Public schools in Cary, NC
33 open public schools with an address in Cary, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
33
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
29,745
33 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.1:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
2
3 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Cary public schools
The federal directory lists 33 public schools in Cary, NC: 18 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, 1 combined or other. The 33 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 29,745 students, an average of 901 per school. The largest campus is Panther Creek High (2,609 students), and the largest elementary school is Alston Ridge Elementary (917).
Wake County Schools operates the most schools here (31), plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.1:1, similar to the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 2 charter schools, 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 7 of 8 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 25% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Cary
Elementary schools in Cary
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 655 | 12.7:1 | |
| Alston Ridge Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 917 | 13.9:1 | |
| Briarcliff Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 486 | 15:1 | |
| Cardinal Charter Academy Cardinal Charter · Charter | KG–08 | 584 | 45.2:1 | |
| Carpenter Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 604 | 13.7:1 | |
| Cary Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 477 | 14.7:1 | |
| Davis Drive Elementary Wake County Schools | KG–05 | 794 | 14.9:1 | |
| Farmington Woods Elementary Wake County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 648 | 13.9:1 | |
| Green Hope Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 548 | 15.3:1 | |
| Highcroft Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 698 | 15.7:1 | |
| Hortons Creek Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 739 | 15.7:1 | |
| Kingswood Elementary Wake County Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 427 | 12.7:1 | |
| Mills Park Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 594 | 14.2:1 | |
| Northwoods Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 579 | 13.6:1 | |
| Penny Road Elementary Wake County Schools | KG–05 | 509 | 13.4:1 | |
| Reedy Creek Elementary Wake County Schools | KG–05 | 605 | 13.7:1 | |
| Turner Creek Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 638 | 12.6:1 | |
| Weatherstone Elementary Wake County Schools | PK–05 | 730 | 15.1:1 |
Middle schools in Cary
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alston Ridge Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 1,494 | 19:1 | |
| Connections Academy Wake County Schools · Alternative School | 06–08 | 8 | 0.7:1 | |
| Davis Drive Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 992 | 17.4:1 | |
| East Cary Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 597 | 13.3:1 | |
| Mills Park Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 1,632 | 18.7:1 | |
| Reedy Creek Middle Wake County Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 805 | 14.9:1 | |
| West Cary Middle Wake County Schools | 06–08 | 824 | 17.1:1 |
High schools in Cary
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary High Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 2,044 | 17.5:1 | |
| Crossroads FLEX Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 139 | 23.4:1 | |
| Green Hope High Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 2,304 | 20.5:1 | |
| Green Level High Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 2,283 | 20.5:1 | |
| Panther Creek High Wake County Schools | 09–12 | 2,609 | 20.4:1 | |
| SCORE Academy Wake County Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 584 | 18.3:1 | |
| Wake STEM Early College High School Wake County Schools | 09–13 | 294 | 20.3:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Cary
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle Math and Science Academy Triangle Math and Science Academy · Charter | KG–12 | 1,904 | 16.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White34.4%
- Hispanic14.7%
- Black11.8%
- Asian34.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 33 Cary schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (29,745 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cary
How many public schools are in Cary, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 33 open public schools with a location address in Cary: 18 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 29,745 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cary?
Schools with an address in Cary belong to 3 education agencies, led by Wake County Schools (31 schools), Cardinal Charter (1 school), Triangle Math and Science Academy (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Cary?
Panther Creek High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cary, with 2,609 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cary?
Yes. 2 of the 33 public schools in Cary are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Cardinal Charter Academy, Triangle Math and Science Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Cary schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Cary public schools is 15.1:1, similar to the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Cary guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities