All 100 of the New Jersey high schools with the top SAT scores had higher numbers than the national average, according to new data released by the state Department of Education.
The average SAT score for students at the state’s public schools was 525 for math and 533 for the reading and writing section — for a combined score of 1,058 out of 1,600, according to newly released data for the 2022-23 school year. (See your school’s average score in the chart below.)
The national average SAT score was 1,028 in 2023, according to College Board, the organization that administers the test. More than 55% of New Jersey high schools had an average that beat the national average score.
To put the averages into context, the lowest SAT scores for a typical student admitted to Rutgers University’s New Brunswick for the 2021-22 school year was 1,240, federal data shows. At Rowan University, that score was 1,100, and at The College of New Jersey, it was 1,170.
The SAT was optional for admissions at all three schools during the 2021 admissions cycle.
High Technology High School in the Monmouth County Vocational School District had the highest average SAT score in the state with an average score of 1,532, just 68 points from a perfect score and 10 points higher than its average last year. The competitive high school requires an application to attend and frequently is among the schools with the highest test scores in the state.
All of the top 10 schools with the highest average SAT scores were vocational or technical academies that require students to apply for admissions.
Millburn High School was the highest scoring general admission school in the state, with an average combined SAT score of 1,375. That is the 11th highest average in the state.
The majority of the highest scoring schools are in high-income areas. Studies have repeatedly shown that wealthier students tend to score higher than their lower-income counterparts on the SAT for multiple reasons, including having more time, money and academic support to prepare for the test.
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Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieKausch.
