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South Columbus High

Q: Is South Columbus High a good school?

South Columbus High ranks 449 th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

449^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 32% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

South Columbus High is a comprehensive public high school in Tabor City, North Carolina, serving 669 students in grades 9–12 within Columbus County Schools. It is a high-poverty school, with about 99.4% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure that matches the surrounding rural region's schools. The state ranks South Columbus High at 449th out of 662 high schools, placing it at the 32nd percentile with a two-star rating — slightly above its own district's overall 28th-percentile ranking but below the state median.

The school's clearest strength is its graduation rate. In 2025–26, 92.5% of students graduated, above the district's 90.5% and the state's 88.8%, and higher than nearby West Columbus High (86.1%) and Whiteville High (90.3%). Test scores tell a more mixed story. South Columbus exceeds its district average in Biology, English II, and Math I, yet trails the state in every End-of-Course subject. The largest shortfalls are English II (50.4% proficient vs. 64.6% statewide) and Math III (58.0% vs. 68.9%), while Math I nearly matches the state at 39.7% versus 42.1%. Compared with West Columbus — its closest same-district peer — South Columbus outperforms it on every major metric, from graduation rate to biology proficiency. Whiteville High ranks higher overall and posts stronger English II and Math III scores, though South Columbus beats it in Math I and posts a better graduation rate.

Chronic absenteeism remains the biggest risk factor, though it is improving — down from 43.5% in 2021–22 to 33.0% in 2024–25. That still means about one in three students is chronically absent, well above the state's 24.2% and the 14.4% recorded at Columbus Career and College Academy. Progress is visible elsewhere: proficiency rose across all core subjects in 2025–26, special education students jumped to the 69th percentile, and Hispanic students reached the 55th. In short, South Columbus has genuine strengths in graduating students and improving attendance, but its main challenge is raising academic proficiency in Math III and English II so that diplomas reflect stronger readiness.

669

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,661

Per pupil spending ?

99.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

40 Stallion Drive
Tabor City, NC 28463-9801

(910) 653-4073

District: Columbus County Schools

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.1%

African American:

23.5%

Hispanic:

12.0%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare South Columbus High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 36th percentile in 2016 → 32nd in 2026

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the North Carolina average (89%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the North Carolina average (50% vs 60% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (33% vs 24% North Carolina)

!English II scores 14 pts below the North Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school50%

District avg48%

North Carolina avg60%

449^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 36% (2016) to bottom 32% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3High Schools in the Columbus County Schools

176^th of 246Columbus 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
2026	33.9	449 of 662	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	29.0	463 of 641	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.3	439 of 640	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.4	377 of 626	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.0	377 of 621	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.3	291 of 594	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	34.4	318 of 514	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.2	311 of 469	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	41.8	236 of 476	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	28.3	326 of 507	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	32.3	327 of 531	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	30.4	271 of 451	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	26.1	337 of 505	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	70.3	67 of 502	86.7%	★★★★☆
2011	55.7	229 of 506	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.7	124 of 499	75.2%	★★★★☆
2009	46.3	288 of 490	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	57.4	177 of 477	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	47.4	252 of 453	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2006	42.8	292 of 431	32.3%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	31.2	327 of 450	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.4	361 of 440	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.5	361 of 437	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.1	340 of 434	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.0	379 of 430	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.6	226 of 364	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.3	266 of 369	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.8	290 of 359	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2021	44.2	149 of 334	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.9	109 of 364	70.1%	★★★★☆
2018	32.7	221 of 349	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.3	471 of 629	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.3	423 of 610	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.4	399 of 602	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.6	329 of 588	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.6	314 of 594	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.9	165 of 475	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.8	255 of 475	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.5	291 of 449	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	59.4	211 of 407	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.3	336 of 412	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.4	317 of 403	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	42.2	296 of 403	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	53.7	229 of 398	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.9	152 of 337	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	76.3	43 of 325	86.8%	★★★★☆
2018	29.2	80 of 100	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	47.7	212 of 474	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	35.7	282 of 462	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.4	236 of 454	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.5	144 of 449	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.2	224 of 436	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.4	66 of 370	82.2%	★★★★☆
2019	61.0	70 of 354	80.2%	★★★★☆
2018	56.7	104 of 340	69.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.7	454 of 620	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.4	447 of 606	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	34.6	384 of 613	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.7	360 of 597	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.4	380 of 544	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.0	185 of 432	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	40.7	210 of 446	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	35.0	253 of 424	40.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	35.5	407 of 624	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.9	472 of 601	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.6	441 of 607	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.9	413 of 602	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.0	410 of 585	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	39.6	241 of 481	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	26.0	351 of 488	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.4	350 of 463	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	54.3	116 of 372	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	24.0	297 of 352	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.7	428 of 551	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.8	458 of 542	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.7	439 of 553	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.5	391 of 537	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.9	318 of 534	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.3	190 of 439	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	23.4	357 of 444	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.0	366 of 427	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)69th percentile+37 vs school

Disabled (2021)55th percentile+4 vs school

Hispanic (2026)55th percentile+23 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)48th percentile+16 vs school

Male (2026)35th percentile+3 vs school

African American (2026)27th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)27th percentile-5 vs school

Female (2026)25th percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)22nd percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Math III58%-11 vs state

Biology52%-6 vs state

English II50%-14 vs state

Math I40%~ state avg

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Schools Near South Columbus High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOC Biology (2026)	EOC English II (2026)	EOC Math I (2026)	EOC Math III (2026)	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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
South Columbus High	Public	9-12	40 Stallion Drive	Tabor City	28463	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 653-4073	669	43	15.7	99.4%	409 (61.1%)	157 (23.5%)	80 (12.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (2.7%)	33.9	449^th of 662 public high schools	32.2%		29	463^rd of 641 public high schools	27.8%	14	52.1	50.4	39.7	58.0	$9,661	$1,025	$8,636
Columbus Career and College Academy	Public	9-12	4564 Chadbourn Hwy	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 788-6281	230	12	18.4	98.7%	133 (57.8%)	41 (17.8%)	47 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.0%)	81.3	133^rd of 662 public high schools	79.9%		71.8	171^st of 641 public high schools	73.3%	38	80.9	83.3	94.1	81.5	$6,813	$326	$6,488
North Whiteville Academy	Public	6-12	310 S Martin Luther King Jr Av	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Whiteville City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 914-4161	16	5	3.2	81.3%	4 (25.0%)	11 (68.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (6.3%)								(n/a)					$24,391	$612	$23,779
West Columbus High	Public	9-12	7294 Andrew Jackson Hwy SW	Cerro Gordo	28430	Columbus County	Columbus County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 654-6111	459	33	13.9	97.6%	205 (44.7%)	187 (40.7%)	33 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.4%)	16.6	572^nd of 662 public high schools	13.6%		18.8	529^th of 641 public high schools	17.5%	43	27.1	33.3	31.1	55.8	$11,672	$1,304	$10,369
Whiteville High	Public	9-12	413 N Lee Street	Whiteville	28472	Columbus County	Whiteville City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(910) 914-4189	639	29	22.1	99.5%	254 (39.7%)	240 (37.6%)	95 (14.9%)	6 (0.9%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.9%)	54	295^th of 662 public high schools	55.4%		42.7	353^rd of 641 public high schools	44.9%	58	61.4	69.1	37.2	84.4	$10,302	$1,532	$8,770

Frequently Asked Questions about South Columbus High

What is the racial makeup of South Columbus High?

Students at South Columbus High are 61% White, 23% African American, 12% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Is South Columbus High a good school?

South Columbus High ranks 449^th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into South Columbus High?

South Columbus High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Old Dock Elementary
Elementary : Williams Township
Middle : Nakina Middle

How many students attend South Columbus High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 669 students attended South Columbus High.

What district is South Columbus High in?

Columbus County Schools

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NCNorth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Tabor City, NC

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Latest North Carolina data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 2, 2026

2025–26 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 2, 2026

2016–17 through 2024–25 graduation ratesSep 3, 2025

2024–25 EOC & EOG test scoresSep 3, 2025

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.