ZIP 28602 — Schools & Education

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Working ClassLow Snow Area

School district, nearby K-12 schools, and universities

Schools & Education in ZIP 28602

K-12 nearby

Public

Private

Avg enrollment

—

ZIP 28602 (Hickory, NC) is associated with Burke County Schools (LEA 3700480) on US5’s NCES EDGE district mapping. District assignment is ZIP/ZCTA-based and can span multiple attendance boundaries — confirm school assignment with the district for enrollment.

Within about 10 miles, US5 lists 43 K-12 schools (33 public, 10 private). Median distance to listed schools is about 6.4 miles.

ACS estimates show about 0.1% of school-enrolled residents in this ZIP attending private school — a ZIP-level share, not a per-campus rate.

The nearest college/university on US5 is Lenoir-Rhyne University about 6.0 miles away (4yr-private).

District & higher education

School district

Burke County Schools

LEA ID

3700480

Private school share (ACS)

0.1%

Colleges & universities (97)

Lenoir-Rhyne University6.0 miles (9.6 km)4yr-private
Catawba Valley Community College6.0 miles (9.7 km)2yr-public
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute13.8 miles (22.3 km)2yr-public
Western Piedmont Community College17.1 miles (27.6 km)2yr-public
Gaston College27.2 miles (43.7 km)2yr-public
Cleveland Community College27.6 miles (44.4 km)2yr-public
Mitchell Community College28.9 miles (46.4 km)2yr-public
NASCAR Technical Institute30.3 miles (48.8 km)2yr-private
McDowell Technical Community College32.2 miles (51.8 km)2yr-public
Davidson College32.8 miles (52.8 km)4yr-private
Gardner-Webb University33.1 miles (53.3 km)4yr-private
Wilkes Community College34.3 miles (55.1 km)2yr-public

Show all 97 colleges & universities

Belmont Abbey College34.4 miles (55.3 km)4yr-private
Isothermal Community College37.3 miles (60.1 km)2yr-public
Mayland Community College39.6 miles (63.8 km)2yr-public
Appalachian State University41.1 miles (66.1 km)4yr-public
Johnson C Smith University42.0 miles (67.6 km)4yr-private
Carolinas College of Health Sciences42.6 miles (68.5 km)4yr-public
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte42.7 miles (68.8 km)4yr-private
Lees-McRae College43.5 miles (70.0 km)4yr-private
Central Piedmont Community College44.4 miles (71.4 km)2yr-public
University of North Carolina at Charlotte44.8 miles (72.0 km)4yr-public
Limestone University44.8 miles (72.1 km)4yr-private
Chamberlain University-North Carolina44.9 miles (72.2 km)4yr-private
Southeastern College-Charlotte45.3 miles (72.9 km)2yr-private
Queens University of Charlotte45.6 miles (73.4 km)4yr-private
Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine46.6 miles (75.0 km)4yr-private
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences47.1 miles (75.8 km)4yr-private
Livingstone College50.8 miles (81.8 km)4yr-private
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte50.8 miles (81.8 km)2yr-private
Catawba College50.9 miles (81.9 km)4yr-private
Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary50.9 miles (81.9 km)4yr-private
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College51.0 miles (82.1 km)2yr-public
Montreat College51.0 miles (82.1 km)4yr-private
Hood Theological Seminary51.0 miles (82.1 km)4yr-private
Winthrop University54.2 miles (87.3 km)4yr-public
York Technical College55.5 miles (89.3 km)2yr-public
Clinton College55.8 miles (89.8 km)4yr-private
Sherman College of Chiropractic56.4 miles (90.8 km)4yr-private
University of South Carolina-Upstate56.9 miles (91.6 km)4yr-public
Converse University57.7 miles (92.8 km)4yr-private
Wofford College57.9 miles (93.2 km)4yr-private
Spartanburg Community College58.8 miles (94.6 km)2yr-public
Spartanburg Methodist College59.3 miles (95.4 km)4yr-private
Warren Wilson College59.3 miles (95.4 km)4yr-private
Surry Community College62.0 miles (99.8 km)2yr-public
Blue Ridge Community College63.4 miles (102.1 km)2yr-public
Pfeiffer University63.5 miles (102.1 km)4yr-private
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton65.3 miles (105.0 km)2yr-public
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College65.8 miles (105.9 km)2yr-public
Mars Hill University66.1 miles (106.4 km)4yr-private
University of North Carolina Asheville66.1 miles (106.4 km)4yr-public
Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts66.4 miles (106.8 km)4yr-private
Milligan University66.8 miles (107.4 km)4yr-private
Galen Health Institutes-Asheville66.9 miles (107.6 km)4yr-private
University of South Carolina-Union67.1 miles (108.0 km)2yr-public
Forsyth Technical Community College68.3 miles (110.0 km)2yr-public
Stanly Community College68.7 miles (110.6 km)2yr-public
Davidson-Davie Community College69.0 miles (111.1 km)2yr-public
North Greenville University69.1 miles (111.2 km)4yr-private
East Tennessee State University70.0 miles (112.6 km)4yr-public
Wake Forest University70.0 miles (112.6 km)4yr-private
Carolina University70.0 miles (112.7 km)4yr-private
Salem College70.4 miles (113.3 km)4yr-private
University of North Carolina School of the Arts70.4 miles (113.3 km)4yr-public
Wingate University71.3 miles (114.7 km)4yr-private
Winston-Salem State University71.3 miles (114.8 km)4yr-public
Carolina Christian College71.4 miles (115.0 km)4yr-private
University of South Carolina-Lancaster72.9 miles (117.4 km)2yr-public
King University76.5 miles (123.1 km)4yr-private
Bob Jones University77.8 miles (125.3 km)4yr-private
Furman University78.5 miles (126.4 km)4yr-private
Virginia Highlands Community College78.9 miles (126.9 km)2yr-public
Emory & Henry University80.1 miles (128.8 km)4yr-private
Northeast State Community College80.1 miles (128.9 km)2yr-public
Greenville Technical College80.4 miles (129.4 km)4yr-public
Strayer University-South Carolina80.9 miles (130.1 km)4yr-private
High Point University80.9 miles (130.1 km)4yr-private
South Piedmont Community College80.9 miles (130.2 km)2yr-public
Brevard College81.2 miles (130.6 km)4yr-private
South University-High Point83.8 miles (134.9 km)4yr-private
Tusculum University84.2 miles (135.6 km)4yr-private
Guilford Technical Community College85.3 miles (137.3 km)2yr-public
Haywood Community College87.0 miles (140.0 km)2yr-public
Presbyterian College87.6 miles (141.0 km)4yr-private
Randolph Community College87.6 miles (141.0 km)2yr-public
Montgomery Community College88.0 miles (141.6 km)2yr-public
Strayer University-North Carolina88.4 miles (142.2 km)4yr-private
Guilford College89.0 miles (143.3 km)4yr-private
Health And Style Institute90.4 miles (145.4 km)2yr-private
Wytheville Community College90.7 miles (146.0 km)2yr-public
University of North Carolina at Greensboro92.6 miles (149.1 km)4yr-public
Greensboro College93.2 miles (150.0 km)4yr-private
Bennett College94.2 miles (151.6 km)4yr-private
North Carolina A & T State University94.7 miles (152.3 km)4yr-public
Southwest Virginia Community College95.1 miles (153.0 km)2yr-public
Newberry College96.5 miles (155.3 km)4yr-private

K-12 schools within ~10 miles

Sorted table with type, grades, enrollment, and distance. Data from NCES CCD / EDGE extracts.

		Grades
Mountain View Elementary	public	—	—	0.6 miles (0.9 km)
Southwest Primary	public	—	—	2.8 miles (4.4 km)
REFLECTIONS OF CHRIST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY	private	—	—	3.3 miles (5.3 km)
Hildebran Elementary	public	—	—	3.7 miles (6.0 km)
Fred T Foard High	public	—	—	3.8 miles (6.1 km)
Jacobs Fork Middle	public	—	—	4.0 miles (6.4 km)
Longview Elementary	public	—	—	4.1 miles (6.5 km)
Grandview Middle	public	—	—	4.1 miles (6.5 km)
JOHNSTON WH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	private	—	—	4.5 miles (7.3 km)
Blackburn Elementary	public	—	—	5.0 miles (8.0 km)
Oakwood Elementary	public	—	—	5.3 miles (8.6 km)
East Burke Middle	public	—	—	5.4 miles (8.7 km)
CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY	private	—	—	5.5 miles (8.8 km)
MONTESSORI AT SANDY FORD	private	—	—	5.8 miles (9.3 km)
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL	private	—	—	5.8 miles (9.4 km)
Ray Childers Elementary	public	—	—	6.0 miles (9.6 km)
Hickory Career Arts Magnet High School	public	—	—	6.0 miles (9.7 km)
Challenger Early College High	public	—	—	6.0 miles (9.7 km)
Icard Elementary	public	—	—	6.0 miles (9.7 km)
Banoak Elementary	public	—	—	6.3 miles (10.1 km)
East Burke High	public	—	—	6.3 miles (10.2 km)
Hickory High	public	—	—	6.4 miles (10.3 km)
Viewmont Elementary	public	—	—	6.4 miles (10.3 km)
Startown Elementary	public	—	—	7.0 miles (11.3 km)
George Hildebrand Elementary	public	—	—	7.3 miles (11.8 km)
ST STEPHEN LUTHERAN SCHOOL	private	—	—	7.6 miles (12.3 km)
Northview Middle	public	—	—	7.6 miles (12.3 km)
Saint Stephens Elementary	public	—	—	7.8 miles (12.6 km)
HICKORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY	private	—	—	8.1 miles (13.1 km)
TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL	private	—	—	8.2 miles (13.2 km)
W M Jenkins Elementary	public	—	—	8.5 miles (13.7 km)
North Newton Elementary	public	—	—	9.1 miles (14.6 km)
South Newton Elementary	public	—	—	9.1 miles (14.6 km)
Webb A Murray Elementary	public	—	—	9.1 miles (14.7 km)
Newton-Conover High	public	—	—	9.3 miles (14.9 km)
Discovery High School	public	—	—	9.4 miles (15.1 km)
Clyde Campbell Elementary	public	—	—	9.4 miles (15.1 km)
Granite Falls Middle	public	—	—	9.4 miles (15.1 km)
CHRIST CLASSICAL ACADEMY	private	—	—	9.5 miles (15.3 km)
CHRIST CLASSICAL ACADEMY	private	—	—	9.5 miles (15.3 km)
Conover Special Education	public	—	—	9.7 miles (15.5 km)
Saint Stephens High	public	—	—	9.8 miles (15.7 km)
Granite Falls Elementary	public	—	—	9.8 miles (15.8 km)

Schools FAQ for ZIP 28602

What school district is ZIP code 28602 in?

ZIP 28602 (Hickory, NC) maps to Burke County Schools (LEA ID 3700480) in US5’s NCES EDGE ZCTA-to-district data. Always verify attendance zones with the district.

How many schools are near ZIP code 28602?

US5 lists 43 K-12 schools within about 10 miles — 33 public and 10 private. See the sortable table on this page for grades, enrollment, and distance.

What share of students in 28602 attend private school?

About 0.1% of school-enrolled residents in ZIP 28602 attend private school (ACS estimate).

Education
Bachelor's or higher	18.0%
High school	31.9%
Less than HS	13.5%
School district	Burke County Schools

ZIP 28602 — Schools & Education

Schools & Education in ZIP 28602

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