Monterey Times

Salinas Union High School District had the highest enrollment among Monterey County school districts, welcoming 16,236 students during the 2022-23 school year, according to the California Department of Education.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2022-23 school year, 51.3% of them were boys, and 48.6% were girls.

The most represented ethnicity among Salinas Union High School District students was white, accounting for 4% of the student population.

Among the 25 districts in Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District ranked second in enrollment numbers with 9,779 students, while Salinas City Elementary School District welcomed 8,273 students and ranked third in the 2022-23 school year.

Salinas Union High School District roughly covers schools within Monterey County and has a main office in Salinas.

In the previous school year, Salinas Union High School District also had the highest number of students among Monterey County districts.

In the last decade, enrollment in California elementary and secondary schools rose by at least 5%, while high school enrollment dropped 5%.

However, overall enrollment in California public schools is sliding, and the Public Policy Institute of California expects it to drop another 8% by the 2031-32 school year.

District	City (main office)	Total Enrollment
Salinas Union High School District	Salinas	16,236
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District	Monterey	9,779
Salinas City Elementary School District	Salinas	8,273
Alisal Union School District	Salinas	7,509
Soledad Unified School District	Soledad	4,748
North Monterey County Unified School District	Moss Landing	4,482
Greenfield Union Elementary School District	Greenfield	3,334
Santa Rita Union Elementary School District	Salinas	3,231
South Monterey County Joint Union High School District	King City	2,761
King City Union School District	King City	2,578
Carmel Unified School District	Carmel	2,273
Gonzales Unified School District	Gonzales	2,110
Monterey County Office of Education	Salinas	1,825
Pacific Grove Unified School District	Pacific Grove	1,772
Spreckels Union Elementary School District	Spreckels	918
Washington Union Elementary School District	Salinas	734
Chualar Union School District	Chualar	278
San Antonio Union Elementary School District	Lockwood	137
Mission Union Elementary School District	Soledad	122
Big Sur Unified School District	Big Sur	104
San Ardo Union Elementary School District	San Ardo	79
Lagunita Elementary School District	Salinas	76
San Lucas Union Elementary School District	San Lucas	70
Bradley Union Elementary School District	Bradley	37
Graves Elementary School District	Salinas	31