| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel Unified School District | Carmel By The Sea | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 2,274 | 9 | K–12 | 5 |
| Pacific Grove Unified School District | Pacific Grove | 10/10 Excellent · 90th pct | 1,772 | 5 | K–12 | 1 |
| Monterey Peninsula Unified School District | Marina | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 9,257 | 21 | K–12 | 4 |
| South Monterey County Joint Union High School District | Bradley | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 2,762 | 4 | 9–12 | 7 |
| Salinas Union High School District | Salinas | 4/10 Below Average · 37th pct | 16,337 | 12 | 7–12 | 6 |
| Soledad Unified School District | Soledad | 3/10 Below Average · 29th pct | 4,748 | 11 | K–12 | 1 |
| Gonzales Unified School District | Gonzales | 3/10 Below Average · 23rd pct | 2,110 | 3 | K–12 | 1 |
| Big Sur Unified School District | Big Sur | 2/10 Poor · 19th pct | 19 | 1 | K–12 | 1 |
| North Monterey County Unified School District | Castroville | 2/10 Poor · 15th pct | 4,483 | 8 | K–12 | 2 |
How Monterey County compares
Together they enroll 43,762 students across 74 schools. The largest is Salinas Union High School District with 16,337 students. Districts here average 4.7/10, below the California average of 5.5/10. Ratings range from 2/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in Monterey County, California
Monterey County has 9 public school districts covering 28 zip codes. The top-rated district in Monterey County is Carmel Unified School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2021–22 for most districts), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.