New Jersey high schools are among the best in the nation, according to rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
Forty-two of the state’s public high schools placed in the top 5% nationally in the magazine’s annual high school rankings. That is up from 37 New Jersey high schools that made the U.S. News list last year and 29 the year before.
High Technology High School in Lincroft ranked as both the top high school in New Jersey and the top STEM — or science, technology, engineering and math — school in the country in the new rankings. Students in Monmouth County must apply to attend the specialized, highly-competitive public high school. (See the list of all 42 top-ranked New Jersey schools below.)
New Jersey’s top ten high schools in the U.S. News ranking are all magnet and specialized high schools that admit high-achieving students. Glen Ridge High School, which ranked 11th in New Jersey, was the top high school open to all local students.
More than 42% of New Jersey’s high schools rank in the top quarter nationally, according to U.S. News. That puts New Jersey third behind Massachusetts, which has nearly 44%, and Connecticut, with nearly 43%. New Jersey also ranked third behind the two states last year.
“The 2024 Best High Schools rankings offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance, whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News. “Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future.”
The rankings are based on information almost 18,000 public high schools submit each year. The data includes state math, reading and science assessment scores, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test scores. The rankings also consider how each school’s underserved students perform, graduation rates, and the breadth of the curriculum.
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Tina Kelley may be reached at tkelley@njadvancemedia.com.
