North Carolina Snapshot
2,744
Public Schools in North Carolina
168
Colleges in North Carolina
48.6%
Avg Completion Rate
How North Carolina compares
North Carolina
48.63%
National Average
56.52%
North Carolina's avg completion rate is 14.0% lower than the national average.
North Carolina Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for North Carolina — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
9 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Aug 31
Homeschool Regulation
Notice plus testing or subjects required
School Choice
Opportunity Scholarship voucher — universal expansion ongoing
Per-Pupil Spending
32% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
3% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in North Carolina
North Carolina requires school attendance from age 7 through age 16 — a total of 9 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in North Carolina, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Aug 31.
Homeschool Laws in North Carolina
North Carolina falls in the moderate regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Notice plus testing or subjects required.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: Yes
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Annual standardized test; DNPE registration
School Choice in North Carolina
North Carolina offers universal school choice — any K-12 student is eligible regardless of income or zoning.
- Education Savings Account (ESA)
- School voucher program
- Tax credit scholarship program
Opportunity Scholarship voucher — universal expansion ongoing
School Spending & Class Size in North Carolina
North Carolina spends $10,413 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 32% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 14.0:1. 3% below national avg (14.5).
How North Carolina compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about North Carolina
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in North Carolina.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in North Carolina?
Mubboo tracks 853 ZIP codes in North Carolina via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does North Carolina's average college completion rate compare nationally?
North Carolina's average college completion rate is lower the national average. See the "How North Carolina compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →