Why Choose Santa Clara Catholic High School

Santa Clara High School offers Ventura County's most valuable Catholic education, combining affordable tuition with a 98% college graduation rate.

We are centrally located in Oxnard, California, and are easily reached by those living in Camarillo, Port Hueneme, and, of course, Oxnard. Here, your child gets the personalized attention of a small, family-like community and the spiritual guidance of a faith-based curriculum, ensuring they grow into a confident and well-rounded leader.

Why Santa Clara? Value, Faith, and Community: The Santa Clara Advantage

In a world of crowded classrooms and secular education, Santa Clara High School stands apart. We provide an exceptional, college-preparatory experience rooted in Catholic values at the most affordable tuition in Ventura County.

Here’s what makes parents choose Santa Clara High School:

Affordability and Value: Lowest tuition in Ventura County, offering the best return on investment for college-prep education, including $672,000 in annual scholarships and 98% college matriculation.

Faith Integration: Catholic/Christian-aligned curriculum with monthly Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, ethics classes, and events like Living Stations, fostering moral and spiritual growth absent in public schools.
Small, Personalized Environment: ~170 students and growing with an 18:1 student-teacher ratio enable individualized attention, mentorship, and a "family-like" community, contrasting larger public schools' overcrowding.
Academic Excellence: 15 AP courses, 100% graduation rate, and strong college readiness, supported by faculty and staff hiring for stability and quality.
Athletic and Extracurricular Strengths: 17 sports with a legendary basketball program (multiple state titles), promoting teamwork and resilience in a supportive setting. The school’s drama program has a strong reputation for excellence.
Convenient Ventura County Location: Central Oxnard site with shorter drive times, avoiding the 101 Freeway for Camarillo, Pt. Hueneme families, plus family alumni ties, enhance community bonds.
Stable Leadership: Principal Palmisano's deep experience across multiple roles throughout the years at Santa Clara ensures consistent, faith-rooted guidance, building trust among parents.

At Santa Clara, you'll find great friends and teachers who care about your success in a safe and supportive community.

More than just academics, we are a true community where faith is integrated into daily life through monthly Masses, ethics classes, and servant leadership. With celebrated athletics, a renowned drama program, and stable, experienced leadership, Santa Clara offers an unmatched return on investment for your child's spiritual, moral, and academic future

Compare Catholic High Schools in Ventura County, California

Santa Clara is the premier choice for families seeking a traditional, co-educational, diocesan Catholic high school experience in the Oxnard area that is both affordable and community-focused.


School Name	Location	Type	Approx. Enrollment	Approx. Annual Tuition	Key Strength
Santa Clara High School	Oxnard	Co-ed, Diocesan	~170	~$9,000 - $10,000	Best Value, centrally located, Excellent student-to-faculty ratio
St. Bonaventure High School	Ventura	Co-ed, Diocesan	~550	~$11,000 - $12,000	Strong athletic reputation, larger campus
Saint Augustine Academy	Ventura	Co-ed, Independent	~75	~$8,000 - $9,000*	Classical liberal arts curriculum, very small class sizes
Villanova Preparatory School	Ojai	Co-ed, Augustinian	~250	~$22,000 (day)	International Baccalaureate (IB) program, boarding options
* Saint Augustine requires families to fundraise $2,000 annually in addition to tuition

Compare Oxnard High Schools

Here is a comparative look at Santa Clara High School and several prominent Oxnard area public high schools in the immediate area.

(Note: Data is based on the most recently available public information and may fluctuate year to year.)


School Name	Location	Type	Approx. Enrollment	Graduation Rate	College Readiness Index*	Key Strength
Santa Clara High School	Oxnard	Private, Catholic	~170	~100%	High*	Small class sizes, faith-based environment, strong & safe community
Oxnard High School	Oxnard	Public	~3,000	~94%	51.2	Wide range of AP courses and athletic programs
Pacifica High School	Oxnard	Public	~3,100	~95%	48.5	Strong performance in the visual and performing arts
Rio Mesa High School	Oxnard	Public	~2,300	~96%	53.1	Excellent record in athletics and strong academic programs
Hueneme High School	Oxnard	Public	~2,200	~92%	38.7	Focus on career technical education (CTE) pathways

*While U.S. News & World Report does not provide a specific "College Readiness Index" score for Santa Clara High School, this is common for many private schools, as their rankings often rely on public school data. The College Readiness Index is a metric from U.S. News & World Report that measures performance on state assessments and college-level coursework.

Santa Clara High School's most important measures of college readiness are the school's actual outcomes.

College Matriculation: 98% of graduates go on to attend college.
Graduation Rate: 100% of students graduate.
Advanced Academics: The school offers 15 AP courses, giving students ample opportunity to tackle college-level work.