2024 Best Schools in the Santa Barbara Area

• Carpinteria, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  52 reviews

Senior: A wonderful experience that gets better each year. The school is quite small, with just shy of 300 students, so there are lots of resources allocated for each student with impressive breadth and depth. You get the best of the experience if you're really intentional about putting yourself out there, both among people and academic/extracurricular opportunities. I had the pleasure of getting SCUBA certified under a collaborative program with PADI that my biology teacher ran. You can see both the ocean and the mountains from campus, and the school fully uses both. The Animal Behavior and Marine Bio senior electives heads out to the channel islands for their projects, too.... Read 52 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 298

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  41 reviews

Parent: Laguna Blanca is a gem! We moved to the area and enrolled our kids and WOW we are so impressed! I have never seen my children so in love with school. Every day they come home and say how amazing their day was. They love their teachers like they have never loved teachers before. The teachers are above and beyond. The kids are kind. The curriculum is challenging, but somehow still incredibly fun. I feel so lucky to have my children in such a magical place!... Read 41 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 348

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Public School•

• K-6

• grade A+

• Students 375

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.57 out of 5  7 reviews

Parent: Student faculty ratio means faculty really gets to know and understand the students’ passions. Amazing, deeply thoughtful experience means students are deeply inspired.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 42

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Public School•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: While Cold Spring may be the highest performing district in the state, what impresses me most is the emphasis on teaching children compassion and kindness. My children are so incredibly happy here. The friends they have made are all such positive influences and their teachers go above and beyond what is expected of them. The administration really does care about each child and it shows. This is a private school education at a public school and I am so thrilled to be part of it.... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• Students 192

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.49 out of 5  75 reviews

Freshman: During my time at Bishop Diego, I have come to love the faith based community. Focused on teamwork and fair play, the athletic program is competitive and supportive, giving each student the chance to excel! With a wide range of academic classes, I would highly suggest Bishop Diego to any graduating 8th graders.... Read 75 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 290

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  482 reviews

Alum: Dos Pueblos is a welcoming and vibrant school community. It has so many academic opportunities to offer: the engineering academy, IB program, AP classes, dual enrollment with SBCC, and lots of additional Career Technical Education Pathways (media, culinary arts, sports medicine, etc.). There are also lots of clubs and sports to get involved in; there is definitely no shortage of extracurriculars to keep DP students busy. A large majority of teachers and counselors are supportive and invested in students success. There is a culture of being nice amongst students as well. I especially enjoyed my involvement in the yearbook and cross country programs. Go Chargers!... Read 482 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,020

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  374 reviews

Senior: San Marcos is a fantastic school academically for higher end classes. There are a wide range of AP classes taught by competent and experienced teachers with plenty of honesty about the course, its place in the exams, and their occasional banality. That’s not to scuff the Honors courses either though, they are still decently rigorous and act as a good middle ground (though they do air on the side of CP instead of AP level). Most important to me though it the music program (as I am a 4 year participant myself): It is simply amazing, the band director, Micheal Kiyoi, is phenomenal and has made the band experience like no other. Sports (save football) all perform well at a high level and are an absolute blast to participate and win (yet again barring football) quite frequently. There are some minor issues with the maintenance of infrastructure (lights, ceiling tiles, etc.) but honestly what school isn’t plagued with budget issues these days?... Read 374 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,998

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• K-6

• grade A

• Students 537

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 7-8

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Alum: All of the teachers and administrators care deeply about their students success and preparedness for high school and beyond. There is a diverse group of students who are all able to be involved with something that interests them, from sports to theater to art. The coursework and lessons are challenging, but fun at the same time, all taught in a supportive environment.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 898

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Goleta Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-6

• grade A

• Students 374

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.82 out of 5  365 reviews

Senior: Santa Barbara Senior High School has been an extremely positive experience for me! I have been able to expand my interest and knowledge in computer science through the Computer Science Academy. I have also been able to learn so much about computer science in the real world on the various field trips and lunch speakers. I have been able to form amazing bonds with many wonderful teachers who have helped me enjoy classes. The school is also in an amazing location with many food options just a couple blocks off campus.... Read 365 reviews

• grade A

• Students 2,178

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Hope Elementary School District (Santa Barbara), CA•

• K-6

• grade A

• Students 304

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Hope Elementary School District (Santa Barbara), CA•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Monte Vista is an excellent little neighborhood school. The staff and teachers are dedicated, the parents are involved, and the students enjoy learning here. It is a special community where people greet each other with smiles and friendly hellos and on the weekends you can run into classmates playing on campus or at the adjacent park. We are so happy to have our children at Monte Vista.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 260

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 7-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade A

• Students 744

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Santa Barbara, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  12 reviews

Parent: This is an outstanding education! Through deep and meaningful relationships with faculty and peers, our boys are receiving an excellent education, while being prepared for lives of meaning and purpose. Smaller schools are the way of the future - or should be. Where faculty and staff are in control of the on-campus culture; where students are truly known. Providence does this strategically and intentionally. There are certainly sacrifices to go there, but they well worth it. If you believe in a creator god, one who is intimately engaged in our world, then the words of one Providence teachers makes a ton of sense. She expressed that teaching any subject like math, language or economics without Christ, is like being limited to teaching in black and white. Providence allows teachers to teach in full living color. Our boys have profoundly benefitted.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A

• Students 353

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Carpinteria Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 1.4 out of 5  10 reviews

Alum: While i haven't attended summerland elementary in a multitude of years most of the things remain the same, which is the beauty of the place. There is only three teachers at the school among several aids and specialized teachers. This would sound like a flaw but when classes are so small it doesn't matter. My graduating class was 11 people and each of us had a relationship with every teacher we had. Summerland laid the foundation of my academic life and it did so very well. Summerland is a lovely place to send a school.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A

• Students 49

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Goleta Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 372

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Goleta Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 389

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: It was such an inclusive and affirming environment, which is crucial for the growth and development of children. As a student of eight years I learned not only academics, but also interpersonal skills, environmental and cultural consciousness, and the importance of creativity and innovation; all beginning in Kindergarten with Wendy. The teachers truly care about the students, and integrate as many hands-on educational projects as possible.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 276

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Goleta Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: All 3 of my kids attend Isla Vista Elementary. It is a super school. The teachers are amazing and the school has a real sense of community. The school really did an awesome job during distance learning and were ready to go from day 1 of lock down.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 472

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Santa Barbara Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  15 reviews

Junior: The opportunity to create my high school schedule out of college classes, for both high school and college credit was amazing. I allocated time where I thought it was needed, allowing me to get a job, and specializing in career fields not offered at the high school. The teachers were also extremely understanding, working with me to specialize the curriculum so that it progressed my, individual learning journey.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 126

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Carpinteria Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 70

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Hope Elementary School District (Santa Barbara), CA•

• K-6

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: My favorite experience from this school is the ultimate frisbee team that was established in my fourth grade year. I had never heard of the sport before, but I always wanted to learn how to throw a frisbee well, so I signed up, and I am so glad I made that decision. It was a way to harness us students energy and direct it towards something fun, healthy, and something that was a great learning experience. This school is unique because of the emphasis it places on helping the community. Students are pushed to join Student Council, a group of kids which go to various places in the city with elderly people and give them flowers and cards for valentines day. Also, the school is currently growing organic lettuce, and sells it to people in the community at a satisfactory price, to raise money for children to go to awesome summer camps.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 272

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Goleta Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-6

• grade A minus

• Students 434

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1