Enrollment
412
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Diego, CA
High Tech High
Federal NCES profile for High Tech High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060175308599Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 39
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
High Tech High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools.
- #5 of 41
- high schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.3:1
- small classes for California
- 32.6%
- free-lunch eligible
High Tech High has class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High ranks #5 of 41 high schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: High Tech High District · California
NCES ID 060175308599 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How High Tech High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at High Tech High
High Tech High is a mid-sized charter high school in San Diego, California, enrolling 412 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 15.3:1, High Tech High is leaner than roughly 88% of California schools and 29% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 412 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 1,149 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #214.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (26%) (diversity index 64/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 412 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among San Diego's high schools, it stands alongside Del Norte High (2,557 students): High Tech High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.3:1 vs 26.9:1).
High Tech High District is a single-school charter district, so High Tech High operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 High Tech High compares
High Tech 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 | 15.3:1 | ▼ 29% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.6% | ▼ 41% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 412 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.3:1
Leaner classes than 44% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
412
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.3:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 12% in California - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.2%
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
$14,238
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 412 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 52.9%
White 25.7%
Asian 9.8%
African American 8.1%
Two or More 2.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, High Tech High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for High Tech High District, which includes High Tech High.
$14,238
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.7%
State 35.4%
Federal 3.9%
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.
Similar high schools in San Diego
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Del Norte High
Standard public school
2,557 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Torrey Pines High
Standard public school
2,536 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Henry High
Standard public school
2,485 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Rancho Bernardo High
Standard public school
2,210 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Mira Mesa High
Standard public school
2,187 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Canyon Crest Academy
Standard public school
2,147 students 25.3:1 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 (~412 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Tech High's federal record.
- Compare High Tech High against another school. Compare schools
- High Tech High District'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 High Tech High
How many students attend High Tech High?
High Tech High has 412 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Tech High?
The student-teacher ratio at High Tech High is 15.3:1, which is 29% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 3% lower 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 High Tech High?
32.6% of students at High Tech High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Tech High?
The largest demographic group at High Tech High is Hispanic or Latino at 52.9% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Tech High?
High Tech High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does High Tech High rank among high schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High ranks #5 of 41 high 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 high schools in San Diego on the city page.
Is High Tech High a good school?
High Tech High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. 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 High Tech High District?
None; High Tech High District is a single-school charter district, and High Tech High is its only campus.
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.