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Arcata High

Q: Is Arcata High a good school?

Arcata High ranks 379 th of 2162 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

379^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,162 California High Schools

Better than 82% of California high schools

Summary

Arcata High is a public high school serving about 1,000 students in grades 9-12 in the Northern Humboldt Union High district, standing out as a consistently strong performer in Northern California's rural region.

The school excels in key areas, ranking in the 82nd percentile statewide and maintaining an exceptional 97.5% graduation rate with a very low 0.8% dropout rate. Academically, students perform particularly well in English (65.7% proficient) and Science (47% proficient), significantly outperforming nearby comprehensive schools like McKinleyville High and Eureka Senior High. However, math scores are closer to the state average, identifying an area for growth. While the school achieves these strong results with moderate per-student spending, a notable challenge is a chronic absenteeism rate of 30.8%, which is higher than the state average though lower than some local peers.

Arcata High provides a high-quality comprehensive education, though families in the area also have access to specialized options like the highly-ranked Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy. Recent data shows some performance declines for specific student groups that the school will need to address. Overall, it remains a standout school within its district, delivering reliable outcomes and a very high likelihood of graduation for its students.

1,007

Students ?

19.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,047

Per pupil spending ?

40.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1720 M St.
Arcata, CA 95521-5741

(707) 825-2400

District: Northern Humboldt Union High

Feeder schools for Arcata High:

Elementary:	Arcata Elementary
	Blue Lake Union Elementary
	Jacoby Creek
	Maple Creek Elementary
	More...
	Pacific Union Elementary
	Peninsula Union
Middle:	Sunny Brae Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.4%

Hispanic:

18.2%

Two or more races:

10.7%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Arcata High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 89th percentile in 2015 → 82nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (50% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 18% of California high schools

✓98% graduate in 4 years — above the California average (88%)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (31% vs 19% California)

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school50%

District avg42%

California avg41%

379^th of 2,162

California public high schools ?

Top 18%▼ down 7 pts since 2015

From top 11% (2015) to top 18% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4High Schools in the Northern Humboldt Union High

530^th of 1,543Northern Humboldt Union High among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	82.2	379 of 2162	82.5%	★★★★☆
2024	82.4	366 of 2159	83.0%	★★★★☆
2023	83.7	347 of 2170	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	81.0	353 of 2123	83.4%	★★★★☆
2021	84.1	201 of 1290	84.4%	★★★★☆
2019	86.6	244 of 2133	88.6%	★★★★☆
2018	83.1	348 of 2017	82.7%	★★★★☆
2017	83.9	339 of 2021	83.2%	★★★★☆
2016	78.5	397 of 2039	80.5%	★★★★☆
2015	87.9	217 of 1994	89.1%	★★★★☆
2013	72.5	265 of 2426	89.1%	★★★★☆
2012	63.2	459 of 2354	80.5%	★★★★☆
2011	67.3	347 of 2367	85.3%	★★★★☆
2010	75.1	198 of 2281	91.3%	★★★★★
2009	72.7	219 of 2238	90.2%	★★★★★
2008	80.4	120 of 2117	94.3%	★★★★★
2007	75.5	184 of 2063	91.1%	★★★★★
2006	70.0	286 of 1968	85.5%	★★★★☆
2005	66.8	301 of 1901	84.2%	★★★★☆
2004	68.7	213 of 1653	87.1%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	79.5	134 of 1161	88.5%	★★★★☆
2019	95.3	42 of 1117	96.2%	★★★★★
2018	98.1	35 of 1052	96.7%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	84.4	261 of 1906	86.3%	★★★★☆
2024	81.8	329 of 1915	82.8%	★★★★☆
2023	84.0	284 of 1915	85.2%	★★★★☆
2022	78.6	344 of 1858	81.5%	★★★★☆
2021	73.1	260 of 1054	75.3%	★★★★☆
2019	88.0	186 of 1833	89.9%	★★★★☆
2018	76.1	419 of 1760	76.2%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	62.8	647 of 1900	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	73.0	421 of 1902	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	72.4	436 of 1917	77.3%	★★★★☆
2022	75.7	335 of 1861	82.0%	★★★★☆
2019	80.8	255 of 1814	85.9%	★★★★☆
2018	61.5	644 of 1742	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	63.6	99 of 328	69.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	72.5	481 of 2013	76.1%	★★★★☆
2024	74.4	422 of 2026	79.2%	★★★★☆
2023	70.8	462 of 2030	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	68.4	468 of 1943	75.9%	★★★★☆
2021	91.0	77 of 1126	93.2%	★★★★★
2019	80.1	291 of 1937	85.0%	★★★★☆
2018	75.0	412 of 1862	77.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	74.1	455 of 1942	76.6%	★★★★☆
2024	78.1	396 of 1948	79.7%	★★★★☆
2023	77.8	400 of 1963	79.6%	★★★★☆
2022	79.3	338 of 1916	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	88.3	139 of 1122	87.6%	★★★★☆
2019	79.2	341 of 1880	81.9%	★★★★☆
2018	85.8	272 of 1834	85.2%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	51.0	291 of 577	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.2	320 of 574	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	19.8	435 of 541	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.0	308 of 515	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.2	238 of 422	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.8	231 of 366	36.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	55.1	405 of 1252	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	80.9	149 of 1216	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	74.8	184 of 1197	84.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	68.3	361 of 1155	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.3	431 of 1173	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.0	371 of 1193	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.2	334 of 1204	72.3%	★★★★☆
2019	76.6	230 of 1222	81.2%	★★★★☆
2018	68.0	404 of 1173	65.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2022)88th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)86th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2025)77th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)76th percentile-6 vs school

Homeless (2024)70th percentile-13 vs school

White (2025)69th percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2025)68th percentile-15 vs school

Hispanic (2025)66th percentile-17 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)50th percentile-33 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy66%+17 vs state

Science47%+14 vs state

Mathematics37%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Arcata High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Arcata High	Public	9-12	1720 M St.	Arcata	95521	Humboldt County	Northern Humboldt Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 825-2400	1,007	53	19.0	40.3%	628 (62.4%)	15 (1.5%)	183 (18.2%)	31 (3.1%)	34 (3.4%)	2 (0.2%)	108 (10.7%)	82.2	379^th of 2162 public high schools	82.5%		82.4	366^th of 2159 public high schools	83.0%	13				47.0	47.0				65.7	65.7				36.8	36.8	$19,047	$4,327	$14,720
Pacific Coast High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	1720 M St.	Arcata	95521	Humboldt County	Northern Humboldt Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 822-2443	24	2	10.9	58.3%	13 (54.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (25.0%)	1 (4.2%)	2 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (8.3%)	22.5	1638^th of 2162 public high schools	24.2%					(n/a)									30.8	30.8				7.7	7.7	$19,007	$3,457	$15,550
Six Rivers Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	1720 M St.	Arcata	95521	Humboldt County	Six Rivers Charter High District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 825-2428	113	5	22.2	31.0%	68 (60.2%)	1 (0.9%)	21 (18.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (15.9%)								(n/a)
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	285 Bayside Rd.	Arcata	95521	Humboldt County	Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 822-0861	118	6	19.3	33.1%	81 (68.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.9%)	4 (3.4%)	3 (2.5%)	2 (1.7%)	20 (16.9%)	96.8	61^st of 2162 public high schools	97.2%		92.7	168^th of 2159 public high schools	92.2%	107	71.4			75.0	73.2	46.7	79.2	72.7	100.0	75.0	37.5	70.8	47.6	50.0	53.3	$16,039	$287	$15,752
Arcata Educational Resource Center	Public	7-12	1222 Hallen Dr.	Arcata	95521	Humboldt County	Humboldt County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 445-7000	27	2	12.8	81.5%	13 (48.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (29.6%)								(n/a)
McKinleyville High	Public	9-12	1300 Murray Rd.	McKinleyville	95519	Humboldt County	Northern Humboldt Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 839-6400	566	34	16.7	45.6%	292 (51.6%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (15.9%)	9 (1.6%)	50 (8.8%)	2 (0.4%)	117 (20.7%)	52.1	990^th of 2162 public high schools	54.2%		46.1	1096^th of 2159 public high schools	49.2%	106				24.3	24.3				45.9	45.9				23.1	23.1	$22,929	$5,171	$17,758
Mad River High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	1300 Murray Rd.	McKinleyville	95519	Humboldt County	Northern Humboldt Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 839-6480	28	2	13.8	82.1%	14 (50.0%)	1 (3.6%)	5 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (17.9%)								(n/a)																$17,578	$4,824	$12,754
Humboldt County Regional Occupational Program	Public	10-12	901 Myrtle Ave.	Eureka	95501	Humboldt County	Humboldt County Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(707) 445-7018	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Eureka Community	Public	7-12	1820 Sixth St.	Eureka	95501	Humboldt County	Humboldt County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 445-7108	70	4	19.7	98.6%	30 (42.9%)	3 (4.3%)	16 (22.9%)	1 (1.4%)	7 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (18.6%)	8.4	2099^th of 2162 public high schools	2.9%		21.2	1678^th of 2159 public high schools	22.3%	421					16.0				8.3	10.5				0.0	0.0	$35,628	$4,775	$30,853
Eureka Senior High	Public	9-12	1915 J St.	Eureka	95501	Humboldt County	Eureka City Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 441-2508	1,162	60	19.2	51.1%	532 (45.8%)	21 (1.8%)	306 (26.3%)	104 (9.0%)	45 (3.9%)	22 (1.9%)	131 (11.3%)	53.6	959^th of 2162 public high schools	55.6%		59.7	773^rd of 2159 public high schools	64.2%	186		20.5	30.0	26.8	26.8				50.6	50.6				21.0	21.0	$17,604	$1,846	$15,758

Frequently Asked Questions about Arcata High

What district is Arcata High in?

Northern Humboldt Union High

What schools feed into Arcata High?

Arcata High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Arcata Elementary
Elementary : Blue Lake Union Elementary
Elementary : Jacoby Creek
Elementary : Maple Creek Elementary
Elementary : Pacific Union Elementary
Elementary : Peninsula Union
Middle : Sunny Brae Middle

What is the racial makeup of Arcata High?

Students at Arcata High are 62% White, 18% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 3% Asian, 1% African American.

How many students attend Arcata High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,007 students attended Arcata High.

Is Arcata High a good school?

Arcata High ranks 379^th of 2162 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Arcata High!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.