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

Challenger Early College High

Public Grades 9-12

16^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 641 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 98% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Challenger Early College High is a public high school in Hickory, North Carolina, serving 362 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Catawba County Schools district, which is ranked 82 out of 242 districts in the state.

Challenger Early College High consistently outperforms the Catawba County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in End-of-Course (EOC) test scores. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school had 92% proficiency in Biology EOC, compared to 53.8% for the district and 48.3% for the state. Similarly, the school had 100% proficiency in English II EOC, 88.2% in Math I EOC, and 99% in Math III EOC, all significantly higher than the district and state averages. This exceptional academic performance has earned Challenger Early College High a ranking among the top 3% of high schools in North Carolina.

The school's success extends to its diverse student population. Challenger Early College High has seen an increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 27.91% in 2021-2022 to 47.24% in 2023-2024, indicating it is serving a more economically diverse student body. When compared to nearby high schools in the Catawba County Schools district, Challenger Early College High significantly outperforms its peers in academic metrics, showcasing the exceptional educational opportunities it provides to students.

376

Students ?

33.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$6,093

Per pupil spending ?

49.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2550 Hwy 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602

(828) 485-2980

District: Catawba County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

34.8%

Hispanic:

32.4%

Asian:

19.1%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Challenger Early College High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 99th percentile in 2019 → 98th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (95% vs 53% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 2% of North Carolina high schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Catawba County Schools

Worth a look

!Large classes — about 34 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school95%

District avg59%

North Carolina avg53%

16^th of 641

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 2%▼ down 1 pts since 2019

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 6High Schools in the Catawba County Schools

82^nd of 242Catawba County 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	95.5	16 of 641	97.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.6	21 of 640	96.7%	★★★★★
2023	96.4	3 of 626	99.5%	★★★★★
2022	97.3	3 of 621	99.5%	★★★★★
2021	97.8	9 of 594	98.5%	★★★★★
2019	96.5	6 of 514	98.8%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	85.2	13 of 106	87.7%	★★★★☆
2024	87.9	5 of 101	95.0%	★★★★★
2023	89.3	4 of 98	95.9%	★★★★★
2022	90.8	1 of 91	98.9%	★★★★★
2021	90.0	3 of 83	96.4%	★★★★★
2019	86.5	8 of 89	91.0%	★★★★★
2018	85.2	5 of 77	93.5%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	94.5	19 of 610	96.9%	★★★★★
2024	94.4	23 of 602	96.2%	★★★★★
2023	95.7	9 of 588	98.5%	★★★★★
2022	97.0	3 of 594	99.5%	★★★★★
2021	97.0	3 of 475	99.4%	★★★★★
2019	95.2	9 of 475	98.1%	★★★★★
2018	94.9	5 of 449	98.9%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	80.0	47 of 412	88.6%	★★★★☆
2024	79.4	7 of 403	98.3%	★★★★★
2023	81.5	13 of 403	96.8%	★★★★★
2022	84.0	1 of 398	99.7%	★★★★★
2021	84.7	5 of 337	98.5%	★★★★★
2019	83.2	6 of 325	98.2%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	97.7	8 of 462	98.3%	★★★★★
2024	98.1	14 of 454	96.9%	★★★★★
2023	98.7	3 of 449	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	99.1	1 of 436	99.8%	★★★★★
2021	97.2	5 of 370	98.6%	★★★★★
2019	98.8	2 of 354	99.4%	★★★★★
2018	98.7	3 of 340	99.1%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	97.5	12 of 606	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	97.0	31 of 613	94.9%	★★★★★
2023	98.5	7 of 597	98.8%	★★★★★
2022	99.5	2 of 544	99.6%	★★★★★
2021	99.6	2 of 432	99.5%	★★★★★
2019	98.3	4 of 446	99.1%	★★★★★
2018	99.1	1 of 424	99.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	96.1	12 of 601	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	96.5	12 of 607	98.0%	★★★★★
2023	97.5	2 of 602	99.7%	★★★★★
2022	97.7	2 of 585	99.7%	★★★★★
2021	98.3	4 of 481	99.2%	★★★★★
2019	96.9	7 of 488	98.6%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	98.4	2 of 249	99.2%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	93.5	17 of 542	96.9%	★★★★★
2024	92.8	30 of 553	94.6%	★★★★★
2023	93.7	26 of 537	95.2%	★★★★★
2022	95.4	8 of 534	98.5%	★★★★★
2021	97.4	2 of 439	99.5%	★★★★★
2019	95.5	4 of 444	99.1%	★★★★★

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)

Multi-racial (2023)99th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)98th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)98th percentile~ school

Male (2025)98th percentile~ school

Female (2025)97th percentile~ school

White (2025)97th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2025)89th percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2025)88th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

English II100%+40 vs state

Math III99%+33 vs state

Biology92%+44 vs state

Math I88%+54 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Challenger Early College High and help other families decide.

Rate Challenger Early College 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 Challenger Early College 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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Maiden High	Public	9-12	600 West Main Street	Maiden	28650	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 428-8197	852	41	20.7	49.1%	528 (62.0%)	54 (6.3%)	150 (17.6%)	57 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (7.4%)	47.8	320^th of 641 public high schools	50.1%		59.8	235^th of 640 public high schools	63.3%	85	46.2	49.3	43.5	75.0	$9,016	$684	$8,333
Bunker Hill High	Public	9-12	4675 Oxford School Road	Claremont	28610	Catawba County	Catawba County Schools	No	No	No	No	(828) 241-3355	845	40	21.1	99.6%	457 (54.1%)	69 (8.2%)	179 (21.2%)	86 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (6.4%)	30.3	441^st of 641 public high schools	31.2%		38.7	377^th of 640 public high schools	41.1%	64	40.5	43.6	24.7	59.4	$8,880	$745	$8,136
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Challenger Early College High

Is Challenger Early College High a good school?

Yes! Challenger Early College High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 16^th of 641 North Carolina high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Challenger Early College High?

Students at Challenger Early College High are 35% White, 32% Hispanic, 19% Asian, 11% Two or more races, 3% African American.

How many students attend Challenger Early College High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 376 students attended Challenger Early College High.

What district is Challenger Early College High in?

Catawba County Schools

Rate Challenger Early College 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 Challenger Early College 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.