Top Rankings
Newport-Mesa Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 7 public high schools serving 7,462 students in Newport-Mesa Unified School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public high schools in California.
Public High Schools in Newport-Mesa Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the California public high school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 59% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Public High School in Newport-Mesa Unified School District have a Graduation Rate of 93%, which is more than the California average of 87%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Costa Mesa High School, with 95% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in California or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 60% 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
32 Schools
2,817 Schools
# Students
17,684 Students
2,139,525 Students
# Teachers
915 Teachers
100,737 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which is ranked #331 of all 1,925 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 95% has increased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#325 out of 1941 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(22-23)48%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
58%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
38%
29%
Graduation Rate
(22-23)95%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.63
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
6%
11%
% Hispanic
47%
56%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
39%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $23,013 is higher than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,642 is higher than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$407 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$365 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$23,013
$19,974
Spending / Student
$20,642
$18,396
Best Newport-Mesa Unified School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Early College High School
Alternative School
(Math: 70-79% | Reading: ≥90%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
2990 Mesa Verde Dr.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 424-7990
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 424-7990
Grades: 9-12
| 200 students
Rank: #22.
Corona Del Mar High School
(Math: 53% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
2101 Eastbluff Dr.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6000
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6000
Grades: 7-12
| 2,042 students
Rank: #33.
Monte Vista Independent Study
Alternative School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1003 Presidio Sq.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6690
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6690
Grades: 7-12
| 62 students
Rank: #44.
Newport Harbor High School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
600 Irvine Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6300
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6300
Grades: 9-12
| 2,217 students
Rank: #55.
Costa Mesa High School
(Math: 29% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
2650 Fairview Rd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 424-8700
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 424-8700
Grades: 7-12
| 1,761 students
Rank: #66.
Estancia High School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2323 Placentia Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6500
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6500
Grades: 9-12
| 1,030 students
Rank: #77.
Back Bay High School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
390 Monte Vista Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6900
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(949) 515-6900
Grades: 9-12
| 150 students
Recent Articles
The Link Between Education and Incarceration: The NAACP Report
Education and the rate of incarceration have been linked in a recent NAACP report. Learn about the report and the troubling findings.
The Debate Over Mandatory AP Exams: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Well-being
Some public schools are forcing students in AP courses to take the AP exam. Here's a look at both sides of the debate and the potential benefits in store for both students and high schools.
The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.
