Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

San Diego Unified

California · Public School District
174
Schools
93,549
Students
$26,968
Per-Pupil Spend
+88% nat'l
56.2%
Free Lunch Rate
≈ nat'l avg
89.9%
Graduation Rate
+3.4pp vs nat'l
District Overview

San Diego Unified is a public school district in California serving 93,549 students across 174 schools. It includes 117 elementary, 24 middle, 25 high schools. Its graduation rate of 89.9% is above the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $26,968 is above average for a US public school district. 56% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Opportunity scores across its schools are limited, with a district median of 44/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (174)
Elementary Schools117 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Adams ElementaryKG–05257
Alcott ElementaryKG–05189
Angier ElementaryKG–05397
Audubon K-8KG–08452
Baker ElementaryKG–05349
Balboa ElementaryKG–05422
Barnard ElementaryKG–06478
Bay Park ElementaryKG–05501
Benchley/Weinberger ElementaryKG–05493
Bethune K-8KG–08516
Bird Rock ElementaryKG–05362
Birney ElementaryKG–05501
Boone ElementaryKG–05354
Burbank ElementaryKG–05330
Cabrillo ElementaryKG–04126
Cadman ElementaryKG–05176
Carson ElementaryKG–05327
Carver ElementaryKG–05171
Central ElementaryKG–05533
Chavez ElementaryKG–05398
Cherokee Point ElementaryKG–05279
Chesterton ElementaryKG–05433
Chollas/Mead ElementaryKG–05528
Clairemont Canyons AcademyKG–06260
Clay ElementaryKG–05294
Crown Point ElementaryKG–05255
Cubberley ElementaryKG–05171
Curie ElementaryKG–05533
Dailard ElementaryKG–05520
Dewey ElementaryKG–04307
Dingeman ElementaryKG–05645
Doyle ElementaryKG–05624
Edison ElementaryKG–05342
Encanto ElementaryKG–05415
Ericson ElementaryKG–05631
Euclid ElementaryKG–05409
Fay ElementaryKG–05469
Field ElementaryKG–06290
Fletcher ElementaryKG–05143
Florence ElementaryKG–05211
Foster ElementaryKG–05482
Franklin ElementaryKG–05348
Freese ElementaryKG–05231
Fulton K-8KG–08282
Gage ElementaryKG–05703
Garfield ElementaryKG–05267
Golden Hill K-8KG–08429
Grant K-8KG–08721
Green ElementaryKG–05445
Hage ElementaryKG–05526
Hamilton ElementaryKG–05430
Hancock ElementaryKG–05657
Hardy ElementaryKG–05368
Hawthorne ElementaryKG–06236
Hearst ElementaryKG–05482
Hickman ElementaryKG–05453
Holmes ElementaryKG–06514
Horton ElementaryKG–05388
Ibarra ElementaryKG–05378
Jefferson ElementaryKG–05378
Jerabek ElementaryKG–05644
Johnson ElementaryKG–05263
Jonas Salk ElementaryKG–05632
Jones ElementaryKG–05289
Joyner ElementaryKG–05436
Juarez ElementaryKG–05203
Kimbrough ElementaryKG–05314
Kumeyaay ElementaryKG–05378
La Jolla ElementaryKG–05489
Lafayette ElementaryKG–06200
Language AcademyKG–08987
Linda Vista ElementaryKG–05354
Loma Portal ElementaryKG–04360
Longfellow K-8KG–08657
Marshall ElementaryKG–05387
Marvin ElementaryKG–05520
Mason ElementaryKG–05480
McKinley ElementaryKG–05534
Miller ElementaryKG–05666
Miramar Ranch ElementaryKG–05610
Mountain ViewKG–08147
Normal Heights ElementaryKG–05258
Nye ElementaryKG–05305
Oak Park ElementaryKG–05509
Ocean Beach ElementaryKG–04397
Pacific Beach ElementaryKG–05329
Pacific View Leadership ElementaryKG–05226
Paradise Hills ElementaryKG–05215
Penn ElementaryKG–05387
Perkins K-8KG–08363
Perry ElementaryKG–05350
Porter ElementaryKG–06626
Ralph Waldo Emerson ElementaryKG–06411
Rodriguez ElementaryKG–05329
Rolando Park ElementaryKG–05277
Rosa Parks ElementaryKG–05726
Ross ElementaryKG–05162
Rowan ElementaryKG–05206
Sandburg ElementaryKG–05490
Scripps ElementaryKG–05742
Sequoia ElementaryKG–06161
Sessions ElementaryKG–05432
Sherman ElementaryKG–05539
Silver Gate ElementaryKG–04414
Spreckels ElementaryKG–05631
Sunset View ElementaryKG–04381
Tierrasanta ElementaryKG–05531
Toler ElementaryKG–05202
Torrey Pines ElementaryKG–05449
Valencia Park ElementaryKG–05409
Vista Grande ElementaryKG–05358
Walker ElementaryKG–05402
Washington ElementaryKG–05257
Webster ElementaryKG–06185
Wegeforth ElementaryKG–05190
Whitman ElementaryKG–0689
Zamorano ElementaryKG–05815
Middle Schools24 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Bell Middle06–08776
Challenger Middle06–08841
Clark Middle06–08799
Correia Middle07–08590
Creative Performing and Media Arts06–08725
Dana05–06678
De Portola Middle06–08632
Farb Middle06–08464
Innovation Middle06–08349
Knox Middle06–08484
Lewis Middle06–08971
Mann Middle06–08715
Marshall Middle06–081,317
Marston Middle06–08594
Millennial Tech Middle06–08365
Montgomery Middle06–08357
Muirlands Middle06–08696
Pacific Beach Middle06–08579
Pershing Middle06–08777
Roosevelt International Middle06–08761
Standley Middle06–08814
Taft Middle06–08384
Wangenheim Middle06–08712
Wilson Middle06–08732
High Schools25 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Canyon Hills High09–121,307
Clairemont High09–12835
Crawford High09–121,193
East Village Middle College High09–12109
Garfield High09–12208
Henry High09–122,607
Hoover High09–122,265
Kearny College Connections09–12357
Kearny Digital Media & Design09–12344
Kearny Eng Innov & Design09–12311
Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology09–12332
La Jolla High09–121,227
Lincoln High09–121,407
Madison High09–12944
Mira Mesa High09–122,219
Mission Bay High09–121,169
Morse High09–121,675
Point Loma High09–121,714
San Diego High09–122,105
San Diego Metro Career and Tech09–12100
San Diego SCPA06–121,231
Scripps Ranch High09–121,984
TRACE09–12403
Twain High07–12328
University City High09–121,543
Other Schools8 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
ALBA01–1220
Home & Hosp/Transition SupportKG–1278
iHigh Virtual AcademyKG–12647
John Muir Language AcademyKG–12213
Logan Memorial Educational CampusKG–121,037
Mt. Everest AcademyKG–12213
Riley/New DawnKG–12135
Whittier K-12KG–1265
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$26,968+88% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
25%
60%
State
25.1%
Local (property tax)
60.5%
Federal
14.4%

This district draws the majority of its budget from local property taxes (60%), typical of wealthier suburban districts.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
174
Schools
93,549
Students
56%
Free Lunch
$27K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate89.9%
Opportunity Score44/100
StateCalifornia →
School Rankings
Strengths & Considerations
Strong graduation outcomes
89.9% graduation rate — 3.4 points above the national average of 86.5%.
High per-student investment
Spends $26,968 per pupil — 88% above the national average of $14,347.
Range of school options
With 174 schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in San Diego Unified?
San Diego Unified has 174 public schools, serving a total of 93,549 students.
What is the graduation rate for San Diego Unified?
The graduation rate is 89.9%, which is above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does San Diego Unified spend per student?
San Diego Unified spends $26,968 per pupil — 88% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in San Diego Unified?
56% of students in San Diego Unified qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in San Diego Unified?
No, San Diego Unified does not currently include any charter schools.
What grade levels does San Diego Unified serve?
San Diego Unified serves grades KG through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for San Diego Unified?
The median opportunity score across schools in San Diego Unified is 44/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.