Enrollment
435
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Diego, CA
High Tech High Mesa
Federal NCES profile for High Tech High Mesa, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060234114220Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 13
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
High Tech High Mesa earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #27 of 41
- high schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 28.8%
- free-lunch eligible
High Tech High Mesa has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High Mesa ranks #27 of 41 high schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: High Tech High Mesa District · California
NCES ID 060234114220 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How High Tech High Mesa compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at High Tech High Mesa
High Tech High Mesa is a mid-sized charter high school in San Diego, California, enrolling 435 students.
At 21.8:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 435 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,193 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #858, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 435 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding High Tech High Mesa District spends $10,938 per pupil, 34% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among San Diego's high schools, it stands alongside Del Norte High (2,557 students): High Tech High Mesa is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 26.9:1).
High Tech High Mesa District is a single-school charter district, so High Tech High Mesa 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 Mesa compares
High Tech High Mesa on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.8% | ▼ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 435 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
435
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$10,938
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 435 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 38.9%
White 37.9%
Asian 14.7%
African American 3.7%
Two or More 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, High Tech High Mesa 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 Mesa District, which includes High Tech High Mesa.
$10,938
Per student
-34%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.0%
State 88.1%
Federal 3.0%
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.
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 (~435 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on High Tech High Mesa's federal record.
- Compare High Tech High Mesa against another school. Compare schools
- High Tech High Mesa 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 Mesa
How many students attend High Tech High Mesa?
High Tech High Mesa has 435 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at High Tech High Mesa?
The student-teacher ratio at High Tech High Mesa is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at High Tech High Mesa?
28.8% of students at High Tech High Mesa are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of High Tech High Mesa?
The largest demographic group at High Tech High Mesa is Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for High Tech High Mesa?
High Tech High Mesa has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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 Mesa rank among high schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, High Tech High Mesa ranks #27 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 Mesa a good school?
High Tech High Mesa earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Mesa District?
None; High Tech High Mesa District is a single-school charter district, and High Tech High Mesa 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.