Enrollment
562
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Carmel Del Mar Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Carmel Del Mar Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061074001171
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carmel Del Mar Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #26 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.6:1
- students per teacher
- 7.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Carmel Del Mar Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carmel Del Mar Elementary ranks #26 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Del Mar Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061074001171 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carmel Del Mar Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carmel Del Mar Elementary
Carmel Del Mar Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 562 students.
At 21.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.2% free-meal eligibility runs 87% below the California average.
With 562 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 778 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #292.
Its student body is led by Asian (43%) and White (38%) (diversity index 65/100).
10.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Carmel Del Mar Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.6:1 vs 24.1:1).
Del Mar Union Elementary also operates Sage Canyon (457 students) and Ocean Air (450 students) alongside Carmel Del Mar Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Carmel Del Mar Elementary compares
Carmel Del Mar Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.2% | ▼ 87% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 562 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
562
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 49% in California - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
10.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$18,416
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Asian 43.1%
White 38.3%
Two or More 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: Asian at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Carmel Del Mar Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Del Mar Union Elementary, which includes Carmel Del Mar Elementary.
$18,416
Per student
+12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 84.4%
State 13.1%
Federal 2.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Carmel Del Mar Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sage Canyon | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ocean Air | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Torrey Hills | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Ridge | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pacific Sky | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carmel Del Mar Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 450
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
Similar elementary schools in San Diego
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Albert Einstein Academies
Standard public school
1,448 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Design 39 Campus
Standard public school
1,216 students 27:1 students per teacher
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Standard public school
1,079 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean View Hills
Standard public school
1,020 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Language Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Elementary
Standard public school
891 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~562 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carmel Del Mar Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Carmel Del Mar Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Del Mar Union Elementary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Carmel Del Mar Elementary
How many students attend Carmel Del Mar Elementary?
Carmel Del Mar Elementary has 562 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carmel Del Mar Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Carmel Del Mar Elementary is 21.6:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carmel Del Mar Elementary?
7.2% of students at Carmel Del Mar Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carmel Del Mar Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Carmel Del Mar Elementary is Asian at 43.1% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carmel Del Mar Elementary?
Carmel Del Mar Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carmel Del Mar Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Carmel Del Mar Elementary ranks #26 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in San Diego on the city page.
Is Carmel Del Mar Elementary a good school?
Carmel Del Mar Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Del Mar Union Elementary?
Besides Carmel Del Mar Elementary, Del Mar Union Elementary also operates Sage Canyon (457 students), Ocean Air (450 students), and Torrey Hills (389 students). See the Del Mar Union Elementary district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.