- Enrollment
- 2,149
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060141406029
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 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 47/100 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
- 47
- 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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-77 students YoY
San Marcos Senior High held near 1,943 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-77 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 93.9 → 93.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-77 students YoY 060141406029 · Santa Barbara, CA High · MID · TRAD
1,926 enr · 20.7:1 · 45.1% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Dos Pueblos Senior High (2,149 students)
San Marcos Senior High held near 1,943 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-77 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 93.9 → 93.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
San Marcos Senior High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Dos Pueblos Se
Dos Pueblos Senior High
2,149 students
- This school
San Marcos Senior High
1,926 students
- Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Senior High
1,924 students
- La Colina Juni 832
La Colina Junior High
832 students
- Goleta Valley 731
Goleta Valley Junior High
731 students
- Santa Barbara 512
Santa Barbara Junior High
512 students
What this shows San Marcos Senior High reports 1,926 students on the CCD universe file.
How San Marcos Senior High compares
San Marcos Senior High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$18,088
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
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.
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
District finance for Santa Barbara Unified reports $18,088 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,926 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 2,020 (2022-23) → 1,943 (2023-24), nearly flat (-77).
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 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.