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Charleston School of the Arts

Public, Magnet Grades 6-12

10^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Better than 96% of South Carolina high schools

Summary

Charleston School of the Arts is a public magnet high school serving grades 6-12 in North Charleston, South Carolina. As part of the Charleston 01 school district, which is ranked 23 out of 75 districts in the state, Charleston School of the Arts has consistently been one of the top-performing high schools in South Carolina, ranking in the top 10 for the past several years and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's exceptional academic performance is evident across multiple metrics. In 2024-2025, 97.78% of Charleston School of the Arts students were proficient or better in Algebra 1/Mathematics, compared to 82.31% for the district and 73.95% for the state. The school also maintains a very high 4-year graduation rate of 99.2% in 2023-2024, significantly outpacing the district's 87.9% and the state's average. While Charleston School of the Arts excels in serving students from diverse backgrounds, the nearby North Charleston High and Greg Mathis Charter High perform significantly lower on standardized tests.

As a magnet school focused on the arts, Charleston School of the Arts offers a wide range of specialized programs and extracurricular activities, contributing to its exceptional outcomes. However, the school also faces some challenges, such as relatively high rates of chronic absenteeism and a lower ranking for its gifted and talented student population compared to its overall performance. These areas may require further investigation and targeted interventions to ensure the school continues to provide an exceptional educational experience for all its students.

1,102

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,166

Per pupil spending ?

27.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5109-B West Enterprise Street
North Charleston, SC 29405

(843) 529-4990

District: Charleston 01

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.0%

African American:

11.9%

Hispanic:

8.9%

See top rated South Carolina high schools

Compare Charleston School of the Arts to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 98th percentile in 2015 → 96th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (90% vs 56% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 4% of South Carolina high schools

✓99% graduate in 4 years — above the South Carolina average (87%)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school90%

District avg63%

South Carolina avg56%

Middle school

3^rd of 320

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Top 1%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

10^th of 235

South Carolina public high schools ?

Top 4%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 15High Schools in the Charleston 01

23^rd of 75Charleston 01 among South Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	99.2	3 of 320	99.1%	★★★★★
2024	99.6	2 of 325	99.4%	★★★★★
2023	99.1	3 of 325	99.1%	★★★★★
2022	99.1	4 of 310	98.7%	★★★★★
2021	98.7	6 of 311	98.1%	★★★★★
2019	98.8	4 of 315	98.7%	★★★★★
2018	99.2	4 of 303	98.7%	★★★★★
2017	98.5	4 of 317	98.7%	★★★★★
2016	97.9	4 of 303	98.7%	★★★★★
2015	98.1	6 of 301	98.0%	★★★★★
2014	96.3	6 of 291	97.9%	★★★★★
2013	96.7	4 of 276	98.6%	★★★★★
2012	96.4	4 of 271	98.5%	★★★★★
2011	97.4	3 of 269	98.9%	★★★★★
2010	97.6	3 of 261	98.9%	★★★★★
2009	97.8	3 of 249	98.8%	★★★★★
2008	96.8	3 of 244	98.8%	★★★★★
2007	97.3	2 of 236	99.2%	★★★★★
2006	97.4	3 of 231	98.7%	★★★★★
2005	97.1	3 of 230	98.7%	★★★★★
2004	96.6	3 of 230	98.7%	★★★★★
2003	96.8	3 of 225	98.7%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	94.2	6 of 253	97.6%	★★★★★
2021	93.6	10 of 235	95.7%	★★★★★
2019	99.7	2 of 252	99.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	98.4	1 of 295	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	99.1	3 of 294	99.0%	★★★★★
2023	98.4	4 of 299	98.7%	★★★★★
2022	98.8	4 of 290	98.6%	★★★★★
2021	98.4	4 of 279	98.6%	★★★★★
2019	98.6	3 of 296	99.0%	★★★★★
2018	99.2	2 of 281	99.3%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	50.4	119 of 173	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.9	102 of 183	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.8	132 of 185	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.3	140 of 182	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.4	138 of 179	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	99.5	4 of 307	98.7%	★★★★★
2024	99.7	2 of 307	99.3%	★★★★★
2023	93.1	14 of 313	95.5%	★★★★★
2022	99.5	4 of 300	98.7%	★★★★★
2021	99.3	4 of 288	98.6%	★★★★★
2019	99.4	4 of 289	98.6%	★★★★★
2018	99.6	3 of 280	98.9%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	99.7	3 of 296	99.0%	★★★★★
2024	99.8	2 of 294	99.3%	★★★★★
2023	99.3	2 of 303	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	98.9	4 of 292	98.6%	★★★★★
2021	98.2	8 of 279	97.1%	★★★★★
2019	98.5	7 of 296	97.6%	★★★★★
2018	98.3	8 of 284	97.2%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	97.7	3 of 257	98.8%	★★★★★
2024	98.7	2 of 255	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	97.7	2 of 260	99.2%	★★★★★
2022	98.0	3 of 249	98.8%	★★★★★
2021	97.7	2 of 244	99.2%	★★★★★
2019	97.0	4 of 258	98.4%	★★★★★
2018	97.7	5 of 250	98.0%	★★★★★

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	90.7	10 of 235	95.7%	★★★★★
2024	91.9	9 of 235	96.2%	★★★★★
2023	91.7	9 of 237	96.2%	★★★★★
2022	90.5	9 of 226	96.0%	★★★★★
2021	93.7	5 of 227	97.8%	★★★★★
2019	88.0	5 of 225	97.8%	★★★★★
2018	88.4	3 of 216	98.6%	★★★★★
2017	87.8	4 of 223	98.2%	★★★★★
2016	93.1	4 of 231	98.3%	★★★★★
2015	92.4	5 of 232	97.8%	★★★★★
2014	99.2	1 of 210	99.5%	★★★★★
2013	98.8	4 of 203	98.0%	★★★★★
2012	98.9	3 of 202	98.5%	★★★★★
2011	99.5	2 of 199	99.0%	★★★★★
2010	98.5	4 of 199	98.0%	★★★★★
2007	85.5	4 of 191	97.9%	★★★★★
2006	85.8	4 of 191	97.9%	★★★★★
2005	89.4	1 of 187	99.5%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	92.1	5 of 194	97.4%	★★★★★
2024	96.6	3 of 194	98.5%	★★★★★
2023	94.0	7 of 199	96.5%	★★★★★
2022	94.5	5 of 190	97.4%	★★★★★
2021	98.1	1 of 178	99.4%	★★★★★
2019	94.7	2 of 184	98.9%	★★★★★
2018	98.4	2 of 183	98.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	91.7	10 of 225	95.6%	★★★★★
2024	91.6	6 of 225	97.3%	★★★★★
2023	90.2	10 of 223	95.5%	★★★★★
2022	88.5	12 of 220	94.5%	★★★★★
2021	91.8	6 of 213	97.2%	★★★★★
2019	89.4	5 of 213	97.7%	★★★★★
2018	88.1	3 of 210	98.6%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	40.1	122 of 153	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	54.8	98 of 157	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.1	107 of 156	31.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	94.5	4 of 121	96.7%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	91.1	6 of 226	97.3%	★★★★★
2024	93.7	5 of 229	97.8%	★★★★★
2023	94.4	7 of 226	96.9%	★★★★★
2022	89.8	10 of 220	95.5%	★★★★★
2021	97.9	4 of 213	98.1%	★★★★★
2019	90.5	4 of 217	98.2%	★★★★★
2018	94.1	3 of 214	98.6%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	90.8	10 of 224	95.5%	★★★★★
2024	91.8	10 of 228	95.6%	★★★★★
2023	93.3	11 of 229	95.2%	★★★★★
2022	91.7	10 of 224	95.5%	★★★★★
2021	94.8	6 of 215	97.2%	★★★★★
2019	87.9	6 of 218	97.2%	★★★★★
2018	90.4	4 of 213	98.1%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	87.9	8 of 196	95.9%	★★★★★
2024	90.0	6 of 196	96.9%	★★★★★
2023	90.4	7 of 197	96.4%	★★★★★
2022	88.6	10 of 192	94.8%	★★★★★
2021	92.3	6 of 189	96.8%	★★★★★
2019	87.6	4 of 191	97.9%	★★★★★
2018	85.5	4 of 185	97.8%	★★★★★

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)

Middle school

Female (2025)100th percentile~ school

Male (2025)99th percentile~ school

White (2025)99th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)99th percentile~ school

African American (2023)98th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2025)31st percentile-68 vs school

High school

African American (2025)97th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2024)97th percentile~ school

White (2025)96th percentile~ school

Female (2025)96th percentile~ school

Male (2025)96th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2025)20th percentile-75 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2024-2025) ?

English 299%+13 vs state

Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 298%+24 vs state

English Language Arts94%+37 vs state

English 190%+29 vs state

U.S. History and the Constitution85%+24 vs state

Mathematics84%+49 vs state

Science81%+32 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, October 11, 2012

The best private schools out there pale in comparison to this exceptional example of academic excellence supported through an intense program of the arts. No place will you find a more talented cadre of young people in place filled with positive growth opportunities, a highly dedicated staff who focuses on the success of each student and an administration able to connect with parents in a mutually cooperative and useful way. Given the popular notion of the demise of the public schools, SOA stands as a shining example of how a well managed school, with a common focus and understood purpose, can be highly successful. If you have the opportunity to have your child selected to attend, grab the chance! There is a real reason that so many students dream of being accepted. This is an amazing school. Close Quote

Schools Near Charleston School of the Arts

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SC READY English Language Arts (2025)			SC READY Mathematics (2025)			SC READY Science (2025)	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2025)	EOCEP English 1 (2025)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2025)	EOCEP English 2 (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	EOCEP English 1 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Charleston School of the Arts	Public, Magnet	6-12	5109-B West Enterprise Street	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 529-4990	1,102	69	15.9		771 (70.0%)	131 (11.9%)	98 (8.9%)	39 (3.5%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	59 (5.4%)	90.7	10^th of 235 public high schools	95.7%		91.9	9^th of 235 public high schools	96.2%	1	93.8	92.5	94.5	80.2	88.1	84.6	80.7	97.8	90.3	85.1	99.4	$21,166	$3,310	$1,378	$4,687	$12,649	$3,830	$16,479
Academic Magnet High	Public, Magnet	9-12	5109-A West Enterprise Street	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 746-1300	740	45	16.5		552 (74.6%)	24 (3.2%)	39 (5.3%)	78 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (6.4%)	97.6	2^nd of 235 public high schools	99.1%		97.2	3^rd of 235 public high schools	98.7%	1									100.0	98.9	100.0	$22,213	$2,724	$1,132	$3,856	$13,700	$4,656	$18,357
Allegro Charter School of Music	Public, Charter	6-12	4542 Simms Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 321-7104	250	27	9.2		38 (15.2%)	158 (63.2%)	40 (16.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.2%)	71.6	45^th of 235 public high schools	80.9%		73.4	41^st of 235 public high schools	82.6%	4	43.7	42.9	58.1	29.2	21.5	7.0	31.3		64.5	63.7	100.0	$25,011	$2,256	$15	$2,271	$14,880	$7,860	$22,740
Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies	Public	9-12	1088 East Montague Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 953-3231	0	15	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
North Charleston High	Public	9-12	1087 East Montague Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 745-7140	829	90	9.2		43 (5.2%)	520 (62.7%)	242 (29.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (2.9%)	4.1	231^st of 235 public high schools	1.7%		2.6	233^rd of 235 public high schools	0.9%	2								55.8	25.3	23.1	60.0	$26,208	$4,989	$2,440	$7,430	$14,033	$4,745	$18,778
Lowcountry Acceleration Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	5935 Rivers Avenue suite 101A	N Charleston	29406	Charleston County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 804-6778	619	15	42.6		191 (30.9%)	294 (47.5%)	107 (17.3%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.2%)	11.1	218^th of 235 public high schools	7.2%		5.5	231^st of 235 public high schools	1.7%	13								26.8	34.2	40.9	76.8	$11,237	$74	$471	$545	$179	$10,514	$10,692
Learn4Life High School-Charleston	Public, Charter	9-12	6209 Rivers Avenue	N Charleston	29406	Charleston County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 666-6362	169	7	23.4		23 (13.6%)	83 (49.1%)	56 (33.1%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.0%)	4.9	230^th of 235 public high schools	2.1%		1.6	234^th of 235 public high schools	0.4%	4								6.9	13.7	32.1	74.3	$11,995	$651	$567	$1,218	$4,840	$5,937	$10,777
Hanahan High	Public	9-12	6015 Murray Drive	Hanahan	29410	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 820-3710	1,061	64	16.5		537 (50.6%)	109 (10.3%)	261 (24.6%)	38 (3.6%)	16 (1.5%)	2 (0.2%)	98 (9.2%)	50.5	107^th of 235 public high schools	54.5%		45.2	120^th of 235 public high schools	48.9%	13								67.2	67.0	66.2	82.8	$14,018	$617	$780	$1,397	$10,911	$1,709	$12,620
Military Magnet Academy	Public, Magnet	6-12	2950 Carner Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 745-7102	393	45	8.6		11 (2.8%)	235 (59.8%)	133 (33.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	10 (2.5%)	51	106^th of 235 public high schools	54.9%		28.2	170^th of 235 public high schools	27.7%	64	32.6	49.2	53.2	23.9	23.7	7.8	28.3	84.5	46.5	32.1	92.5	$41,580	$4,727	$7,198	$11,925	$22,549	$7,106	$29,655
Greg Mathis Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	2872 Azalea Drive	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	Yes	No	No	Yes	(843) 557-1611	71	5	14.2		0 (0.0%)	70 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	1.3	234^th of 235 public high schools	0.4%		0.9	235^th of 235 public high schools	0.0%	1									9.5	8.3	70.0	$29,784	$3,250	$1,095	$4,345	$14,185	$11,254	$25,439

Frequently Asked Questions about Charleston School of the Arts

What is the racial makeup of Charleston School of the Arts?

Students at Charleston School of the Arts are 70% White, 12% African American, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

Is Charleston School of the Arts a good school?

Yes! Charleston School of the Arts is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 10^th of 235 South Carolina high schools.

How many students attend Charleston School of the Arts?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,102 students attended Charleston School of the Arts.

What district is Charleston School of the Arts in?

Charleston 01

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

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.