Carmel High School is a school of 874 students and 50-plus faculty members, situated directly off of Highway 1 within the city of Carmel, California. It is a part of Carmel Unified School District.

Carmel Unified School District is the second largest geographical district in the state of California enrolling students up to 40 miles (64 km) south of Carmel and 20 miles (32 km) east. Communities represented by CUSD, which has Carmel High as its only comprehensive high school, include Carmel-by-the-Sea, the majority of Carmel Valley Village, and sections of Del Monte Forest. The district also includes Big Sur, and Pebble Beach. Built in 1940, the school made significant capital improvements in the 2010s including a new performing arts theater, math wing, science wing, and library with plans to renovate the current administration building. Both the theater and science wing utilized "green" construction practices, such as energy efficient lights and appliances.