- Enrollment
- 2,106
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Costa Mesa, CA
Costa Mesa High
Federal NCES profile for Costa Mesa High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 062724004110
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Costa Mesa High earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Costa Mesa · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.2:1
- small classes for California
- 60.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Costa Mesa High has class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Costa Mesa High ranks #7 of 7 schools in Costa Mesa, CA.
School address
District: Newport-Mesa Unified · California
NCES ID 062724004110 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Costa Mesa High held near 1,761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 90.8 → 94.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-15 students YoY 062724004110 · Costa Mesa, CA Other · MID · TRAD
1,730 enr · 19.2:1 · 60.1% lunch · RII 26
Nearest enrollment peer: Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students)
Costa Mesa High held near 1,761 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount). Teacher FTE added 90.8 → 94.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Costa Mesa High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Corona Del Mar
Corona Del Mar High
2,106 students
- Newport Harbor
Newport Harbor High
2,084 students
- This school
Costa Mesa High
1,730 students
- Estancia High
Estancia High
976 students
- Horace Ensign
Horace Ensign Intermediate
875 students
- Mariners Eleme 573
Mariners Elementary
573 students
What this shows Costa Mesa High reports 1,730 students on the CCD universe file.
How Costa Mesa High compares
Costa Mesa High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.2:1 | ▼ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.1% | ▲ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,730 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,730
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
60.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 29% in California - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$22,948
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 433 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 76 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 expulsions.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 70.3%
White 15.1%
Asian 6.3%
Two or More 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.5, Costa Mesa High is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
District finance for Newport-Mesa Unified reports $22,948 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Costa Mesa High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corona Del Mar High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newport Harbor High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Estancia High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horace Ensign Intermediate | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mariners Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Costa Mesa High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,084
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 573
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Costa Mesa
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Access County Community
Alternative education program
1,315 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
California Pacific Charter- Los Angeles
Standard public school
423 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Orange County Special Education
Special-education school
331 students 7:1 students per teacher
California Pacific Charter - San Diego
Standard public school
310 students 8.2:1 students per teacher
Access Juvenile Hall
Alternative education program
186 students 6.9:1 students per teacher
Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus
Alternative education program
48 students 2.3:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,730 students)
Frequently asked questions about Costa Mesa High
How many students attend Costa Mesa High?
Costa Mesa High has 1,730 students enrolled. It is a public school in Costa Mesa, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,776 (2022-23) → 1,761 (2023-24), nearly flat (-15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Costa Mesa High?
The student-teacher ratio at Costa Mesa High is 19.2:1, which is 11% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Costa Mesa High?
60.1% of students at Costa Mesa High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Costa Mesa High?
The largest demographic group at Costa Mesa High is Hispanic or Latino at 70.3% of enrollment, in Costa Mesa, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Costa Mesa High?
Costa Mesa High has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Costa Mesa High rank among schools in Costa Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Costa Mesa High ranks #7 of 7 schools in Costa Mesa, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Costa Mesa on the city page.
What other schools are in Newport-Mesa Unified?
Besides Costa Mesa High, Newport-Mesa Unified also operates Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students), Newport Harbor High (2,084 students), and Estancia High (976 students). See the Newport-Mesa Unified district page for the complete list.