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Apex High

Q: Is Apex High a good school?

Apex High ranks 190 th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

190^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 662 North Carolina High Schools

Better than 71% of North Carolina high schools

Summary

Apex High is a large high school serving about 2,449 students in grades 9–12 in Apex, North Carolina, part of the Research Triangle region and within Wake County Schools. The school holds a 4-star rating and ranks 190th out of 662 North Carolina high schools—the 71st percentile statewide—solidly above average, but in the middle of a very competitive local field. Green Level High, Apex Friendship High, Green Hope High, and Panther Creek High all rank higher, while Cary High, Middle Creek High, and Athens Drive High rank below.

Academically, Apex High shows a clear split. English II proficiency (85.9%) and Biology (76.4%) run well above district and state averages, and the graduation rate has held near or above 93% for the past four years. Math I, however, is a notable weakness: only 38.8% of students are proficient, trailing the state average and falling roughly 13 to 27 points behind nearby higher performers such as Green Level High (65.5%), Apex Friendship High (59.5%), and Green Hope High (60.0%). Chronic absenteeism (18.9%) is better than district and state averages but higher than at stronger-performing neighbors like Panther Creek High (11.2%) and Green Level High (9.4%). The school also serves a more economically diverse student population than several of its higher-ranked neighbors, with 22.5% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Apex High stands out for students with disabilities, ranking in the 90th percentile or higher statewide for three straight years, and it has historically done well for English Language Learners. Yet outcomes vary across student groups: relative effectiveness for economically disadvantaged students and African American students has declined recently and sits near the middle of the pack. A decade ago, Apex High ranked in the low-to-mid-90th percentile statewide; today it is at the 71st percentile and no longer tops its immediate Apex/Cary area. For parents, this is a solid school with strong literacy, graduation, and special education results—but it is worth asking about math support and how the school is addressing gaps across student groups.

2,449

Students ?

19.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

22.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1501 Laura Duncan Road
Apex, NC 27502

(919) 387-2208

District: Wake County Schools

Feeder schools for Apex High:

Elementary:	Baucom Elementary
	Salem Elementary
Middle:	Lufkin Road Middle
	Salem Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.1%

Hispanic:

15.4%

Asian:

12.7%

See top rated North Carolina high schools

Compare Apex High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the North Carolina average (74% vs 60% meeting standards)

✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the North Carolina average (88%)

✓Above the North Carolina median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school74%

District avg68%

North Carolina avg60%

190^th of 662

North Carolina public high schools ?

Top 29%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

60^th of 246Wake 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	69.4	190 of 662	71.3%	★★★★☆
2025	69.9	175 of 641	72.7%	★★★★☆
2024	72.5	169 of 640	73.6%	★★★★☆
2023	71.1	170 of 626	72.8%	★★★★☆
2022	73.4	156 of 621	74.9%	★★★★☆
2021	71.9	144 of 594	75.8%	★★★★☆
2019	75.3	70 of 514	86.4%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	45 of 469	90.4%	★★★★★
2017	81.9	37 of 476	92.2%	★★★★★
2016	77.4	45 of 507	91.1%	★★★★★
2015	83.5	27 of 531	94.9%	★★★★★
2014	84.5	21 of 451	95.3%	★★★★★
2013	75.0	34 of 505	93.3%	★★★★★
2012	74.1	47 of 502	90.6%	★★★★★
2011	80.8	23 of 506	95.5%	★★★★★
2010	80.8	18 of 499	96.4%	★★★★★
2009	84.6	15 of 490	96.9%	★★★★★
2008	81.4	18 of 477	96.2%	★★★★★
2007	84.5	15 of 453	96.7%	★★★★★
2006	76.7	35 of 431	91.9%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	43.1	237 of 450	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.6	180 of 440	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.5	141 of 437	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.3	169 of 434	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.0	122 of 430	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	72.1	39 of 364	89.3%	★★★★☆
2019	59.9	67 of 369	81.8%	★★★★☆
2018	61.3	82 of 359	77.2%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	58.3	49 of 103	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.4	36 of 106	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	73.6	29 of 101	71.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.1	29 of 98	70.4%	★★★★☆
2022	60.0	40 of 91	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	60.3	40 of 83	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	74.9	24 of 89	73.0%	★★★★☆
2018	81.1	16 of 77	79.2%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	63.9	66 of 330	80.0%	★★★★☆
2021	66.9	57 of 334	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	74.2	41 of 364	88.7%	★★★★☆
2018	78.2	44 of 349	87.4%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.4	91 of 289	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	77.1	24 of 273	91.2%	★★★★★
2024	81.4	20 of 262	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	66.8	36 of 226	84.1%	★★★★☆
2022	67.1	18 of 156	88.5%	★★★★☆
2019	54.0	48 of 173	72.3%	★★★★☆
2018	81.7	16 of 147	89.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.2	190 of 629	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.7	148 of 610	75.7%	★★★★☆
2024	70.7	173 of 602	71.3%	★★★★☆
2023	69.7	165 of 588	71.9%	★★★★☆
2022	72.9	153 of 594	74.2%	★★★★☆
2021	70.7	81 of 475	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	75.9	68 of 475	85.7%	★★★★☆
2018	84.2	43 of 449	90.4%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	60.2	204 of 407	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.0	133 of 412	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.0	109 of 403	73.0%	★★★★☆
2023	73.0	100 of 403	75.2%	★★★★☆
2022	75.3	79 of 398	80.2%	★★★★☆
2021	62.6	136 of 337	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	79.5	4 of 100	96.0%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	236 of 474	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.1	232 of 462	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.1	209 of 454	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.7	247 of 449	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.7	231 of 436	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.1	254 of 370	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.1	176 of 354	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.7	101 of 340	70.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.8	332 of 620	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.7	387 of 606	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.1	247 of 613	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	37.8	341 of 597	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.9	248 of 544	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.5	224 of 432	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.3	171 of 446	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	42.8	210 of 424	50.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.7	185 of 624	70.4%	★★★★☆
2025	65.4	186 of 601	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.8	159 of 607	73.8%	★★★★☆
2023	71.2	164 of 602	72.8%	★★★★☆
2022	72.9	152 of 585	74.0%	★★★★☆
2021	71.3	73 of 481	84.8%	★★★★☆
2019	76.8	57 of 488	88.3%	★★★★☆
2018	83.1	49 of 463	89.4%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	79.9	15 of 70	78.6%	★★★★☆
2024	23.8	42 of 49	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	55.4	20 of 48	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.8	20 of 47	57.4%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	68.3	63 of 265	76.2%	★★★★☆
2025	58.5	94 of 253	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	84.1	26 of 261	90.0%	★★★★★
2023	62.7	75 of 249	69.9%	★★★★☆
2022	81.4	31 of 226	86.3%	★★★★☆
2021	83.8	21 of 199	89.4%	★★★★☆
2019	83.9	20 of 195	89.7%	★★★★★
2018	82.2	24 of 185	87.0%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	75.3	39 of 372	89.5%	★★★★☆
2025	75.5	32 of 352	90.9%	★★★★★
2024	80.1	24 of 349	93.1%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.7	157 of 551	71.5%	★★★★☆
2025	67.4	187 of 542	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.5	158 of 553	71.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.6	142 of 537	73.6%	★★★★☆
2022	77.5	126 of 534	76.4%	★★★★☆
2021	72.2	73 of 439	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	72.8	74 of 444	83.3%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	44 of 427	89.7%	★★★★☆

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)90th percentile+18 vs school

Disabled (2022)80th percentile+5 vs school

Military Connected (2026)79th percentile+7 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)76th percentile+5 vs school

White (2026)72nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)70th percentile~ school

Female (2026)70th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)69th percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2026)52nd percentile-19 vs school

Hispanic (2026)50th percentile-21 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)50th percentile-21 vs school

African American (2026)47th percentile-24 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)46th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English II86%+21 vs state

Math III77%+8 vs state

Biology76%+18 vs state

Math I39%-3 vs state

2.2

5 ratings · 4 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★1

2★0

1★3

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, May 24, 2019

Unfortunately, I cannot rate this school very high. My child attended Apex HS and had only a handful
of decent teachers. The main focus of this school is sports. If you aren’t an athlete, forget it. At the time my child attended the schools, drugs were pretty prevalent and the school did nothing about it. It was a sad situation. This may have improved over time, but the school is so huge, they don’t have time to deal with all the issues. I wish I could say something positive. I recommend touring the school and decide for yourself. Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Many /most of the teachers at AHS have burn out and are not invested in teaching. They don't teach effectively and don't work with students or parents who want help and communication. I would only send my kid there if they are a self learner. Close Quote

by a citizen
Thursday, January 9, 2014

My family is moving to the Raleigh area and I WAS very interested in Apex high school mainly b/c I thought it "looked" good on paper. I called to ask if I could tour the school while I was in Raleigh. I was told by Student Services they do not give tours. I asked how do prospective students and parents get to see the school. I was told once you register your child at the school, then they come to a type of orientation if they are freshman and upper classman can come during the summer to walk around the building. She then informed me otherwise they would have people school shopping all the time. What a load of crap. No thanks. A school that doesn't give tours has something to HIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most schools love to brag about the facility, the students and their achievements as well as the faculty. Not this one. Close Quote

by a student
Monday, March 21, 2011

This is the best school ever absolutely love it. Although the best part is AOIT which i am a part of so we go on all these cool field trips Close Quote

Schools Near Apex 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
Apex High	Public	9-12	1501 Laura Duncan Road	Apex	27502	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 387-2208	2,449	123	19.9	22.5%	1,422 (58.1%)	230 (9.4%)	378 (15.4%)	311 (12.7%)	2 (0.1%)	8 (0.3%)	98 (4.0%)	69.4	190^th of 662 public high schools	71.3%		69.9	175^th of 641 public high schools	72.7%	15	76.4	85.9	38.8	76.7	$8,281	$390	$7,891
Green Level High	Public	9-12	7600 Roberts Rd	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-8222	2,283	112	20.4	6.4%	820 (35.9%)	102 (4.5%)	135 (5.9%)	1,133 (49.6%)	8 (0.4%)	3 (0.1%)	82 (3.6%)	88.9	90^th of 662 public high schools	86.4%		93.9	37^th of 641 public high schools	94.2%	53	91.1	93.8	65.5	94.4
Green Hope High	Public	9-12	2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 380-3700	2,304	112	20.5	12.5%	1,036 (45.0%)	149 (6.5%)	179 (7.8%)	852 (37.0%)	6 (0.3%)	5 (0.2%)	77 (3.3%)	83	124^th of 662 public high schools	81.3%		87.6	93^rd of 641 public high schools	85.5%	31	86.0	87.4	60.0	89.3	$7,421	$399	$7,021
Cary High	Public	9-12	638 Walnut St	Cary	27511	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 460-3549	2,044	117	17.4	38.6%	879 (43.0%)	352 (17.2%)	597 (29.2%)	114 (5.6%)	6 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	94 (4.6%)	56.2	279^th of 662 public high schools	57.9%		62.1	218^th of 641 public high schools	66.0%	61	63.3	71.0	33.5	81.0	$8,602	$403	$8,198
Apex Friendship High	Public	9-12	7801 Humie Olive Rd	Apex	27502	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-0500	2,748	131	21.0	11.2%	1,790 (65.1%)	188 (6.8%)	261 (9.5%)	390 (14.2%)	6 (0.2%)	3 (0.1%)	110 (4.0%)	85	105^th of 662 public high schools	84.1%		85.6	106^th of 641 public high schools	83.5%	1	90.3	91.1	59.5	89.5	$7,834	$322	$7,511
Wake STEM Early College High School	Public	9-12	2205 Walnut Street	Cary	27518	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-8130	294	15	20.2	35.7%	98 (33.3%)	40 (13.6%)	84 (28.6%)	60 (20.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.1%)	93.1	31^st of 662 public high schools	95.3%		96.4	6^th of 641 public high schools	99.1%	25	362.2	564.9	95.0	100.0	$10,774	$232	$10,542
Crossroads FLEX	Public, Virtual	9-12	5651 Dillard Dr	Cary	27518	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(919) 694-8515	139	6	23.4	5.8%	95 (68.3%)	9 (6.5%)	13 (9.4%)	13 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.5%)	76.3	156^th of 662 public high schools	76.4%		92.5	56^th of 641 public high schools	91.3%	100	70.0	94.1	66.7	80.0	$9,819	$232	$9,587
SCORE Academy	Public	9-12	5651 Dillard Dr	Cary	27518	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 694-8560	584	32	18.3	99.5%	164 (28.1%)	210 (36.0%)	174 (29.8%)	12 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.9%)	2	650^th of 662 public high schools	1.8%		2.7	633^rd of 641 public high schools	1.2%	17	10.0	19.6	537.5	540.3	$16,937	$337	$16,599
Panther Creek High	Public	9-12	6770 McCrimmon Parkway	Cary	27519	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 463-8656	2,609	128	20.3	14.8%	624 (23.9%)	396 (15.2%)	204 (7.8%)	1,251 (47.9%)	13 (0.5%)	2 (0.1%)	119 (4.6%)	79.7	141^st of 662 public high schools	78.7%		85.1	110^th of 641 public high schools	82.8%	31	84.8	88.7	51.9	84.2	$7,426	$339	$7,087
Middle Creek High	Public	9-12	123 Middle Creek Park Avenue	Apex	27539	Wake County	Wake County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 773-3838	1,587	87	18.2	29.6%	925 (58.3%)	198 (12.5%)	360 (22.7%)	44 (2.8%)	4 (0.3%)	4 (0.3%)	52 (3.3%)	55.8	281^st of 662 public high schools	57.6%		62	219^th of 641 public high schools	65.8%	62	68.0	73.4	38.1	68.8	$8,441	$392	$8,048

Frequently Asked Questions about Apex High

Is Apex High a good school?

Apex High ranks 190^th of 662 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Apex High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,449 students attended Apex High.

What schools feed into Apex High?

Apex High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Baucom Elementary
Elementary : Salem Elementary
Middle : Lufkin Road Middle
Middle : Salem Middle

What district is Apex High in?

Wake County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Apex High?

Students at Apex High are 58% White, 15% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 9% African American, 4% Two or more races.

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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.