Newport-Mesa Unified

Costa Mesa, California — 32 schools

17,816
Total Enrollment
32
Schools
$21,699
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Newport-Mesa Unified operates 32 public schools serving 17,816 students, placing it in the mid-size range in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 23 elementary, 4 high, 3 other, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 17,541 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Orange County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,699 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 74.9% local, 17.7% state, and 7.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $107,269 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 60/100, ranked #486 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 32 schools offering Advanced Placement (90 AP courses district-wide), a 304.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 30.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 49.4% Hispanic or Latino, 36.4% White, 5.5% Asian across the district's schools.

Newport-Mesa Unified school enrollment varies 2106× across entities

Newport-Mesa Unified school enrollment ranges from 1 students (lowest) to 2,106 students (highest), a spread of 2,105 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Newport-Mesa Unified student-counselor ratio is 305:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Newport-Mesa Unified is typically wider than the Newport-Mesa Unified-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Newport-Mesa Unified chronic absenteeism rate is 30.5% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.4%
Federal
17.7%
State
74.9%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
486 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Orange County county, where this district is located.

$2,682
Studio/mo
$2,746
1 BR/mo
$3,236
2 BR/mo
$4,393
3 BR/mo
$5,246
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$107,269
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 32 schools in Newport-Mesa Unified.

White 36.4%
Hispanic or Latino 49.4%
African American 0.8%
Asian 5.5%
Multiracial 7.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

5 / 32
Schools with AP
90 AP courses total
304.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Newport-Mesa Unified

School Enrollment
Corona Del Mar High
2,106
Newport Harbor High
2,084
Costa Mesa High
1,730
Estancia High
976
Horace Ensign Intermediate
875
Mariners Elementary
573
Maude B. Davis Elementary
570
Heinz Kaiser Elementary
539
Newport Heights Elementary
502
Charles W. Tewinkle Middle
501
Woodland Elementary
487
College Park Elementary
473
Killybrooke Elementary
473
Whittier Elementary
454
Newport Coast Elementary
429
California Elementary
373
Paularino Elementary
371
Sonora Elementary
367
Eastbluff Elementary
364
Roy O. Andersen Elementary
353
Harbor View Elementary
344
Everett a. Rea Elementary
344
Newport Elementary
339
Abraham Lincoln Elementary
336
Wilson Elementary
323
Adams Elementary
321
Victoria Elementary
301
Pomona Elementary
264
Early College High
177
Back Bay High
143
Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus
48
Harper
1

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs Newport-Mesa Unified →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
Compare vs Newport-Mesa Unified →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
Compare vs Newport-Mesa Unified →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
Compare vs Newport-Mesa Unified →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Newport-Mesa Unified →

Compare Newport-Mesa Unified

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Newport-Mesa Unified?

Newport-Mesa Unified has 32 schools, including 3 other, 4 high, 2 middle, 23 elementary. Total enrollment is 17,816 students.

How much does Newport-Mesa Unified spend per student?

Newport-Mesa Unified spends $21,699 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #486 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Newport-Mesa Unified?

The average teacher salary in Newport-Mesa Unified is $107,269 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Newport-Mesa Unified?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Orange County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Newport-Mesa Unified?

Newport-Mesa Unified students are 49.4% Hispanic or Latino, 36.4% White, 5.5% Asian, 0.8% African American, averaged across 32 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Newport-Mesa Unified?

Newport-Mesa Unified has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #486 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.