Here are NC’s best elementary & middle schools in 2025, Niche says. Did yours make the list?
Some of the best elementary and middle schools in North Carolina for 2025 are in the Triangle.
That’s according to Niche, a well-known organization that collects information on K-12 schools and colleges, along with places to live.
While Niche hasn’t released rankings on schools that serve elementary and middle-school students, many of the schools have been ranked in other lists for the best private K-12 schools, private high schools or best college prep private high schools in the state or country.
View the complete list at niche.com.
Raleigh/Durham’s best elementary & middle schools
Some of the best elementary and middle schools in the state, which all have an A+ overall grade from Niche, are in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Grades are calculated using data from sources including the Department of Education along with reviews and survey responses from students and parents.
Most of them are private schools, though there are a few charter schools (The Expedition School, Quest Academy) and a public school (Seawell Elementary School).
- Camelot Academy: No. 3 best private high school in Durham County; in North Carolina, No. 18 best private K-12 school, No. 24 best private high school, No. 45 best high school for STEM
- Carolina Friends School: No. 5 best private K-12 school in Raleigh area; in North Carolina, No. 17 best private K-12 school, No. 23 best private high school, No. 25 best college prep private high school
- Cary Academy: In North Carolina, No. 1 best private high school, No. 1 best college prep private high school, No. 3 best high school for STEM
- Durham Academy: In North Carolina, No. 1 best private K-12 school, No. 2 best private high school, No. 2 best high school for STEM
- Quest Academy: In North Carolina, No. 2 best public elementary school, No. 2 best public middle school, No. 2 best public middle school teachers.
- Ravenscroft School: In North Carolina, No. 4 best private K-12 school, No. 6 best private high school, No. 8 best college prep private high school
- Seawell Elementary School: In North Carolina, No. 3 best public elementary school, No. 27 best public elementary school teachers, No. 103 most diverse public elementary school
- St. David’s School: In North Carolina, No. 4 best Christian high school, No. 13 best private K-12 school, No. 19 best private high school
- The Expedition School: In North Carolina, No. 4 best public middle school, No. 4 best charter middle school, No. 4 best charter elementary school
- Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill: No. 1 best Christian high school in Raleigh area; In North Carolina, No. 2 best Christian high school, No. 7 best private K-12 school, No. 10 best private high school
Charlotte’s best elementary & middle schools
These highly ranked schools are in the Charlotte area:
- Providence Day School: No. 1 best private high school in the Charlotte area. In North Carolina, No. 2 best private K-12 schools, No. 3 best private high schools, No. 3 best private prep high schools
- Charlotte Country Day School: No. 1 best high school for STEM in the Charlotte area. In North Carolina, No. 3 best private K-12 schools, No. 4 best college prep private high schools, No. 5 best private high schools
- Charlotte Latin School: In North Carolina, No. 5 best private K-12 schools, No. 7 best high schools for STEM, No. 8 best private high schools
- Gaston Day School: No. 1 best private high school in Gaston county. In North Carolina, No. 8 best private K-12 schools, No. 10 best college prep private high schools, No. 11 best private high schools
- Cannon School: In North Carolina, No. 11 best private K-12 schools, No. 16 best private high schools, No. 19 best college prep private high schools
- Charlotte Christian School: No. 1 best Christian high school in the Charlotte area. In North Carolina, No. 5 best Christian high schools, No. 15 best private K-12 schools, No. 21 best private high schools
- Davidson Day School: No. 7 best private high schools in the Charlotte area. In North Carolina, No. 16 best private K-12 schools in North Carolina, No. 22 best private high schools, No. 31 best college prep private high schools
- Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy: In North Carolina, No. 1 best public middle school teachers, No. 2 best public elementary school teachers, No. 3 best public middle schools
Are the same NC schools still the best?
In 2024, Niche ranked Quest Academy, a public charter school in Raleigh, the fourth-best public elementary school in the state, The News & Observer previously reported.
Hillsborough’s The Expedition School, another public charter school, was ranked No. 5 in Niche’s 2024 list of the best public elementary schools in North Carolina.
These two schools, along with Seawell Elementary School in Chapel Hill, were among the top 20 best public elementary schools in North Carolina in Niche’s 2023 ranking.
This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Here are NC’s best elementary & middle schools in 2025, Niche says. Did yours make the list?."
