Summary:
The two high schools in Camden County Schools — Camden County High and Camden Early College High — serve grades 9–12 and a combined 581 students in Camden County, NC, with the district earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 91st percentile statewide. Though the two schools sit just minutes apart, they offer distinctly different academic profiles, so parents will want to understand how each serves students.
Camden Early College High is the district's academic standout, ranking 23rd out of 662 NC high schools in 2025–26 (97th percentile, 5 stars). It posts stunning test results: 100% proficiency in Biology and Math III, 93.9% in English II, and 93.8% in Math I — roughly 30 to 50 points above state averages. By contrast, Camden County High is the district's most-improved school, leaping from the 45th percentile in 2023–24 to the 74th percentile in 2025–26 (4 stars). That school improved in every EOC subject year-over-year, including a 30.7-point jump in Biology.
Parents should weigh a few trade-offs. Camden County High posts a stronger graduation rate (94.7% vs. 88.9%) and has far more students, but one in four students is chronically absent — slightly above the state average. Camden Early College High produces elite test scores yet spends roughly half as much per student ($6,039 vs. $11,470) and carries a 30.3:1 student-teacher ratio versus 16:1 at the comprehensive high school. Early college results can also swing widely given its small 124-student enrollment. Both schools outperform state averages in nearly every subject, making Camden County Schools one of North Carolina's strongest districts overall. The main takeaway: families choosing between an elite, small early-college program and a larger, rapidly improving traditional high school have two genuinely strong options here.
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