- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
High school (grades 9-12) · National City, CA
Sweetwater High
Federal NCES profile for Sweetwater High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063864006495
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 71
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sweetwater High earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #5 of 15
- public schools in National City · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- students per teacher
- 78.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Sweetwater High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sweetwater High ranks #5 of 15 public schools in National City, CA.
School address
District: Sweetwater Union High · California
NCES ID 063864006495 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-254 students YoY
Sweetwater High shrank from 2,679 students in 2022-23 to 2,425 in 2023-24 (-9.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 108.3 → 99.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-254 students YoY 063864006495 · National City, CA High · LARGE · TRAD
2,290 enr · 21.2:1 · 78.3% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Eastlake High (2,557 students)
Sweetwater High shrank from 2,679 students in 2022-23 to 2,425 in 2023-24 (-9.5%). Teacher FTE lost 108.3 → 99.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Sweetwater High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Eastlake High
Eastlake High
2,557 students
- Otay Ranch Sen
Otay Ranch Senior High
2,440 students
- This school
Sweetwater High
2,290 students
- Olympian High
Olympian High
2,289 students
- Bonita Vista S
Bonita Vista Senior High
1,960 students
- San Ysidro Hig
San Ysidro High
1,941 students
What this shows Sweetwater High reports 2,290 students on the CCD universe file.
How Sweetwater High compares
Sweetwater High is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.2:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.3% | ▲ 41% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,290 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,290
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
78.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 45% in California - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.9%
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
$15,327
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors15.6 FTE
Per 147 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 180 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 77.0%
Asian 13.0%
White 6.6%
African American 1.5%
Two or More 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 77.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.5, Sweetwater High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 31
District finance for Sweetwater Union High reports $15,327 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Sweetwater High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastlake High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Otay Ranch Senior High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Olympian High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bonita Vista Senior High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Ysidro High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sweetwater High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,440
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,289
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,960
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,941
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar high schools in National City
1 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 (~2,290 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.2:1)
Frequently asked questions about Sweetwater High
How many students attend Sweetwater High?
Sweetwater High has 2,290 students enrolled. It is a high school in National City, CA. CCD year-over-year: 2,679 (2022-23) → 2,425 (2023-24), down 254.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater High?
The student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater High is 21.2:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 35% 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 Sweetwater High?
78.3% of students at Sweetwater High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sweetwater High?
The largest demographic group at Sweetwater High is Hispanic or Latino at 77.0% of enrollment, in National City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sweetwater High?
Sweetwater High has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Sweetwater High rank among public schools in National City?
By Resource Investment Index, Sweetwater High ranks #5 of 15 public schools in National City, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in National City on the city page.
What other schools are in Sweetwater Union High?
Besides Sweetwater High, Sweetwater Union High also operates Eastlake High (2,557 students), Otay Ranch Senior High (2,440 students), and Olympian High (2,289 students). See the Sweetwater Union High district page for the complete list.