Best Schools in Costa Mesa, California
55 schools · 36 Elementary · 2 Middle · 9 High · 8 Other
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 7.0/10
- Median household income
- $111,333
- Median home value
- $1,056,300
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 44%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 40%
51% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Costa Mesa compares
California rank
#105 of 596
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.7
above California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$111k
112% of California median
Schools in this city
47
About Schools in Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa's public school system covers 38 ranked schools, spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels. The city sits within two primary districts and delivers consistently solid results — the average school score across all 38 ranked schools is 7.2 out of 10, and 53% of schools (20 out of 38) score 7 or higher. That performance floor is a meaningful signal for parents: more than half the city's public schools clear a threshold that many comparable California cities struggle to reach collectively.
Elementary options lead the city's performance profile. Abraham Lincoln Elementary earns the highest score in Costa Mesa at 9.1 out of 10, placing it among the strongest elementary schools in the region. Victoria Elementary, Heinz Kaiser Elementary, and Everett A. Rea Elementary each score 9.0, giving families in the right attendance zones access to four high-performing elementary campuses within a single city. The concentration of top-tier elementary schools in Costa Mesa is notable — parents with younger children have real, concrete choices at the upper end of the rating scale.
At the secondary level, Estancia High scores 8.6 out of 10, making it a standout option and one of the better-performing public high schools in Orange County by this metric. Parents researching high school options in Costa Mesa have at least one strong, well-documented public choice to evaluate alongside any private or charter alternatives.
The practical takeaway: Costa Mesa's school landscape rewards parents who look carefully at attendance boundaries. The gap between the city's top schools (9.0–9.1) and the overall average (7.2) is significant, so where you live within the city directly affects which schools your child can access without a transfer request. Families should verify current enrollment boundaries early, since the highest-rated elementary campuses are geographically concentrated. For most families, Costa Mesa offers a stronger-than-average baseline, with a cluster of genuinely high-performing schools at the top — a combination that makes it a competitive choice for parents prioritizing public school quality in Southern California.
Elementary Schools
36 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 294 students · Kindergarten–6th | 9.1 | ||
| 2 | 293 students · Kindergarten–6th | 9.0 | ||
| 3 | 520 students · 3rd–6th | 9.0 | ||
| 4 | 346 students · Kindergarten–6th | 9.0 | ||
| 5 | 331 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.6 | ||
| 6 | 478 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.6 | ||
| 7 | 469 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.4 | ||
| 8 | 471 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.9 | ||
| 9 | 338 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.8 | ||
| 10 | 455 students · Kindergarten–2nd | 7.8 | ||
| 11 | 326 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.7 | ||
| 12 | 366 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.6 | ||
| 13 | 324 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.0 | ||
| 14 | 354 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.7 | ||
| 15 | 555 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.6 | ||
| 16 | 356 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.3 | ||
| 17 | 114 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.2 | ||
| 18 | 560 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.0 | ||
| 19 | 457 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.8 | ||
| 20 | 445 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.7 | ||
| 21 | 376 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.5 | ||
| 22 | 380 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.1 | ||
| 23 | 290 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.9 | ||
| Private Schools 13 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | PAGE ACADEMY
Private
48 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | FRONTIERS ACADEMY
Private
51 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated | ||
Show 11 more elementary schools
| 3 | 492 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated |
| 4 | CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Private
222 students · Pre-K–8th | Not Rated |
| 5 | 48 students · Pre-K–6th | Not Rated |
| 6 | MARINERS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Private
744 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated |
| 7 | WOODLAND CHILD DEVT CENTER
Private
35 students · Pre-K–5th | Not Rated |
| 8 | Brood of Bees
Private
7 students · 1st–7th | Not Rated |
| 9 | Seashore Academy
Private
101 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated |
| 10 | Villages Preparatory
Private
6 students · 1st–7th | Not Rated |
| 11 | Page Private-Costa Mesa
Private
92 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated |
| 12 | 14 students · Kindergarten–6th | Not Rated |
| 13 | Frontiers Academy
Private
106 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated |
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 514 students · 7th–8th | 8.0 |
| 2 | 924 students · 7th–8th | 7.9 |
High Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,030 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
| 2 | 2,217 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
| 3 | 2,042 students · 7th–12th | 8.3 | ||
| 4 | 200 students · 9th–12th | 8.3 | ||
| 5 | 62 students · 7th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 6 | 1,761 students · 7th–12th | 6.6 | ||
| 7 | 150 students · 9th–12th | 6.0 | ||
| 8 | 156 students · 9th–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Waldorf School of Orange County
Private
280 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,525 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 353 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 3 | 183 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 4 | 152 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.0 | ||
| 5 | 428 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 6 | 280 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.5 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | RENASCENCE SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL
Private
140 students · Pre-K–9th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 277 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa, California · 55 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$111,333
Median Home Value
$1,056,300
Median Rent
$2,410/mo
Population
111,320
College Educated
44%
Homeownership
40%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Community Profile
Costa Mesa has a median household income of $111,333. It is a well-educated community where 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,056,300, with a median rent of $2,410/month. The local poverty rate of 8.9% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Quick Facts
- State
- California
- Total Schools
- 55
- Elementary
- 36
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 9
- Districts
- 6
- Avg Rating
- 7.0/10
Resources
School Districts (6)
California Pacific Charter - San Diego District
1 school · 280 students
California Pacific Charter- Los Angeles District
1 school · 428 students
International School for Science and Culture District
1 school · 114 students
California Pacific Charter - Sonoma District
1 school · 152 students
Newport-Mesa Unified
32 schools · 17,768 students
Orange County Department of Education
5 schools · 2,551 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in California
Top metros statewide by school count.
How We Rate Schools
Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Costa Mesa, California
How many schools are in Costa Mesa, California?
Costa Mesa has 55 schools, including 39 public and 16 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Costa Mesa, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Costa Mesa is 7.0 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.
What is the top-ranked school in Costa Mesa, California?
The top-ranked school in Costa Mesa on MySchoolScout is Abraham Lincoln Elementary with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in Costa Mesa, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Costa Mesa on MySchoolScout is Abraham Lincoln Elementary with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Costa Mesa, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Costa Mesa on MySchoolScout is Charles W. Tewinkle Middle with a composite score of 8.0/10.
What is the best high school in Costa Mesa, California?
The top-ranked high school in Costa Mesa on MySchoolScout is Estancia High with a composite score of 8.6/10.
How many school districts serve Costa Mesa, California?
Costa Mesa is served by 6 school districts: California Pacific Charter - San Diego District, California Pacific Charter- Los Angeles District, International School for Science and Culture District, California Pacific Charter - Sonoma District, Newport-mesa Unified, Orange County Department of Education.
What is the education level in Costa Mesa, California?
According to Census data, 44% of adults in Costa Mesa have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Costa Mesa, California?
The median household income in Costa Mesa is approximately $111,333 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Costa Mesa, California?
Yes, Costa Mesa has 16 private schools alongside 39 public schools. The top-rated private school is Renascence School International with a score of 8.6/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Costa Mesa, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Costa Mesa is 15.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Costa Mesa, California?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.
Related reading
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Public Schools in California 2026: Top-Ranked Elementary, Middle & High Schoolsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best Schools in Los Angeles, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in San Diego, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.