San Diego County Schools & Education
San Diego County, California
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
88.3%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
88.3%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,561
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,762
School Score
57/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#24
of 58 counties by score
Education Data Brief: San Diego County
Measured School Summary
San Diego County performs at an average level with a school score of 57/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.3%.
Funding Context
San Diego County spends $8,561 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 3% above the California average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read San Diego County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
764 public schools and 160 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
57/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #24 of 58 California counties with school score data.
Completion
88.3%
0.8 pts above the state average
Funding context
$8,561
$201 below the state average
School coverage
764
160 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
San Diego County has 764 public schools across 160 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What San Diego County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Large multi-district county
San Diego County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.
State position
#24
of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 99% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
San Diego Unified
Elementary to high school visible
93,694 students
175 listed schools in this county slice.
Sweetwater Union High
Middle and high visible
35,372 students
29 listed schools in this county slice.
Poway Unified
Elementary to high school visible
34,663 students
39 listed schools in this county slice.
Chula Vista Elementary
Elementary school only in this slice
22,218 students
43 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
San Diego Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 175 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in San Diego County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different San Diego County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?
Comparison context
Compare San Diego County With Nearby School Markets
San Diego County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.
Southern California
Los Angeles County vs Orange County vs San Diego County Schools
This guide frames three major Southern California county choices before families move into district, campus, and neighborhood-level research.
Compared with
Los Angeles County, CA and Orange County, CA
Current leader
Orange County, CA at 67/100
Graduation-rate leader: Orange County, CA at 91.2%
Education Overview
About Schools in San Diego County, California
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A massive and multifaceted school system
San Diego County boasts 764 public schools, the most in this region, serving 467,869 students. This expansive system is managed by 160 districts, ranging from large urban centers to small rural outposts.
Urban giants and a thriving charter sector
San Diego Unified is a powerhouse with 175 schools and 93,694 students. The county also features 120 charter schools, making up 15.7% of all schools and including large-scale options like Pacific Coast Academy.
City schools with mid-sized campuses
The majority of schools are located in city (393) or suburban (307) locales, maintaining an average school size of 623 students. San Marcos High stands out as a major hub with 3,380 students, while the county still preserves 55 rural campuses.
School Overview
Total Schools
764
in San Diego County
Reported Enrollment
467,869
755 schools reporting
School Districts
160
districts
Charter Schools
120
16% of total
School Level Breakdown
160 School Districts in San Diego County
San Diego Unified
GuideSweetwater Union High
GuidePoway Unified
GuideChula Vista Elementary
GuideSan Marcos Unified
GuideVista Unified
GuideGrossmont Union High
GuideOceanside Unified
GuideCajon Valley Union
GuideEscondido Union
Guide764 Public Schools in San Diego County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 111 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 764 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Academy | Profile | Pacific Coast Academy District | Poway, 92064City: Small | KG–12 | Charter | 4,891 |
| Cabrillo Point Academy | Profile | Cabrillo Point Academy District | Poway, 92064City: Small | KG–12 | Charter | 4,283 |
| San Marcos High | Profile | San Marcos Unified | San Marcos, 92078Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 3,380 |
| Mission Hills High | Profile | San Marcos Unified | San Marcos, 92069Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,893 |
| Eastlake High | Profile | Sweetwater Union High | Chula Vista, 91915City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,783 |
| Sweetwater High | Profile | Sweetwater Union High | National City, 91950Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,679 |
| El Camino High | Profile | Oceanside Unified | Oceanside, 92057Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,637 |
| Torrey Pines High | Profile | San Dieguito Union High | Encinitas, 92024City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,614 |
| Henry High | Profile | San Diego Unified | San Diego, 92120City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,607 |
| Del Norte High | Profile | Poway Unified | San Diego, 92127City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,531 |
| Helix High | Profile | Helix High District | La Mesa, 91941Suburb: Large | 9–12 | Charter | 2,502 |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | Profile | Sweetwater Union High | Chula Vista, 91913City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,491 |
| Granite Hills High | Profile | Grossmont Union High | El Cajon, 92019Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,398 |
| Olympian High | Profile | Sweetwater Union High | Chula Vista, 91913Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 2,341 |
| Canyon Crest Academy | Profile | San Dieguito Union High | Encinitas, 92024City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,336 |
| San Diego Workforce Innovation High | Profile | San Diego Workforce Innovation High District | National City, 91950Suburb: Large | 9–12 | Charter | 2,332 |
| Rancho Bernardo High | Profile | Poway Unified | San Diego, 92128City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,318 |
| San Ysidro High | Profile | Sweetwater Union High | San Diego, 92154Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 2,316 |
| Carlsbad High | Profile | Carlsbad Unified | Carlsbad, 92009City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,290 |
| Hoover High | Profile | San Diego Unified | San Diego, 92115City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,265 |
Pacific Coast Academy
Pacific Coast Academy District
Poway, 92064 / City: Small
Cabrillo Point Academy
Cabrillo Point Academy District
Poway, 92064 / City: Small
San Marcos High
San Marcos Unified
San Marcos, 92078 / Suburb: Large
Mission Hills High
San Marcos Unified
San Marcos, 92069 / Suburb: Large
Eastlake High
Sweetwater Union High
Chula Vista, 91915 / City: Large
Sweetwater High
Sweetwater Union High
National City, 91950 / Suburb: Large
El Camino High
Oceanside Unified
Oceanside, 92057 / Suburb: Large
Torrey Pines High
San Dieguito Union High
Encinitas, 92024 / City: Large
Henry High
San Diego Unified
San Diego, 92120 / City: Large
Del Norte High
Poway Unified
San Diego, 92127 / City: Large
Helix High
Helix High District
La Mesa, 91941 / Suburb: Large
Otay Ranch Senior High
Sweetwater Union High
Chula Vista, 91913 / City: Large
Granite Hills High
Grossmont Union High
El Cajon, 92019 / Suburb: Large
Olympian High
Sweetwater Union High
Chula Vista, 91913 / Rural: Fringe
Canyon Crest Academy
San Dieguito Union High
Encinitas, 92024 / City: Large
San Diego Workforce Innovation High
San Diego Workforce Innovation High District
National City, 91950 / Suburb: Large
Rancho Bernardo High
Poway Unified
San Diego, 92128 / City: Large
San Ysidro High
Sweetwater Union High
San Diego, 92154 / Rural: Fringe
Carlsbad High
Carlsbad Unified
Carlsbad, 92009 / City: Midsize
Hoover High
San Diego Unified
San Diego, 92115 / City: Large
Additional School Profiles
Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.
- Westview High
- Poway High
- Mira Mesa High
- Grossmont High
- Steele Canyon High
- Bonita Vista Senior High
- San Diego High
- San Dieguito HS Academy
- Chula Vista Senior High
- Vista High
- Scripps Ranch High
- Orange Glen High
- Literacy First Charter
- Rancho Buena Vista High
- San Pasqual High
- Fallbrook High
- Valhalla High
- Oceanside High
- Escondido High
- Hilltop Senior High
- Mt. Carmel High
- El Capitan High
- The O'Farrell Charter
- Coastal Academy Charter
- Montgomery Senior High
- Santana High
- Point Loma High
- Morse High
- El Cajon Valley High
- Southwest Senior High
- La Costa Canyon High
- Mission Vista High
- Eastlake Middle
- Mueller Charter (Robert L.)
- Rancho del Rey Middle
- Monte Vista High
- University City High
- West Hills High
- Classical Academy
- Oak Valley Middle
- Hillsdale Middle
- Ramona High
- Mount Miguel High
- San Elijo Middle
- Albert Einstein Academies
- Castle Park Senior High
- Chula Vista Learning Community Charter
- Bernardo Heights Middle
- Charter School of San Diego
- Lincoln High
- Sage Creek High
- Mar Vista Senior High
- Guajome Park Academy Charter
- Heritage K-8 Charter
- Marshall Middle
- Canyon Hills High
- Hawking S.T.E.A.M. Charter
- Classical Academy High
- Gompers Preparatory Academy
- San Diego SCPA
- La Jolla High
- Design 39 Campus
- Double Peak
- Crawford High
- Woodland Park Middle
- Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
- Valley Center High
- Mission Bay High
- Bostonia Global
- Black Mountain Middle
- Feaster (Mae L.) Charter
- Twin Peaks Middle
- Muraoka (Saburo) Elementary
- La Mesa Arts Academy
- Coronado High
- Mesa Verde Middle
- Logan Memorial Educational Campus
- Nestor Language Academy Charter
- Meadowbrook Middle
- Aviara Oaks Middle
- Language Academy
- Discovery Charter
- Lewis Middle
- Del Sur Elementary
- Cajon Valley Middle
- Ocean View Hills
- Madison Middle
- Madison High
- Arroyo Vista Charter
- Bear Valley Middle
- La Mirada Academy
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,561
State avg $8,762
Compare Nearby Counties
Review San Diego County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which California counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in California?
How should I read the school score in San Diego County?
What is the graduation rate in San Diego County?
How much does San Diego County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in San Diego County, California — FAQ
What does the school system look like in San Diego County, California?
San Diego County boasts 764 public schools, the most in this region, serving 467,869 students. This expansive system is managed by 160 districts, ranging from large urban centers to small rural outposts.
What are the major school districts in San Diego County, California?
San Diego Unified is a powerhouse with 175 schools and 93,694 students. The county also features 120 charter schools, making up 15.7% of all schools and including large-scale options like Pacific Coast Academy.
What is the school experience like in San Diego County?
The majority of schools are located in city (393) or suburban (307) locales, maintaining an average school size of 623 students. San Marcos High stands out as a major hub with 3,380 students, while the county still preserves 55 rural campuses.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.