High Schools in Onslow County Schools

Onslow County Schools serves 8 high schools in the Jacksonville, North Carolina, area — 7 traditional comprehensive schools plus specialized Onslow Early College — collectively enrolling approximately 8,096 students in grades 9-12. The district ranks 136th of 246 North Carolina districts at the 45th percentile (2 stars), but that middling district-wide ranking hides enormous differences among individual schools.

For parents, Onslow Early College is the clear academic standout: ranked 16th of 662 schools statewide (98th percentile, 5 stars), though its small 189-student enrollment and specialized early-college model differ sharply from the other schools. Among the seven comprehensive high schools, Swansboro High is the strongest all-around: ranked 172nd (74th percentile, 4 stars), it leads with 75.1% average EOC proficiency across Biology, English II, Math I, and Math III, plus a 92.5% graduation rate. Dixon High follows at 214th, with excellent Biology (77.8%) and Math III (79.8%) scores, though Math I is weaker at 46.2%. On the opposite end, Southwest High ranks 568th with the district's highest chronic absenteeism (36.7%) and most alarming math results, including only 16.5% proficiency in Math I. Richlands High is declining fastest, dropping from the 53rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 27th percentile now, despite a solid 93.1% graduation rate. Jacksonville High (the district's largest school at 1,441 students), Northside High, and White Oak High occupy the middle tier, ranked between the 52nd and 32nd percentiles with mixed subject results.

Graduation rates district-wide are stronger than test scores: nearly every school meets or exceeds the state's 88.8% average, yet EOC proficiency across the comprehensive high schools sits below state averages in Biology, Math I, and Math III. Chronic absenteeism affects six of the seven traditional high schools, rising above 30% at two campuses. Still, Swansboro High and Dixon High prove that strong proficiency is achievable in this district, and each school has distinct subject strengths — Jacksonville High, for example, excels in Math I and English II but lags in Biology. Families comparing school-level subject results will get a much clearer picture than those relying on district averages alone.