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Best Schools in Salinas, CA
Salinas, CA has 81 public schools (15 high, 12 middle, 49 elementary) serving 53,562 students. On average they score 26% on state proficiency tests against a projected 27%, so schools in Salinas don't meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Salinas, CA
The top high schools in Salinas, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Salinas High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2567 Students
2. King City High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
South Monterey County Joint Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1227 Students
3. Rancho San Juan High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1699 Students
4. Alisal High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2852 Students
5. Hollister High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
San Benito High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 3465 Students
6. Everett Alvarez High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2146 Students
7. North Salinas High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2112 Students
8. Gonzales High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gonzales Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 809 Students
9. North Monterey County High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
North Monterey County Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1286 Students
10. Seaside High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Monterey Peninsula Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1130 Students
Best Middle Schools in Salinas, CA
The top middle schools in Salinas, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. San Benancio Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Union Elementary • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 240 Students
2. Buena Vista Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spreckels Union Elementary • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 335 Students
3. Washington Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 1067 Students
4. El Sausal Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 1035 Students
5. Seaside Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Monterey Peninsula Unified • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 491 Students
6. Gavilan View Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Rita Union Elementary • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 587 Students
7. John Gutierrez Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Santa Rita Union Elementary • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 594 Students
8. Harden Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 1096 Students
9. La Paz Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas Union High • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 1148 Students
10. Fairview Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Gonzales Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 461 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Salinas, CA
The top elementary schools in Salinas, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Toro Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Union Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 3 • 322 Students
2. Washington Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Washington Union Elementary • Public • Grades 4 - 5 • 172 Students
3. Lagunita Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Lagunita Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 76 Students
4. Spreckels Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spreckels Union Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 583 Students
5. Lincoln Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas City Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 592 Students
6. Bitterwater-tully Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Bitterwater-tully Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 30 Students
7. Graves Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Graves Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 8 • 31 Students
8. Mission Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Salinas City Elementary • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 621 Students
9. George C. Marshall Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Monterey Peninsula Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 513 Students
10. Monte Bella Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Alisal Union • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 837 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Salinas, CA
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Salinas, CA has a total population of 181,543 with 30% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 62%, and 18% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Salinas, CA
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Salinas, CA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
20.22 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
6.35 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
13.87 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Salinas, CA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Salinas, CA.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Salinas, CA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Salinas, CA
How many schools are in Salinas, CA?
Salinas, CA has 81 public schools: 15 high schools, 12 middle schools and 49 elementary schools, serving 53,562 students in total.
How do schools in Salinas perform on state tests?
On average, 81 schools in Salinas score 26% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 27%, so on average schools in Salinas don't meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Salinas?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Salinas, CA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 41%
- Projected: 35%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 48%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 25%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 36%
- Projected: 31%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 22%
- Projected: 20%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 32%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 32%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 27%
- Projected: 23%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 35%
- Projected: 28%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Every school in Salinas
59 of 62 schools in Salinas carry a SchoolGrade (3 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
A: 4B: 5C: 13D: 26F: 11
All 62 public schools we grade in Salinas. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (7)
- Alisal High
- Central Bay High Continuation
- Everett Alvarez High
- Mount Toro High
- North Salinas High
- Rancho San Juan High
- Salinas High
Middle and junior high schools (10)
- Buena Vista Middle
- Dr Martin Luther King JR Academy
- El Sausal Middle
- Gavilan View Middle
- Harden Middle
- John Gutierrez Middle
- La Paz Middle
- San Benancio Middle
- Washington Middle
- Wellington M. Smith Jr.
Elementary and primary schools (32)
- Bardin Elementary
- Boronda Elementary
- Cesar E Chavez Elementary
- Creekside Elementary
- Echo Valley Elementary
- El Gabilan Elementary
- Frank Paul Elementary
- Fremont Elementary
- Graves Elementary
- Henry F Kammann Elementary
- Jesse G Sanchez Elementary
- John E Steinbeck Elementary
- La Joya Elementary
- Lagunita Elementary
- Laurel Wood Elementary
- Lincoln Elementary
- Loma Vista Elementary
- Los Padres Elementary
- Mission Park Elementary
- Monte Bella Elementary
- Monterey Park Elementary
- Natividad Elementary
- New Republic Elementary
- Oscar F Loya Elementary
- Prunedale Elementary
- Roosevelt Elementary
- Santa Rita Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Toro Park Elementary
- University Park Elementary
- Virginia Rocca Barton Elementary
- Washington Elementary
Other schools and academies (13)
- Alisal Community
- Alisal Virtual Academy
- Boronda Meadows
- Carr Lake Community Day
- El Puente
- Mckinnon
- Monterey County Home Charter
- Monterey County Special Education
- North Monterey County Center For Independent Study
- Oasis Charter Public
- Open Door Charter
- Salinas City Virtual Academy
- Salinas Community
Private schools (4)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.