Top Rankings
Carlsbad Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 4 public high schools serving 3,701 students in Carlsbad Unified School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public high schools in California.
Public High Schools in Carlsbad Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 51% (versus the California public high school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 73% (versus the 51% statewide average).
The top-ranked public high schools in Carlsbad Unified School District are Sage Creek High School, Carlsbad Seaside Academy and Carlsbad High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Public High School in Carlsbad Unified School District have a Graduation Rate of 92%, which is more than the California average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Sage Creek High School, with 96% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in California or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public high school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
16 Schools
2,790 Schools
# Students
10,678 Students
2,122,151 Students
# Teachers
469 Teachers
101,015 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
23:1
23:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Carlsbad Unified School District, which is ranked #116 of all 1,903 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has decreased from 95% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#111 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 10%)
(Top 10%)
Showing 2012–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
62%
34%
Showing 2012–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
73%
47%
Showing 2011–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
29%
Graduation Rate
92%
86.2%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)18.5%
27.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.61
0.63
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
n/a
1%
Showing 2005–2014. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
% Asian
6%
12%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hispanic
26%
56%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
1%
5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% White
56%
21%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
11%
5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 15-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $20,045 in this school district is less than the state median of $26,022. The school district revenue/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,016 is less than the state median of $22,604. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$214 MM
$150,628 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$203 MM
$130,845 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$20,045
$26,022
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$19,016
$22,604
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Carlsbad Unified School District Public High Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Sage Creek High School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 88%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
3900 Bobcat Blvd.
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-6600
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-6600
Gr: 9-12 | 1,289 students Student-teacher ratio: 25:1 Minority enrollment: 52%
Rank: #22.
Carlsbad Seaside Academy
Alternative School
(Math: 40-49% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
3557 Lancer Way
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5200
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5200
Gr: K-12 | 38 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #33.
Carlsbad High School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3557 Lancer Way
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5100
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5100
Gr: 9-12 | 2,336 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #44.
Carlsbad Village Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
3557 Lancer Way
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5200
Carlsbad, CA 92009
(760) 331-5200
Gr: 10-12 | 38 students Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Minority enrollment: 70%
Recent Articles
When a Public School Cancels a Course Your Child Needs
Learn what parents can do when public schools cancel essential courses, including protecting graduation credits, finding approved alternatives, requesting substitutions, and preventing disruptions to college or career plans before deadlines.
Verify School Assignment Before Buying a House
Before buying a house, learn how to verify your child's assigned public school, check conflicting property listings, confirm enrollment eligibility, and avoid costly school assignment surprises before closing on a property.
School Bus Commute Times: What Parents Should Know
Discover how long school bus commutes really take, why routes vary, and what parents should ask about pickup times, student fatigue, transportation reliability, and daily schedules before choosing schools.
