Best Schools in Hollister, California
30 schools · 20 Elementary · 4 Middle · 4 High · 2 Other
Choosing a school in Hollister?
Use this page to compare every school in Hollister by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Watsonville Prep
Elementary · Watsonville Prep District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Hayward Collegiate Charter
Elementary · Hayward Collegiate Charter District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Accelerated Achievement Academy
Middle · Hollister. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Hollister for 2026 are Watsonville Prep (8.1/10), Hayward Collegiate Charter (8.1/10), and Accelerated Achievement Academy (8.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 23 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
30
22 public · 8 private
Avg Score
5.5
out of 10
Median Home
$740,500
home value · ACS
Districts
10
serving the city
Schools
30
22 public · 8 private
Avg Score
5.5
out of 10
Median Home
$740,500
home value · ACS
Districts
10
serving the city
Rates 8.1/10 despite 44% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Hollister schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +10.4 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Hollister schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Hollister
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (23 of 30). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watsonville Prep | 8.1 / 10 |
| 2 | Hayward Collegiate Charter | 8.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Accelerated Achievement Academy | 8.1 / 10 |
| 4 | Hollister Child Development Center | 7.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Spring Grove Elementary | 7.5 / 10 |
| 6 | San Benito County Opportunity | 6.3 / 10 |
| 7 | Hollister High | 6.2 / 10 |
| 8 | Calvary Christian School | 6.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Rancho Santana | 6.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Sunnyslope Elementary | 5.9 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.5/10
- Median household income
- $108,156
- Median home value
- $740,500
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 21%
- Avg commute
- 37 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67%
22% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Hollister compares
California rank
#480 of 597
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.8
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$108k
108% of California median
Schools in this city
23
About Schools in Hollister, California
Hollister's public school system covers 19 ranked schools, spanning elementary through high school. The city-wide average score is 4.4 out of 10 — a benchmark that reflects real and meaningful performance gaps between the top options and the rest of the field. Parents who do the research early will find that the strongest schools cluster at the elementary level, giving families with younger children the most to work with.
Spring Grove Elementary leads the city at 6.9 out of 10, the highest-scoring school in Hollister and nearly 2.5 points above the city average. That spread is significant. In a market where the average school scores 4.4, a 6.9 represents a meaningfully different academic environment. Accelerated Achievement Academy follows at 6.8 — the top-performing middle school in the city — making it a logical continuation for families who start at Spring Grove. At the elementary level, Hayward Collegiate Charter (6.3) and Watsonville Prep (6.0) add two more above-average choices, giving parents of younger students genuine alternatives to their default attendance zone.
The high school picture is narrower. Hollister High scores 5.3 out of 10, which clears the city average but still lands in the mid-range. For families focused on high school performance, that score sets the local ceiling — and it's worth factoring into any long-term school plan.
For parents making a neighborhood decision, the school search should come first. Hollister's 19 ranked schools span from a city average of 4.4 up to 6.9 at the top — a spread wide enough that your assigned school depends heavily on where you live. The strongest concentration of above-average options sits at the elementary tier. Families who secure access to Spring Grove, Hayward Collegiate Charter, or Watsonville Prep early give their children the best starting position the city offers.
Elementary Schools
20 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 461 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.1 |
| 2 | 205 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.1 |
| 3 | 750 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 653 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.1 |
| 5 | 640 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.9 |
| 6 | 599 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.2 |
| 7 | 850 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.2 |
| 8 | 760 students · Kindergarten–8th | 4.2 |
| 9 | 236 students · Kindergarten–8th | 4.1 |
| 10 | 540 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.8 |
Show all 20 elementary schools in Hollister
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 162 students · 5th–8th | 8.1 |
| 2 | 34 students · 7th–9th | 6.3 |
| 3 | 589 students · 6th–8th | 4.5 |
| 4 | 420 students · 6th–8th | 4.1 |
High Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,448 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 2 | 89 students · 9th–12th | 4.2 | ||
| 3 | 15 students · 7th–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 | Spring Academy
Private
39 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 students · Kindergarten–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 | Calvary Christian School
Private
101 students · Kindergarten–11th | 6.2 | ||
Schools in Hollister
Hollister, California · 30 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$108,156
Median Home Value
$740,500
Median Rent
$1,908/mo
Population
58,374
College Educated
21%
Homeownership
67%
Avg Commute
37 min
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Community Profile
Hollister has a median household income of $108,156. It is a community where 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $740,500, with a median rent of $1,908/month. The local poverty rate of 8.2% is relatively low. The average commute in the area is 37 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 20
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 4
- Other
- 2
Resources
School Districts (10)
Gilroy Prep (a Navigator School) District
1 school · 540 students
Hollister Prep District
1 school · 534 students
Watsonville Prep District
1 school · 461 students
Hayward Collegiate Charter District
1 school · 205 students
Cienega Union Elementary
1 school · 19 students
Hollister
10 schools · 5,772 students
North County Joint Union Elementary
1 school · 750 students
San Benito High
2 schools · 3,539 students
Southside Elementary
1 school · 236 students
San Benito County Office of Education
4 schools · 54 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in California
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Hollister, California
How many schools are in Hollister, California?
Hollister has 30 schools, including 22 public and 8 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Hollister, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Hollister is 5.5 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Hollister, California?
The top-ranked school in Hollister on MySchoolScout is Watsonville Prep with a composite score of 8.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in Hollister, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Hollister on MySchoolScout is Watsonville Prep with a composite score of 8.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Hollister, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Hollister on MySchoolScout is Accelerated Achievement Academy with a composite score of 8.1/10.
What is the best high school in Hollister, California?
The top-ranked high school in Hollister on MySchoolScout is Hollister High with a composite score of 6.2/10.
How many school districts serve Hollister, California?
Hollister is served by 10 school districts: Gilroy Prep (a Navigator School) District, Hollister Prep District, Watsonville Prep District, Hayward Collegiate Charter District, Cienega Union Elementary, Hollister, North County Joint Union Elementary, San Benito High, Southside Elementary, San Benito County Office of Education.
What is the education level in Hollister, California?
According to Census data, 21% of adults in Hollister have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Hollister, California?
The median household income in Hollister is approximately $108,156 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Hollister, California?
Yes, Hollister has 8 private schools alongside 22 public schools. The top-rated private school is Hollister Child Development Center with a score of 7.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Hollister, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Hollister is 24.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Hollister, 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 built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
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.