Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Hickory High

Public Grades 9-12

486^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 641 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 24% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Hickory High is a public high school located in Hickory, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,034 students. The school is part of the Hickory City Schools district, which is ranked 143 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hickory High faces significant challenges in terms of its academic performance and student outcomes compared to other high schools in North Carolina. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, receiving a 1-2 star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating below-average performance. While the school's graduation rates are relatively strong, its proficiency rates on End-of-Course (EOC) exams are consistently below the state and district averages, particularly in Biology, Math I, and Math III. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American, Hispanic, Multi-racial, and Gifted and Talented students all ranking in the bottom 25% of their respective subgroups statewide.

Interestingly, nearby schools such as Caldwell Early College and Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School outperform Hickory High across several metrics, including statewide ranking, test scores, and graduation rates, despite serving similar student populations. This suggests that targeted interventions and support may be needed to improve the educational experience and outcomes for all students at Hickory High.

1,024

Students ?

26.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,704

Per pupil spending ?

99.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1234 3rd Street NE
Hickory, NC 28601-2605

(828) 322-5860

District: Hickory City Schools

Feeder schools for Hickory High:

Elementary:	Longview Elementary
	Oakwood Elementary
	Southwest Primary
	Viewmont Elementary
	More...
	W M Jenkins Elementary
Middle:	Grandview Middle
	Northview Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

35.0%

Hispanic:

29.0%

African American:

19.1%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Hickory High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 41st percentile in 2021 → 24th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (39% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (24th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2021

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school39%

District avg42%

North Carolina avg53%

486^th of 641

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 24%▼ down 17 pts since 2021

From bottom 41% (2021) to bottom 24% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Hickory City Schools

143^rd of 242Hickory City Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	26.1	486 of 641	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.8	390 of 640	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.8	362 of 626	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.7	439 of 621	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.3	352 of 594	40.7%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	21.1	375 of 440	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.4	380 of 437	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.5	327 of 434	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.3	378 of 430	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	23.5	86 of 106	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	7.0	96 of 101	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	41.8	69 of 98	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.4	76 of 91	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	42.5	138 of 273	49.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.1	135 of 262	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.8	76 of 226	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	25.7	130 of 156	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	23.7	482 of 610	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.2	401 of 602	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.9	375 of 588	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.1	391 of 594	34.2%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	24.2	357 of 412	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	53.2	246 of 403	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.9	314 of 403	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	49.2	258 of 398	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	23.5	380 of 462	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.1	228 of 454	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	30.3	317 of 449	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.6	288 of 436	33.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	21.2	516 of 606	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.8	398 of 613	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.3	403 of 597	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.3	382 of 544	29.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	27.3	455 of 601	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.2	360 of 607	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.0	335 of 602	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.9	434 of 585	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	11.9	241 of 253	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	30.7	199 of 261	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.3	188 of 249	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.8	204 of 226	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	30.8	252 of 352	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.4	255 of 349	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	43.4	307 of 542	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.0	255 of 553	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.7	196 of 537	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.4	291 of 534	45.5%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2025)49th percentile+25 vs school

White (2025)43rd percentile+19 vs school

Special Education (2025)28th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2025)24th percentile~ school

Female (2025)21st percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2025)19th percentile-5 vs school

Hispanic (2025)18th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)15th percentile-9 vs school

African American (2025)15th percentile-9 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)13th percentile-11 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)5th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Math III58%-8 vs state

English II49%-11 vs state

Math I26%-9 vs state

Biology24%-24 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Hickory High and help other families decide.

Rate Hickory High

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Hickory High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOC Biology (2025)	EOC English II (2025)	EOC Math I (2025)	EOC Math III (2025)	EOG Mathematics (2025)	EOG Reading (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hickory High	Public	9-12	1234 3rd Street NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 322-5860	1,024	38	26.6	99.7%	358 (35.0%)	196 (19.1%)	297 (29.0%)	47 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.6%)	120 (11.7%)	26.1	486^th of 641 public high schools	24.2%		37.8	390^th of 640 public high schools	39.1%	96	23.9	49.0	25.6	57.9			$8,704	$694	$8,010
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	Public	9-12	409 8th Avenue NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Hickory City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 328-6738	201	13	15.2	98.5%	107 (53.2%)	22 (10.9%)	45 (22.4%)	6 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.4%)	56.6	253^rd of 641 public high schools	60.5%		61.7	224^th of 640 public high schools	65.0%	29	47.4	78.4	22.2	80.4			$15,342	$1,043	$14,299
Saint Stephens High	Public	9-12	3205 34th Street Drive NE	Hickory	28601	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 256-9841	1,268	57	22.0	99.8%	560 (44.2%)	109 (8.6%)	442 (34.9%)	62 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (7.5%)	58	243^rd of 641 public high schools	62.1%		50.2	297^th of 640 public high schools	53.6%	54	52.3	58.1	52.4	74.7			$8,502	$740	$7,761
Challenger Early College High	Public	9-12	2550 Hwy 70 SE	Hickory	28602	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 485-2980	376	11	33.5	49.5%	131 (34.8%)	10 (2.7%)	122 (32.4%)	72 (19.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (10.6%)	95.5	16^th of 641 public high schools	97.5%		95.6	21^st of 640 public high schools	96.7%	5	92.0	100.0	88.2	99.0			$6,093	$246	$5,847
Discovery High School	Public	9-12	301 West 18th St	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 466-5581	146	7	22.1	29.5%	85 (58.2%)	4 (2.7%)	28 (19.2%)	15 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.6%)	83	121^st of 641 public high schools	81.1%		79.8	134^th of 640 public high schools	79.1%	13	71.9	80.8	82.8	79.4			$7,999	$741	$7,259
Newton-Conover High	Public	9-12	338 W 15th Street	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Newton Conover City Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 465-0920	724	44	16.5	60.5%	314 (43.4%)	71 (9.8%)	222 (30.7%)	46 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (9.8%)	28.9	466^th of 641 public high schools	27.3%		44	341^st of 640 public high schools	46.7%	125	34.6	48.5	39.9	42.5			$10,228	$626	$9,601
Gateway School	Public	6-12	1889 Dudley Shoals Road	Granite Falls	28630	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(828) 396-8373	53	9	5.9	94.3%	33 (62.3%)	2 (3.8%)	9 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (15.1%)								(n/a)			18.2		7.7	23.1	$28,313	$1,830	$26,484
South Caldwell High	Public	9-12	7035 Spartan Drive	Hudson	28638	Caldwell County	Caldwell County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 396-2188	1,272	67	19.0	99.1%	1,030 (81.0%)	25 (2.0%)	151 (11.9%)	7 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (4.6%)	51	288^th of 641 public high schools	55.1%		46.9	318^th of 640 public high schools	50.3%	30	40.5	62.7	35.7	79.0			$9,486	$729	$8,757
East Burke High	Public	9-12	3695 East Burke Boulevard	Connelly Springs	28612	Burke County	Burke County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 397-5541	874	38	23.1	99.4%	655 (74.9%)	16 (1.8%)	86 (9.8%)	71 (8.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (5.0%)	56.3	254^th of 641 public high schools	60.4%		54.5	265^th of 640 public high schools	58.6%	11	58.9	67.1	41.5	63.5			$9,240	$806	$8,435
Fred T Foard High	Public	9-12	3407 Plateau Road	Newton	28658	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(704) 462-1496	930	43	21.8	46.9%	684 (73.5%)	30 (3.2%)	98 (10.5%)	48 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	67 (7.2%)	52.6	274^th of 641 public high schools	57.3%		57.9	245^th of 640 public high schools	61.7%	29	52.8	66.8	50.8	54.0			$8,769	$744	$8,025

Frequently Asked Questions about Hickory High

What schools feed into Hickory High?

Hickory High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Longview Elementary
Elementary : Oakwood Elementary
Elementary : Southwest Primary
Elementary : Viewmont Elementary
Elementary : W M Jenkins Elementary
Middle : Grandview Middle
Middle : Northview Middle

Is Hickory High a good school?

Hickory High ranks in the bottom 24.2% of North Carolina high schools.

What district is Hickory High in?

Hickory City Schools

How many students attend Hickory High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,024 students attended Hickory High.

What is the racial makeup of Hickory High?

Students at Hickory High are 35% White, 29% Hispanic, 19% African American, 12% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

Rate Hickory High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NCNorth Carolina High School Rankings

NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Hickory, NC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Hickory High!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.