Enrollment
2,106
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Salinas, CA
North Salinas High
Federal NCES profile for North Salinas High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063398005335
👥 S:T ratio 14
📚 AP courses 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Salinas High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 8
- high schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.5:1
- students per teacher
- 74.3%
- free-lunch eligible
North Salinas High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Salinas High ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Salinas Union High · California
NCES ID 063398005335 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
98.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Salinas High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Salinas High
North Salinas High is a higher-need, large high school in Salinas, California, enrolling 2,106 students.
At 21.5:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 74.3% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 97% of state schools at 2,106 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 244 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #137.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 15/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 12 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 234 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Salinas's high schools, it stands alongside Alisal High (2,742 students): North Salinas High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.5:1 vs 22.7:1).
Salinas Union High also operates Alisal High (2,742 students) and Salinas High (2,380 students) alongside North Salinas 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 North Salinas High compares
North Salinas 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 | 21.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.3% | ▲ 34% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,106 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,106
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
21.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 48% in California - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
31.0%
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
$14,795
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
Counselors9.0 FTE
Per 234 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 92 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 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 92.0%
Asian 3.4%
White 2.5%
Two or More 1.2%
African American 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 92.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.2, North Salinas High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salinas Union High, which includes North Salinas High.
$14,795
Per student
-10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.3%
State 65.8%
Federal 11.0%
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 North Salinas High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alisal High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salinas High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Everett Alvarez High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho San Juan High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harden Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Salinas High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,742
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,600
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar high schools in Salinas
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Alisal High
Standard public school
2,742 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Salinas High
Standard public school
2,380 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Everett Alvarez High
Standard public school
1,978 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Rancho San Juan High
Standard public school
1,600 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Mount Toro High
Alternative education program
204 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Open Door Charter
Alternative education program
55 students 18.3:1 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 (~2,106 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Salinas High's federal record.
- Compare North Salinas High against another school. Compare schools
- Salinas 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 North Salinas High
How many students attend North Salinas High?
North Salinas High has 2,106 students enrolled. It is a high school in Salinas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Salinas High?
The student-teacher ratio at North Salinas High is 21.5:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Salinas High?
74.3% of students at North Salinas High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Salinas High?
The largest demographic group at North Salinas High is Hispanic or Latino at 92.0% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Salinas High?
North Salinas High has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 North Salinas High rank among high schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, North Salinas High ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Salinas, 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 Salinas on the city page.
Is North Salinas High a good school?
North Salinas High earns 36/100 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 Salinas Union High?
Besides North Salinas High, Salinas Union High also operates Alisal High (2,742 students), Salinas High (2,380 students), and Everett Alvarez High (1,978 students). See the Salinas 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.