2025 Compare Cities Education:
Highlands Ranch, CO vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
- Santa Cruz spends 28.9% more per student than Highlands Ranch.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 24.0% higher in Santa Cruz than in Highlands Ranch. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Santa Cruz had 3.2% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Highlands Ranch
 Highlands Ranch, COSanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$16,364$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$10,748  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,688$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio17.62  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock62714573
 Students per Counselor279  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.3%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.0.7%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock95.7%88.9%
 Some College Educ.17.1%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock8.1%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.64.8%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock18.0%9.3%
 Professional Degree3.5%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock5.5%1.5%
Reviews for Highlands Ranch    20 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

I was born and raised in Highlands Ranch and I know what you’re thinking. “This is a rich girl.” I am not. My parents moved here before it became rich and boujie and the  More

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Worked in the DTC and HR was an easy commute. The people are yuppy- scum-snobs, who do not thank you for holding the door open for their 3+ children, noses held high in  More

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Over 11 years ago

When we moved here from Denver, about 2.5 yrs ago, I did note the affluence, lack of diversity (compared to Denver) and seeming Stepford Wives phenomenon. It is all  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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