Enrollment
1,926
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Santa Barbara, CA
San Marcos Senior High
Federal NCES profile for San Marcos Senior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060141406029
👥 S:T ratio 17
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 61
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
San Marcos Senior High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Santa Barbara · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.7:1
- students per teacher
- 45.1%
- free-lunch eligible
San Marcos Senior High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, San Marcos Senior High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Santa Barbara, CA.
School address
District: Santa Barbara Unified · California
NCES ID 060141406029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How San Marcos Senior High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at San Marcos Senior High
San Marcos Senior High is a large high school in Santa Barbara, California, enrolling 1,926 students.
At 20.7:1, 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 45.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,926 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 308 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and White (32%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 193 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Santa Barbara's high schools, it stands alongside Santa Barbara Senior High (1,924 students): San Marcos Senior High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.7:1 vs 18.9:1).
Santa Barbara Unified also operates Dos Pueblos Senior High (2,149 students) and Santa Barbara Senior High (1,924 students) alongside San Marcos Senior 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 San Marcos Senior High compares
San Marcos Senior 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 | 20.7:1 | ▼ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.1% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,926 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,926
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 41% in California - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.6%
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
$16,366
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors10.0 FTE
Per 193 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
25
in-school suspensions + 53 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.0 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 60.5%
White 32.0%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 2.4%
African American 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.9, San Marcos Senior High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Barbara Unified, which includes San Marcos Senior High.
$16,366
Per student
-1%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.3%
State 18.5%
Federal 9.2%
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 San Marcos Senior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dos Pueblos Senior High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Barbara Senior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Colina Junior High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Goleta Valley Junior High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santa Barbara Junior High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to San Marcos Senior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,149
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,924
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 832
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 512
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high schools in Santa Barbara
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
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 (~1,926 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on San Marcos Senior High's federal record.
- Compare San Marcos Senior High against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Barbara Unified'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 San Marcos Senior High
How many students attend San Marcos Senior High?
San Marcos Senior High has 1,926 students enrolled. It is a high school in Santa Barbara, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at San Marcos Senior High?
The student-teacher ratio at San Marcos Senior High is 20.7:1, which is 4% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% 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 San Marcos Senior High?
45.1% of students at San Marcos Senior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of San Marcos Senior High?
The largest demographic group at San Marcos Senior High is Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment, in Santa Barbara, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for San Marcos Senior High?
San Marcos Senior High has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 San Marcos Senior High rank among high schools in Santa Barbara?
By Resource Investment Index, San Marcos Senior High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara on the city page.
Is San Marcos Senior High a good school?
San Marcos Senior High earns 42/100 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 Santa Barbara Unified?
Besides San Marcos Senior High, Santa Barbara Unified also operates Dos Pueblos Senior High (2,149 students), Santa Barbara Senior High (1,924 students), and La Colina Junior High (832 students). See the Santa Barbara Unified 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.