Enrollment
1,465
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Diego, CA
University City High
Federal NCES profile for University City 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 063432007838
👥 S:T ratio 6
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
University City High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 41
- high schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.6:1
- students per teacher
- 33.8%
- free-lunch eligible
University City High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, University City High ranks #12 of 41 high schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: San Diego Unified · California
NCES ID 063432007838 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How University City High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at University City High
University City High is a large high school in San Diego, California, enrolling 1,465 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,465 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 427 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #167.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 366 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among San Diego's high schools, it stands alongside Del Norte High (2,557 students): University City High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.6:1 vs 26.9:1).
San Diego Unified also operates Henry High (2,485 students) and Mira Mesa High (2,187 students) alongside University City 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 University City High compares
University City 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 | 23.6:1 | ▲ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.8% | ▼ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,465 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.6:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,465
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
23.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 68% in California - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.5%
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
$18,665
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 366 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 29 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 39.8%
White 34.2%
Two or More 11.6%
Asian 10.9%
African American 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, University City High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Diego Unified, which includes University City High.
$18,665
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.5%
State 25.1%
Federal 14.4%
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 University City High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Mesa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hoover High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Scripps Ranch High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Point Loma High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to University City High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,485
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,011
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,724
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
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 (~1,465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on University City High's federal record.
- Compare University City High against another school. Compare schools
- San Diego 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 University City High
How many students attend University City High?
University City High has 1,465 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at University City High?
The student-teacher ratio at University City High is 23.6:1, which is 10% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at University City High?
33.8% of students at University City High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of University City High?
The largest demographic group at University City High is Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for University City High?
University City 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 University City High rank among high schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, University City High ranks #12 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 University City High a good school?
University City High earns 42/100 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 San Diego Unified?
Besides University City High, San Diego Unified also operates Henry High (2,485 students), Mira Mesa High (2,187 students), and Hoover High (2,011 students). See the San Diego 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.