The Facts
Achievement Academy of Durham directly addresses the problem of high school dropouts.
- Durham has a four-year graduation rate of only 63%1
- North Carolina’s graduation rate, 65.2%, was ranked 38th in the nation2
- North Carolina’s graduation rate for African American students was 45.4%3
- North Carolina’s graduation rate for Hispanic students was 49.5%3
- North Carolina’s graduation rate for Caucasian students was 69.8%3
| Education Level | Median Annual Earnings |
| Below 9th Grade Education | $18,868 |
| 9th – 12th Grade Education – Dropout | $20,506 |
| HS or GED Graduate | $27,384 |
| Some College | $31,789 |
| Associate’s Degree | $35,274 |
| Bachelor’s Degree and Above | $50,929 |
1 North Carolina Four Year Cohort Graduation Report for Durham Public Schools, 2004 – 05 Entering 9th Graders Graduating in 2007-08 or Earlier
2 National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, 2006
3 Graduation in the United States, Recent Gains at Risk of Eroding, 2006, Ed Week, EPE Research Center
