2024 Best Schools in Monterey County

• Monterey, CA•

• Private School•

• 8-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  69 reviews

Senior: York is an amazing school that not only delivers a high academic education, but creates a safe, fun and nurturing environment for students to succeed. The faculty and staff work with each student to help them achieve their goals. The senior year traditions where a wonderful way to celebrate a York Education!... Read 69 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 180

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Monterey, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  93 reviews

Senior: Santa Catalina is an amazing school! The staff and teachers are wonderful and highly qualified. There is always something fun to do at school including clubs, sports, arts, and traditions. The academics are strong and properly prepare you for college. I will definitely miss the school next year when I graduate. I have made so many friends at Santa Catalina and I will remember my time here forever.... Read 93 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 211

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Pebble Beach, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  87 reviews

Alum: Going to Stevenson was the best decision of my life. Excellent faculty, environment, students, college prep, as well as everything else. I’ve formed many relationships that I know will last a lifetime.... Read 87 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 513

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  249 reviews

Senior: The best experience I had at Mt.Carmel high school is the school spirit! Many students at MC will always contribute to school clubs, sports events, and programs which makes the school more fun, and most teachers are also very helpful and friendly, and the clubs are great to join if you want to have the best times at MC and the school sports games and events! Such as football games, volleyball, and many others!... Read 249 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 842

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Pacific Grove Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  155 reviews

Senior: Pacifi Grove High School is located in a small town, creating a tight knit community. Almost everyone at the school has known each other since elementary school and everyone is kind to each other. While this is a nice experience, because the school is so small, is does create a lack in activities to do socially.... Read 155 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 570

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• 6-8

• grade A

• Students 534

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Pacific Grove Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 431

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Pacific Grove Unified School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: My child goes to this school for 2 years and almost always comes home telling me how great her day was and begs me to never move out of the area. The school is a great environment to learn in and has an excellent music program. My daughter is in the school's orchestra, and choir. Before going to this school she had a passionate love for music but was frustrated on how to get started. Since she started attending this school, her music has greatly improved, as well as her math intelligence. The teachers have very greatly made an impact on my daughters life as well. She has been doing MUCH better in math and ELA, even when I test her. If I could rate this school more than 5 stars I would.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 390

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: Teachers and staff go the extra mile to provide resources and support to the students. There is a great feeling of community and belonging at the campus.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 419

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 3.25 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: It was very good. I liked it a lot. There was a lot of activities, things to do and the overall atmosphere is very good. It very well is a bully free school.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 392

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Pacific Grove Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 408

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Seaside, CA•

• Private School•

• 1-12

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: My daughter started Chartwell from middle school and currently attending high school. Her transformation has been remarkable. She is articulate, confident, and determined to succeed. It is an amazing school with the most dedicated teachers, led by excellent leadership. They helped my daughter not just with academics, but self-advocacy, independence, and overall confidence. We are grateful for all of their hard work and their commitment to excellence.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Students 175

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• Salinas, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.82 out of 5  87 reviews

Senior: Notre Dame is a warm and welcoming school. It is a private all girls catholic school. It provides numerous options of subjects at different levels to accommodate all students. Notre Dame provides multiple clubs, athletics and social functions for the entire student body to participate and succeed. The teachers are supportive and available for students every day. Class requirements / expectations are clearly defined. Notre Dame would benefit from increased enrollment, which would allow select advanced classes to be offered every year.... Read 87 reviews

• grade A

• Students 222

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  272 reviews

Senior: Monterey High School cultivates a diverse community, where many students apply themselves in different programs and communities. It is unique as the only high school in the Monterey Peninsula District to be an International Baccalaureate School and host the Middle Years Program and Diploma Program. From personal experience, all staff has been supportive, kind, and understanding. Likely due to COVID, Monterey High School has somewhat lacked in school spirit and unity on the students' part, but this does not bar student leaders from organizing fun school events.... Read 272 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,356

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Washington Union Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Freshman: As a 9th grader in high school, I feel like San Benancio really prepared me for this new chapter in my life. Compared to my other classmates in my grade, I noticed them struggling to keep up with new material learned in class. San Benancio did a great job at providing outstanding education, with great teachers.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 263

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Salinas, CA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A minus

• Students 94

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Salinas, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  85 reviews

Alum: My overall experience was very pleasant. I was able to engage in a rigorous course load surrounded by peers of similar academic aspirations. The teachers were all genuinely invested in my success and frequently made themselves available outside of school hours for additional help. However, the slight downside to being in a smaller school is that some classes may or may not be offered depending on the amount of students interested in that particular class in a given school year.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 479

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: The teachers and staff go the extra mile to offer support and resources for the students. There is a great feeling of respect and appreciation towards the students and staff.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 14

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Carmel Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 50

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Washington Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-3

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 327

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, CA•

• K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 450

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Washington Union Elementary School District, CA•

• 4-5

• grade A minus

• Students 166

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Salinas Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  397 reviews

Senior: So far, I have lived going to Salinas High. I have been able to make great friends, and for the most part, my teachers have been great! At sports games, the energy is amazing, and football games are by far my favorite to attend. With that being said, I also am not a fan of how the bathrooms are. During lunch, many of the bathrooms are closed, which is very annoying, as most people actually use the bathrooms for their correct purpose. Also, not all of my teachers have been the greatest. But overall, Salinas High is a great school!... Read 397 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 2,668

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Monterey County Office of Education, CA•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Alum: MCHCS was only a great experience for me for my senior year during 2022-2023, it truly helped me out with my complicated schedule as towards of many events that happened through out the year. As well, it’s a school where you can go at your own pace but still be able to learn and capture many things needed, therefore, you arent left behind. The whole independent study program helps you focus even more and learn profoundly in the topics that are given. Also, I was able to take college classes which thankfully the one meeting s week for school was able to adjust to my college class schedule. And for it to be able to adjust to ones schedule from really early to the afternoon it helped out tremendously because time is always a non expected thing of what is going to happen. Over all, MCHCS was a great choice, I am really happy I was able to qualify for the program as well, by going st my own pace I was able to finish my senior year early which gave me more time for college classes overall!!!... Read 6 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 259

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Monterey, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.08 out of 5  24 reviews

Senior: Very good school overall great teachers and small class sizes make it so teachers are able to help each student to their benefits the only con to the small classes and student body, is that the electives that would normally have a-lot of people tend to have very little for example preforming arts which has only been able to do a review of multiple scenes in the past few years... Read 24 reviews

• grade B

• Students 112

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1