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Salem High

Q: Is Salem High a good school?

Salem High ranks 81 st of 331 Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

81^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 331 Virginia High Schools

Better than 76% of Virginia high schools

Summary

Salem High is a comprehensive public high school serving 1,202 students in grades 9–12 and is the only public high school in Salem, VA, operating under Salem City Public Schools. The school ranks 81st out of 331 Virginia high schools with a 4-star rating, while the district ranks 30th out of 131 districts statewide. About 40% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and the graduation rate of 93.4% is slightly above the state average. A standout feature is the remarkably low 9:1 student-teacher ratio, roughly half that of nearby Cave Spring High (15.5:1) and Lord Botetourt High (16:1).

Salem High's most impressive results include a #1 state ranking for English Language Learner students (99th percentile, 5 stars) and consistent top-quartile performance for economically disadvantaged students over the past three years. Math scores are exceptional: 9th graders posted 100% proficiency in Algebra II and 95.5% in Geometry. Chronic absenteeism has plummeted from 23.7% to 13.7% since 2021–2022, a likely driver of recent academic gains. The school also outperforms more affluent nearby schools like Glenvar High and William Byrd High while serving a greater share of economically disadvantaged students.

Families should also be aware of some challenges. Tenth-grade reading proficiency was just 60% in 2025–2026, below the state average of 63.9%, although 11th-grade reading is a strength at 92.8%. Outcomes for students with disabilities have dropped sharply from the 90th to the 47th percentile over three years, and the graduation rate has slipped from 96.2% in 2020–2021 to 93.4% in 2024–2025. With per-student spending near the regional average at $9,987, Salem achieves far stronger results than high-poverty Roanoke City schools such as Patrick Henry High and William Fleming High, making it an efficient, equity-minded option in the Roanoke Valley.

1,202

Students ?

9.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,987

Per pupil spending ?

40.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

400 Spartan Dr
Salem, VA 24153-3296

(540) 387-2437

District: Salem City Public Schools

Feeder schools for Salem High:

Elementary:	East Salem Elementary
	G.W. Carver Elementary
	South Salem Elementary
	West Salem Elementary
Middle:	Andrew Lewis Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.2%

African American:

16.6%

Hispanic:

10.2%

See top rated Virginia high schools

Compare Salem High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 84th percentile in 2016 → 76th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (88% vs 82% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 24% of Virginia high schools

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school88%

District avg88%

Virginia avg82%

81^st of 331

Virginia public high schools ?

Top 24%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 16% (2016) to top 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

30^th of 131Salem City Public Schools among Virginia 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	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	70.8	81 of 331	75.5%	★★★★☆
2025	71.8	78 of 328	76.2%	★★★★☆
2024	64.8	117 of 329	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.8	89 of 326	72.7%	★★★★☆
2022	66.0	72 of 325	77.8%	★★★★☆
2021	65.1	57 of 327	82.6%	★★★★☆
2019	51.7	153 of 327	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.4	107 of 326	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	69.6	43 of 324	86.7%	★★★★☆
2016	68.2	52 of 321	83.8%	★★★★☆
2015	72.1	37 of 322	88.5%	★★★★☆
2014	69.2	53 of 322	83.5%	★★★★☆
2013	65.0	69 of 321	78.5%	★★★★☆
2012	69.4	39 of 321	87.9%	★★★★☆
2011	67.4	62 of 320	80.6%	★★★★☆
2010	66.3	58 of 317	81.7%	★★★★☆
2009	65.0	68 of 313	78.3%	★★★★☆
2008	70.6	40 of 316	87.3%	★★★★☆
2007	69.6	39 of 313	87.5%	★★★★☆
2006	67.1	45 of 314	85.7%	★★★★☆
2005	66.3	47 of 308	84.7%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	61.5	78 of 242	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.3	82 of 245	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	69.8	55 of 249	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	66.2	72 of 240	70.0%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	48.9	134 of 252	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.1	98 of 253	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	77.6	25 of 249	90.0%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	96.7	1 of 101	99.0%	★★★★★
2023	85.0	14 of 97	85.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	65.5	109 of 322	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.0	119 of 321	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.4	115 of 322	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	70.1	80 of 320	75.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	56.8	109 of 242	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.9	64 of 236	72.9%	★★★★☆
2024	58.6	87 of 233	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.1	129 of 232	44.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	69.9	68 of 321	78.8%	★★★★☆
2025	72.3	60 of 324	81.5%	★★★★☆
2024	68.2	71 of 320	77.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	72.6	67 of 325	79.4%	★★★★☆
2025	75.5	54 of 322	83.2%	★★★★☆
2024	61.9	128 of 322	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.1	107 of 321	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2023	79.3	19 of 193	90.2%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	66.7	88 of 312	71.8%	★★★★☆
2025	66.2	103 of 313	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.7	172 of 314	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.9	96 of 315	69.5%	★★★★☆

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)

English Language Learner (2025)99th percentile+23 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)90th percentile+17 vs school

Male (2026)79th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile+3 vs school

White (2026)72nd percentile-4 vs school

African American (2026)68th percentile-8 vs school

Female (2026)66th percentile-9 vs school

Hispanic (2026)55th percentile-21 vs school

Disabled (2026)47th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Algebra II100%+6 vs state

Geometry96%+10 vs state

English Reading91%+4 vs state

Algebra I87%+8 vs state

Biology81%+4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Salem 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)				SOL Writing (2026)			SOL Geometry (2026)		SOL Algebra I (2026)				SOL Algebra II (2026)	SOL Biology (2026)				SOL Earth Science (2026)			SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL Geography (2026)	SOL VA and US History (2026)	SOL World History I (2026)			SOL World History II (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (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	SOL Writing 10th Grade	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Writing 12th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Geometry 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 12th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL Earth Science 10th Grade	SOL Earth Science 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 10th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History I 11th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Salem High	Public	9-12	400 Spartan Dr	Salem	24153	Salem city	Salem City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 387-2437	1,202	133	9.0	40.3%	784 (65.2%)	200 (16.6%)	123 (10.2%)	29 (2.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	63 (5.2%)	70.8	81^st of 331 public high schools	75.5%		71.8	78^th of 328 public high schools	76.2%	3				95.5		85.9	94.4			100.0	93.5	75.2	56.3					60.0	92.8								$9,987	$297	$9,690
Glenvar High	Public	9-12	4549 Malus Dr	Salem	24153	Salem city	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 387-6536	620	39	16.0	35.8%	538 (86.8%)	17 (2.7%)	27 (4.4%)	19 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (2.9%)	70.3	85^th of 331 public high schools	74.3%		70.2	88^th of 328 public high schools	73.2%	3				87.8		88.0				100.0		80.5			79.7				90.6				85.0				$11,390	$406	$10,984
Northside High	Public	9-12	6758 Northside High School Rd	Roanoke	24019	Roanoke County	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 561-8155	919	62	14.9	68.2%	469 (51.0%)	179 (19.5%)	143 (15.6%)	58 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	67 (7.3%)	50.9	193^rd of 331 public high schools	41.7%		59.4	152^nd of 328 public high schools	53.7%	41				94.9		87.2				93.3		69.4			71.0			63.6	84.0	80.8	45.1		85.9				$9,587	$487	$9,100
William Fleming High	Public	9-12	3649 Ferncliff Ave NW	Roanoke	24017	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 853-2781	1,957	130	15.0	91.6%	245 (12.5%)	910 (46.5%)	630 (32.2%)	84 (4.3%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (4.3%)	13	326^th of 331 public high schools	1.5%		17.8	314^th of 328 public high schools	4.3%	12		49.7	47.6	62.0	29.3	69.1	65.4	86.7	77.8	90.3	66.7	54.5	58.9	52.2	30.8		45.3	47.4	69.4	54.4		4.8	20.0				$11,006	$1,336	$9,670
Hidden Valley High	Public	9-12	5000 Titan Trail	Roanoke	24018	Roanoke County	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 776-7320	832	55	15.1	26.1%	572 (68.8%)	64 (7.7%)	87 (10.5%)	53 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (6.7%)	75.5	48^th of 331 public high schools	85.5%		75.4	55^th of 328 public high schools	83.2%	7				100.0		92.3	61.5			100.0	90.0	74.2	68.8		84.3				96.5				87.7			35.7	$9,533	$240	$9,292
Patrick Henry High	Public	9-12	2102 Grandin Rd SW	Roanoke	24015	Roanoke city	Roanoke City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 853-2255	2,030	146	13.9	87.4%	836 (41.2%)	793 (39.1%)	255 (12.6%)	50 (2.5%)	5 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (4.5%)	27.5	296^th of 331 public high schools	10.6%		27.9	291^st of 328 public high schools	11.3%	5	18.5	64.0		73.0		72.3	75.6	92.6	83.3	96.5	81.5	55.8	72.9	73.1	15.6	12.9		45.6	81.7	70.6			15.5	37.5	61.5		$11,430	$1,157	$10,273
Red Onion State Prison	Public	11-12	10800 H. Jack Rose Highway	Pound	24016	Roanoke city	Virginia Department of Corrections	No	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(276) 796-7510																			(n/a)
Cave Spring High	Public	9-12	3712 Chaparral Dr	Roanoke	24018	Roanoke County	Roanoke County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 772-7550	1,046	67	15.5	27.2%	800 (76.5%)	67 (6.4%)	59 (5.6%)	76 (7.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.1%)	81	17^th of 331 public high schools	94.9%		77.6	36^th of 328 public high schools	89.0%	19				94.9		95.2				98.3		86.1	64.3		86.8			88.2	94.4		73.2		91.9				$8,752	$227	$8,525
Eastern Montgomery High	Public	9-12	4695 Crozier Rd	Elliston	24087	Montgomery County	Montgomery County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 268-3010	254	26	9.8	84.6%	215 (84.6%)	3 (1.2%)	32 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	25.1	303^rd of 331 public high schools	8.5%		52.4	184^th of 328 public high schools	43.9%	119		67.9		85.7		73.5					63.8	65.5							81.1								$16,628	$881	$15,747
Lord Botetourt High	Public	9-12	1435 Roanoke Rd	Daleville	24083	Botetourt County	Botetourt County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 992-1261	963	60	16.0	28.8%	776 (80.6%)	24 (2.5%)	73 (7.6%)	21 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	68 (7.1%)	68.1	95^th of 331 public high schools	71.3%		71.3	82^nd of 328 public high schools	75.0%	13				93.3		89.0				93.9	93.0	72.0	77.8		86.7	68.8			91.5								$9,372	$197	$9,175

Frequently Asked Questions about Salem High

What schools feed into Salem High?

Salem High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : East Salem Elementary
Elementary : G.W. Carver Elementary
Elementary : South Salem Elementary
Elementary : West Salem Elementary
Middle : Andrew Lewis Middle

Is Salem High a good school?

Salem High ranks 81^st of 331 Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Salem High in?

Salem City Public Schools

How many students attend Salem High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,202 students attended Salem High.

What is the racial makeup of Salem High?

Students at Salem High are 65% White, 17% African American, 10% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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VAVirginia High School Rankings

VAVirginia District Rankings

Schools in Salem, VA

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2025–26 SOL test scoresNewAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataFeb 10, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 6, 2026

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