Dock Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 294 Students
3. Waccamaw
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 430 Students
4. Edgewood Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Whiteville City Schools • Public • Grades 3 - 5 • 454 Students
5. Hallsboro-artesia Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 362 Students
6. Bolivia Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Brunswick County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 496 Students
7. Williams Township
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 8 • 644 Students
8. Acme Delco Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 310 Students
9. Classical Charter Schools Of Whiteville
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Classical Charter Schools Of Whiteville • Charter • Grades KG - 8 • 879 Students
10. Chadbourn Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus County Schools • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 204 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Columbus County, NC
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Columbus County, NC has a total population of 50,623 with 21% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 87%, and 15% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Columbus County, 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 Columbus County, NC.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
28.68 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
5.37 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
23.31 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Columbus County, NC.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Columbus County, 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 Columbus County, NC Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Columbus County, NC
How many schools are in Columbus County, NC?
Columbus County, NC has 37 public schools: 12 high schools, 8 middle schools and 16 elementary schools, serving 17,273 students in total.
How do schools in Columbus County perform on state tests?
On average, 37 schools in Columbus County score 45% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 42%, so on average schools in Columbus County don't meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Columbus County?
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 Columbus County, NC
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 49%
- Projected: 42%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 44%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 61%
- Projected: 40%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 33%
- Projected: 20%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 39%
- Projected: 24%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 40%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 29%
- Projected: 22%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Columbus County
7 places in Columbus County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (7)
- Whiteville (8)
- Tabor City (3)
- Lake Waccamaw (2)
- Cerro Gordo (1)
- Chadbourn (1)
- Hallsboro (1)
- Nakina (1)
School districts (2)
- Columbus County Schools (12 schools)
- Whiteville City Schools (5 schools)