Enrollment
1,793
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Merced, CA
El Capitan High
Federal NCES profile for El Capitan High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 062466013098
👥 S:T ratio 15
📚 AP courses 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Capitan High earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #4 of 7
- high schools in Merced · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- students per teacher
- 62.6%
- free-lunch eligible
El Capitan High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Capitan High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Merced, CA.
School address
District: Merced Union High · California
NCES ID 062466013098 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
84.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How El Capitan High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at El Capitan High
El Capitan High is a higher-need, large high school in Merced, California, enrolling 1,793 students.
At 21.3:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.6% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,793 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 347 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #266, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and White (14%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 9 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 448 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 33 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Merced's high schools, it stands alongside Merced High (1,943 students): El Capitan High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.3:1 vs 23.1:1).
Merced Union High also operates Atwater High (2,029 students) and Merced High (1,943 students) alongside El Capitan High.
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 El Capitan High compares
El Capitan High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.6% | ▲ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,793 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,793
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 46% in California - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.7%
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
$14,866
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 448 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 69 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 33 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 65.6%
White 13.6%
Asian 12.6%
African American 5.0%
Two or More 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.2, El Capitan High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 9
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merced Union High, which includes El Capitan High.
$14,866
Per student
-10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 67.1%
Federal 13.0%
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 El Capitan High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atwater High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Merced High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Golden Valley High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buhach Colony High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Livingston High | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to El Capitan High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,029
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,943
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,917
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,704
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar high schools in Merced
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Merced High
Standard public school
1,943 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Golden Valley High
Standard public school
1,917 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Yosemite High (Continuation)
Alternative education program
342 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Come Back Charter
Standard public school
128 students 42.7:1 students per teacher
Independence High (Alternative)
Alternative education program
87 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Sequoia High
Alternative education program
77 students 8.6:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,793 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on El Capitan High's federal record.
- Compare El Capitan High against another school. Compare schools
- Merced Union High'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 El Capitan High
How many students attend El Capitan High?
El Capitan High has 1,793 students enrolled. It is a high school in Merced, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Capitan High?
The student-teacher ratio at El Capitan High is 21.3:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 El Capitan High?
62.6% of students at El Capitan High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of El Capitan High?
The largest demographic group at El Capitan High is Hispanic or Latino at 65.6% of enrollment, in Merced, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Capitan High?
El Capitan High has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does El Capitan High rank among high schools in Merced?
By Resource Investment Index, El Capitan High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Merced, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Merced on the city page.
Is El Capitan High a good school?
El Capitan High earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California. 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 Merced Union High?
Besides El Capitan High, Merced Union High also operates Atwater High (2,029 students), Merced High (1,943 students), and Golden Valley High (1,917 students). See the Merced Union High 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.