| Index | Costa Mesa | California | National |
| Average Test Scores | 42% | 43% | 48% |
| Student/Teacher ratio | 16:1 | 20:1 | 16:1 |
| Total public schools | 4 | 8,308 | 79,221 |
| Total private schools | 16 | 3,438 | 24,874 |
| Total post-secondary schools | 8 | 1,085 | 7,963 |
| Index | Costa Mesa | California | National |
| Completed 8th grade | 84.0% | 81.1% | 84.3% |
| Completed high school | 82.7% | 79.8% | 83.0% |
| Completed some college | 67.3% | 61.5% | 59.4% |
| Completed associate degree | 45.7% | 39.8% | 38.5% |
| Completed bachelors | 37.4% | 32.0% | 30.3% |
| Completed masters | 11.2% | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Completed professional degree | 3.1% | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| Completed doctorate | 0.9% | 1.6% | 1.3% |
There are a total of 4 public schools, 16 private schools and 8 post-secondary schools in Costa Mesa. Using the proficiency score averages, the average test scores for Costa Mesa, CA schools is 42%. The average student to teacher ratio is 16:1. In Costa Mesa, CA, an average of 84.0% of students have completed 8th grade and an average of 82.7% have completed high school.
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Los Alamitos, CA | 11,940 | 82% | 70.1% |
| Laguna Beach, CA | 23,724 | 80% | 67.2% |
| Seal Beach, CA | 25,208 | 75% | 55.2% |
| Irvine, CA | 280,132 | 73% | 51.5% |
| Newport Beach, CA | 90,043 | 72% | 50.9% |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 117,376 | 42% | 11.9% |
| City | Population | Avg. Test Scores | National Avg. |
| Murrieta, CA | 117,330 | 57% | 19.0% |
| Springfield, IL | 117,426 | 25% | 48.2% |
| North Charleston, SC | 117,218 | 37% | 23.8% |
| Carlsbad, CA | 117,067 | 70% | 46.5% |
| Clovis, CA | 117,046 | 58% | 21.2% |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 117,376 | 42% | 11.9% |
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