2025 Compare Cities Education:
Cary, NC vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
- Santa Cruz spends 40.9% more per student than Cary.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 44.5% higher in Santa Cruz than in Cary. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Santa Cruz had 0.9% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Cary
 Cary, NCSanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$16,364$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$9,531  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,688$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio15.11  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock62714573
 Students per Counselor300  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.3%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.2.0%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock95.7%88.9%
 Some College Educ.12.2%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock8.1%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.69.5%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock18.0%9.3%
 Professional Degree3.6%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock5.5%1.5%
Reviews for Cary    63 Reviews

Cary is up-and-coming “cool.” The downtown is revitalized and growing. The town takes urban planning very seriously. The home prices have definitely spiked in the last  More

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Over 8 years ago

I've lived in NY, CT, MA, and in Miami FL. Now here in Cary NC for the past 10 years. For what I want and need at this phase of my life, I really like it here! All the  More

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Over 8 years ago

As a Real Estate Agent, I consider Cary the most central location in the Triangle, it basically takes you twenty minutes to get to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough,   More

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Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

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I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

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