| 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 | 4 |
| Lagunita Elementary School District | Salinas | 10/10 Excellent · 91st pct | 76 | 1 | K–5 | 0 |
| Pacific Grove Unified School District | Pacific Grove | 10/10 Excellent · 90th pct | 1,772 | 5 | K–12 | 1 |
| Washington Union Elementary School District | Salinas | 9/10 Excellent · 88th pct | 734 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Spreckels Union Elementary School District | Spreckels | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 918 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Mission Union Elementary School District | Soledad | 7/10 Good · 66th pct | 122 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Graves Elementary School District | Salinas | 6/10 Average · 59th pct | 31 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Chualar Union Elementary School District | Chualar | 5/10 Average · 48th pct | 278 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Bradley Union Elementary School District | Bradley | 5/10 Average · 44th pct | 37 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Monterey Peninsula Unified School District | Marina | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 9,257 | 21 | K–12 | 5 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Alisal Union Elementary School District | Salinas | 3/10 Below Average · 21st pct | 7,509 | 13 | K–6 | 0 |
| Big Sur Unified School District | Big Sur | 2/10 Poor · 19th pct | 19 | 1 | K–12 | 1 |
| Salinas City Elementary School District | Salinas | 2/10 Poor · 19th pct | 8,273 | 15 | K–6 | 0 |
| North Monterey County Unified School District | Castroville | 2/10 Poor · 15th pct | 4,483 | 8 | K–12 | 2 |
| King City Union Elementary School District | King City | 2/10 Poor · 14th pct | 2,578 | 6 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Ardo Union Elementary School District | San Ardo | 2/10 Poor · 13th pct | 79 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Santa Rita Union Elementary School District | Salinas | 2/10 Poor · 13th pct | 3,231 | 7 | K–8 | 0 |
| Greenfield Union Elementary School District | Greenfield | 2/10 Poor · 12th pct | 3,339 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Lucas Union Elementary School District | San Lucas | 2/10 Poor · 10th pct | 70 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Antonio Union Elementary School District | Lockwood | 1/10 Poor · 8th pct | 137 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
How Monterey County compares
Together they enroll 71,174 students across 134 schools. The largest is Salinas Union High School District with 16,337 students. Districts here average 4.5/10, below the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 1/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in Monterey County, California
Monterey County has 24 public school districts covering 29 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 (CAASPP 2023–24), 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Monterey County, CA?
24 school districts serve zip codes in Monterey County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Monterey County, CA?
Of the districts serving Monterey County, Carmel Unified School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 93rd percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.