School Rankings

Rank California high schools by UC outcomes — statewide or within a county. Click any school to view its full profile.

County Sort table by Diagnosis Type Year Reset filters

🏆 Top 10 in Santa Cruz County — UC Reach

Santa Cruz County · 2025 · ≥50 seniors
What is UC Reach? UC Reach = unique top-6 UC admits ÷ senior class size — the share of a school's entire graduating class that reaches the six most selective UCs (Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Davis). It's a better gauge of school-wide success than admit rate, which only reflects the handful of students who applied.
Why it beats admit rate: if 6 students apply to the top UCs and all get in, that's a 100% admit rate — but at a 1,000-senior school it's a UC Reach of just 0.6% (6 ÷ 1,000). By contrast, a school where 250 of 1,000 seniors land a top-UC admit has a 25% UC Reach — far stronger, even though its admit rate is lower.
Why some schools are over 100%? Out of every 100 seniors at these schools, the class is generating more than 100 admissions to the six most selective UCs — meaning the typical strong student is getting in at multiple top campuses (UCLA + UCSD, or Berkeley + UCSB + Irvine, for example). It's a rare achievement: fewer than 1% of California high schools clear 100% UC Reach.
1 Santa Cruz High School · Santa Cruz 45.2% 2 Scotts Valley High School · Scotts Valley 44.7% 3 Aptos High School · Aptos 28.4% 4 Harbor High School · Santa Cruz 28.2% 5 Soquel High School · Soquel 27.6% 6 San Lorenzo Valley High School · Felton 22.1% 7 Watsonville High School · Watsonville 14.2% 8 Pajaro Valley Hs · Watsonville 10.9%

Leaderboards by type — Santa Cruz County (2025)

Top and bottom schools by UC Reach, split public/charter vs private (≥50 seniors). Scoped to Santa Cruz County — change the County filter above to rescope.

▲ Top 10 Public + Charter

Santa Cruz County

1
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 45.2%
2
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 44.7%
3
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 28.4%
4
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 28.2%
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 27.6%
6
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 22.1%
7
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 14.2%
8
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 10.9%

▲ Top 10 Private

Santa Cruz County

Not enough schools in Santa Cruz County for this list.

▼ Bottom 10 Public + Charter

Santa Cruz County

1
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 10.9%
2
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 14.2%
3
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 22.1%
4
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 27.6%
5
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 28.2%
6
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 28.4%
7
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 44.7%
8
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 45.2%

▼ Bottom 10 Private

Santa Cruz County

Not enough schools in Santa Cruz County for this list.

Top 10 by individual UC campus — Santa Cruz County · 2025

Where each UC campus lands its admits, as a share of each high school's senior class. Same 50-senior floor.

Top 10 — UCB Reach

UC Berkeley

1
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 5.3%
2
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 4.9%
3
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 4.8%
4
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 3.1%
5
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 2.7%
6
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 2.7%
7
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 1.5%
8
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 1.2%

Top 10 — UCLA Reach

UCLA

1
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 3.0%
2
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 2.6%
3
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 1.9%
4
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 1.7%
5
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 1.3%
6
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 0.9%

Top 10 — UCSD Reach

UC San Diego

1
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 7.2%
2
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 6.7%
3
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 4.9%
4
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 3.9%
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 3.4%
6
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 3.1%
7
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 2.4%
8
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 2.1%

Top 10 — UCSB Reach

UC Santa Barbara

1
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 9.9%
2
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 8.5%
3
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 5.5%
4
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 5.4%
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 5.3%
6
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 5.1%
7
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 2.9%
8
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 2.1%

Top 10 — UCI Reach

UC Irvine

1
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 9.9%
2
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 9.3%
3
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 6.5%
4
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 6.4%
5
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 4.0%
6
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 2.5%
7
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 2.1%
8
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 0.9%

Top 10 — UCD Reach

UC Davis

1
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 13.2%
2
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 13.0%
3
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 9.2%
4
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 8.0%
5
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 7.2%
6
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 5.8%
7
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 4.3%
8
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 3.0%

Beyond UC Reach — three more lenses on Santa Cruz County

UC Reach measures who gets in. These lenses measure the upstream pipeline (A-G), the downstream outcome (UC graduation), the capacity that drives the pipeline (counselors), and reliability over time (consistency). Click any school for its full profile.

Top 10 — A-G Completion

% of graduates meeting UC/CSU course requirements · 2024-25 cohort

1
Pacific Collegiate Charter
· Public
 98.7%
2
Ceiba College Preparatory Academy
· Public
 94.2%
3
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 81.1%
4
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 79.5%
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 63.0%
6
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 62.9%
7
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 62.3%
8
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 55.5%
9
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 45.2%
10
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 41.3%

Top 10 — UC 6-Yr Grad Rate

% of UC entrants who finished in 6 years · cohort N ≥ 20

1
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 91.3%
2
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 90.5%
3
Pacific Collegiate School
Santa Cruz · Public
 90.0%
4
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 88.9%
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 87.5%
6
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 85.0%
7
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 78.3%
8
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 76.2%
9
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 60.0%

Top 10 — Best Counselor Capacity

Lowest students-per-counselor (ASCA target 250:1) · public/charter, ≥500 students

1
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 254:1
2
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 269:1
3
Aptos Junior High
· Public
 284:1
4
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 293:1
5
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 296:1
6
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 319:1
7
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 331:1
8
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 353:1
9
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 359:1
10
Alianza Charter
· Public
 600:1

Top 10 — Most Consistent

Lowest UC Reach std-dev across 5 years (above-CA-median mean)

1
Soquel High School
avg 21.8% · σ 7.36
 σ 7.36
2
Santa Cruz High School
avg 32.7% · σ 7.51
 σ 7.51
3
Harbor High School
avg 24.9% · σ 9.12
 σ 9.12
4
Scotts Valley High School
avg 36.7% · σ 10.11
 σ 10.11

Top 10 — Private Net Assets

Wealthiest CA private high schools · IRS Form 990 · latest fiscal year

1
Mount Madonna School
Watsonville · Nonsectarian · FY 2023
 $446,800

Reach momentum — biggest gains & declines over time ⓘ

≥50 seniors · earliest→latest year

Which schools are moving a growing — or shrinking — share of their graduating class into the six most selective UCs. Reflects the current county/type filter.

▲ Biggest gains

SchoolThen → NowΔ
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 20% '18 → 45% '25 +25.0pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 21% '18 → 45% '25 +24.1pp
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 8% '18 → 22% '25 +13.9pp
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 14% '18 → 28% '25 +13.4pp
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 16% '18 → 28% '25 +11.7pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 22% '18 → 28% '25 +6.8pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 8% '18 → 14% '25 +6.1pp
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 16% '18 → 11% '25 +-5.3pp

▼ Biggest declines

SchoolThen → NowΔ
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 16% '18 → 11% '25 -5.3pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 8% '18 → 14% '25 6.1pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 22% '18 → 28% '25 6.8pp
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 16% '18 → 28% '25 11.7pp
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 14% '18 → 28% '25 13.4pp
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 8% '18 → 22% '25 13.9pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 21% '18 → 45% '25 24.1pp
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 20% '18 → 45% '25 25.0pp

Demand momentum — biggest gaps vs the county baseline ⓘ

grade-12 enrollment Δ vs. county · ≥80 students

The demographic tide is shrinking CA enrollment ~10% over 7 years statewide, so absolute decline alone is noise. The gap vs the county baseline is the actionable signal — schools losing share faster than their demographic floor are the ones to watch. Reflects the current county/type filter.

▲ Outperforming the county the most

SchoolSchool · CountyGap
Soquel High School
Soquel · Santa Cruz · Public  Best in class
 +6.9% vs +3.1% +3.8pp
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · Public  Holding share
 +2.5% vs +3.1% -0.6pp
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · Public  Tracking
 +1.7% vs +3.1% -1.4pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Santa Cruz · Public  Both ends slipping
 +0.6% vs +3.1% -2.5pp
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Santa Cruz · Public  Both ends slipping
 -4.1% vs +3.1% -7.2pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Santa Cruz · Public  Demand problem
 -6.1% vs +3.1% -9.2pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Santa Cruz · Public  Sharp downturn
 -10.0% vs +3.1% -13.1pp
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Santa Cruz · Public  Material decline
 -26.3% vs +3.1% -29.4pp

▼ Underperforming the county the most

SchoolSchool · CountyGap
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Santa Cruz · Public  Material decline
 -26.3% vs +3.1% -29.4pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Santa Cruz · Public  Sharp downturn
 -10.0% vs +3.1% -13.1pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Santa Cruz · Public  Demand problem
 -6.1% vs +3.1% -9.2pp
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Santa Cruz · Public  Both ends slipping
 -4.1% vs +3.1% -7.2pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Santa Cruz · Public  Both ends slipping
 +0.6% vs +3.1% -2.5pp
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · Public  Tracking
 +1.7% vs +3.1% -1.4pp
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · Public  Holding share
 +2.5% vs +3.1% -0.6pp
Soquel High School
Soquel · Santa Cruz · Public  Best in class
 +6.9% vs +3.1% +3.8pp

GPA Performance — over/under their predicted UC admit rate ⓘ

8 schools eligible · 2025

Each dot is one school. The diagonal is the per-campus GPA expectation — points above it admit students at higher rates than their GPA mix predicts; points below admit at lower rates. Schools need ≥30 top-6 UC applications and data across ≥3 campuses to appear.

▲ Top 10 outperformers

School GPA Actual Δ vs exp.
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 4.06 33.5% +10.5pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 3.80 33.2% +9.8pp
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 4.01 35.0% +9.6pp
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 3.97 26.8% +4.6pp
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 3.81 24.0% +3.8pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 4.16 29.4% +2.9pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 4.00 25.0% +2.8pp
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 3.90 22.5% +0.8pp

▼ Top 10 underperformers

School GPA Actual Δ vs exp.
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public
 3.90 22.5% 0.8pp
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public
 4.00 25.0% 2.8pp
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public
 4.16 29.4% 2.9pp
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public
 3.81 24.0% 3.8pp
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 3.97 26.8% 4.6pp
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public
 4.01 35.0% 9.6pp
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public
 3.80 33.2% 9.8pp
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public
 4.06 33.5% 10.5pp

Full rankings — every Santa Cruz County high school by UC Reach

Sortable by any column. Click a column header to sort. Click any school row to open its profile.

8 schools · 2025 data · 3 hidden (under 50 seniors)
Show all schools (no floor) Compare selected schools →
# School County Seniors ⓘ Total Enroll ⓘ UC Reach ⓘ App Reach ⓘ Admit Rate ⓘ Yield ⓘ Selective Reach ⓘ Elite Reach ⓘ Raw Apps ⓘ Raw Admits ⓘ
1
Santa Cruz High School
Santa Cruz · Public  Holding share
 Santa Cruz 270 1,093 45.2% 168.9% 26.8% 23.8% 32.2 7.8 456 122
2
Scotts Valley High School
Scotts Valley · Public  Sharp downturn
 Santa Cruz 152 611 44.7% 152.0% 29.4% 14.7% 31.6 7.9 231 68
3
Aptos High School
Aptos · Public  Demand problem
 Santa Cruz 292 1,274 28.4% 113.7% 25.0% 33.7% 19.2 4.5 332 83
4
Harbor High School
Santa Cruz · Public  Tracking
 Santa Cruz 223 1,013 28.2% 84.3% 33.5% 12.7% 21.1 4.5 188 63
5
Soquel High School
Soquel · Public  Best in class
 Santa Cruz 264 1,074 27.6% 123.1% 22.5% 20.6% 19.7 4.5 325 73
6
San Lorenzo Valley High School
Felton · Public  Material decline
 Santa Cruz 163 578 22.1% 72.4% 30.5% 8.3% 17.8 4.9 118 36
7
Watsonville High School
Watsonville · Public  Both ends slipping
 Santa Cruz 515 2,215 14.2% 52.2% 27.1% 32.9% 8.3 1.2 269 73
8
Pajaro Valley Hs
Watsonville · Public  Both ends slipping
 Santa Cruz 331 1,293 10.9% 45.3% 24.0% — 7.8 2.4 150 36
UC Reach = top-6 UC admits ÷ senior class size. Where UCOP has not published unique-student totals, campus admits are summed — students admitted to more than one of the 6 campuses are counted at each, so values above 100% indicate strong students winning multiple competitive UC offers. Schools with fewer than 50 seniors are excluded from the leaderboard by default — a small cohort with one strong year can otherwise dominate. See methodology →