K-12 Schools in New Jersey
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2017 Best Public High Schools in New JerseyAbout this List

The 2017 Best Public High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, and high school ratings. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

480 results

  1. Bergen County Academies

    • Public School
    • Hackensack, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 385
    1 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Sophomore: Everyone you talk to about this school is gonna say it is a struggle. It makes or breaks students. All I can really say is that everyone here is super friendly teachers and students alike. Both the teachers and students are all friendly and nice enough to become great friends for a lifetime. A tip for incoming students is to get connected with teachers fast. The more connected you are to your teachers, the better you will be off.
    Read 385 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,044 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  2. Academy for Allied Health Science

    • Public School
    • Scotch Plains, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 89
    2 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: My experience at the Academy for Allied Health Sciences has been rewarding and one that I know has prepared me for the next four years of my life beyond its doors. With top notch academics, rigorous courses and top of the line teachers and administration, it is no wonder why alumni return and express upon current students how prepared they were for the work load and rigor that college students face. In addition to academics, Allied Health and the rest of the schools on its campus are home to many active clubs and activities, specifically including the Student Movement Against Cancer and Multicultural Club, which displays our school's diversity and drive toward helping others, and also encourages a multitude of parent involvement. Back in the classroom, students have access to many resources and are never a step behind in innovations in technology. Besides our average cafeteria food, Allied Health is an extraordinary, safe, diverse and academically challenging place to go to school.
    Read 89 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 267 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  3. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School

    • Jersey City Public Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 193
    3 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Sophomore: McNair is one of the most schools in New Jersey with an almost 100% graduation rate. It prepares us for life in the real world and lessens the amnt of time we have to spend in college by forcing us to take at least one AP before we graduate. While the academics are very challenging, the teachers make learning fun! Also, we have enough extracurricular activities to keep us busy after the school day is over. Our school is also one of the most diverse schools.
    Read 193 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 716 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  5. Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro

    • Public School
    • Teterboro, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 152
    4 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Junior: I am currently a junior at Bergen Tech. Bergen Tech is a great school that prepares you for college. It is a stressful amount of work because of its college level courses, but it definitely helped me become a better person academically. The bt teachers are very helpful and easy to communicate with as well as the students. The only thing I could complain about it how competitive everyone is and how conscious everyone is about their grades. Other than that bt is a great school!
    Read 152 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 665 Students
    • 10:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  6. Union County Magnet High School

    • Public School
    • Scotch Plains, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 107
    5 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: Culturally speaking, Magnet is a fairly competitive school: students tend to expect to get high grades and are distraught with low ones.
    Though there are no sports at school, students can participate in sports at their home high school districts if they so choose, and the amount of extracurriculars on campus--from the successful FIRST Robotics team to the always-active Drama Club--are enough to keep everyone engaged.
    Magnet, an engineering school, has classes specific to STEM majors that are not particularly useful outside of engineering disciplines; the likelihood of one using AutoCAD--computer software used for CAD--outside of an architectural occupation is unlikely, after all. For people interesting in engineering, it's a wonderful experience: the new Makerspace facilities opened up recently (a high-tech shop) and are open to all , and the new electives now available, such as Aerospace and Electrical, allow one to customize the experience to one's interests.
    Read 107 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 290 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  7. Princeton High School

    • Princeton Public Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 251
    6 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Junior: Princeton high school is a really fun school to attend . The teachers and students all get along very well andstudents learn a lot there. There are lots of activities after school that students can go to. I personally have gone to art club and I had a blast! I am planning to go to bookclub eventually to connect with some of my friends there. I really enjoy going to Princeton High School but there's not that much diversity. It's not a very big school, so there is not a lot of diversity. I wish it were a bigger school that way I could see lots of different types of people.
    Read 251 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,519 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  10. Biotechnology High School

    • Public School
    • Freehold, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 87
    7 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    High School Senior: Although Biotech is very demanding and competitive, I enjoyed my time there. I will be graduating soon, and I can honestly say that I'd readily experience these four years again. The faculty and staff there are a great help, and the students there are all kind and understanding.

    I definitely enjoyed the Battle of the Classes, which is a series of games taken place the last couple days of school before winter break. Representatives from each class would partake in various activities - such as a Lip Sync Battle, an Impromptu Speech Battle, a relay race, and finish with the class dance. During these few days, the class and school spirit really skyrockets!

    I would choose this school again because of all the fun encounters I had with others, the rigorous schoolwork, and all the opportunities that were offered to students to allow us to shine.
    Read 87 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 322 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  11. High Technology High School

    • Public School
    • Lincroft, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 67
    8 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Alum: High Tech is a pre-engineering high school that focuses on STEM. The majority of the teachers here are fantastic but the administration leaves something to be desired. The principal is only concerned about test scores and keeping the school's ranking. He will only talk to a few students and ignores everybody else. About half of the students are very down to earth and will help you out if you're struggling in class but the other half are aggressively competitive and will cheat to get ahead.
    Read 67 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 292 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  12. Academy for Information Technology

    • Public School
    • Scotch Plains, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 95
    9 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: I'm having a wonderful experience at the Academy for Information Technology. The school acquires the best and the brightest students from around Union County. There's even an performance test just to enter even though it's a public school. The school provides a diversified environment for the ideal student and has excellent academic standards. All classes there are considered to be honors courses and has a ton of AP courses for college readiness. With a specialty in information technology and business, the students get a real sense of the real world experience. From the beginning of freshman year, students are given opportunities to obtain certifications in softwares such a Microsoft and Oracle. By the end of their four years, students will be more than ready for College.
    Read 95 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 266 Students
    • 9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  14. The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering

    • Public School
    • Rockaway, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 21
    10 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Niche User: The small class and directed curriculum is great and makes the students feel like they're being carefully selected; however, this does bloat egos and makes for unrealistic expectations for what they can or cannot do. Also, though the student aren't officially ranked, there is still a valedictorian at the end of the 4 years, and ranking lists are not kept confidential by the guidance office. Overall, the classes are fantastic though--the technical experience really starts making an impact in the junior year and senior year. The very best parts of the Academy was the senior-year internship experience where students could get real work experience, and biotechnology class where students were able to use lab techniques not normally available to high school students (and every quarter had a day where the students cooked breakfast-on-demand for the teachers).
    Read 21 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 97 Students
    • 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  15. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South

    • West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 235
    11 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: Well one amazing thing about this school is that it is diverse and is such a good open atmosphere everyone is so close. This school strives on its ability for fitting in and change! It's a great school very good paced learning and amazing teachers, students, and all around is a great school.
    Read 235 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,602 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  16. Millburn Senior High School

    • Millburn Township Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 140
    12 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Junior: I am currently a junior at Millburn High School, and so far it has been a great experience. The curriculum is flexible, covering all the basic subjects while allowing students to customize their schedule according to their interests. There are so many after school clubs that it is impossible for one to not find something he is interested in. The teachers are all amazing, allowing the students to be responsible for themselves but providing help when needed. The school library is chock full of research resources; not only are there thousands of books, but the library also subscribes to many online scholarly websites and newspapers that help students with research. The school is a bully-free zone; all the students are very kind and willing to help one another.
    Read 140 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,472 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  19. High Tech High School

    • Public School
    • N Bergen, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 200
    13 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: For me, High Tech was the light at the end of a dark and twisted tunnel. My first year of high school put me in a secluded and oppressed place. I began thinking about the person I wanted to be. I knew I had to reignite the creative, explorative and caring side of myself. I transferred for my sophomore year and High Tech came to my rescue like a warm blanket offering an accepting environment full of endearing teachers and personable administration. I was able to explore my interests in architecture and design and I was treated as the individual that I was. Although High Tech doesn't have the prettiest campus, the school is truly defined by the people inside of it. A school packed with talent from Broadway bound actors to Nobel bound engineers, High Tech is an environment designed to thrive in. The care and attention the teachers give to each and every student is unparalleled. High Tech has made me the person I am today.
    Read 200 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 835 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  20. Academy of Allied Health & Science

    • Public School
    • Neptune, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 70
    14 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: The Academy of Allied Health and Science, more commonly known as AAHS, has been more than a blessing. During my time there I was only met with the highest caliber of respect and education. The teachers all do whatever they can to make the student's life better. Also, the number of students per each grade level calls for a very close knit group of many different personalities and backgrounds. In fact, there are not that many bad things to counter the good. The biggest flaw the school has is the size of the school itself. It can be a very cramped environment that has little breathing room. Aside from that, AAHS has my highest accommodations.
    Read 70 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 290 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  21. Summit Senior High School

    • Summit Public Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 141
    15 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: Academics are rigorous (though there is no IB program), sports are a huge priority, and there are lots of extracurriculars (if you have time after homework and sports). It is an affluent area, and every little thing is very expensive for anyone of modest means. The administration seems to assume everyone can afford opportunities offered at the last minute. Some of us have to budget.
    Read 141 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,231 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  22. Montgomery High School

    • Montgomery Township School District, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 309
    16 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: Montgomery High School has been an incredible contributing factor in who I have become as a student. The rigor, high expectations, and responsibility has shaped my dedication, time management skills, and patience. At MHS, no one will do your work for you or hold your hand as you advance through the years; your success as a student is dependent on how much work you put in. A tough workload across all class levels and pushes students to perfect their time management skills as well as their dedication to school in general. However, I feel there is a necessity for stronger student/teacher relationships, especially in the realm of learning techniques between each student as individual attention can be sacrificed in our big classes. Overall, Montgomery High School has been a crucial factor in my development as a student and I will feel the effects long past high school.
    Read 309 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,714 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  23. Northern Highlands Regional High School

    • Public School
    • Allendale, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 180
    17 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Alum: I am a graduate of NHRHS. The school was fantastic all around. Academics, sports, activities, clubs, teachers, facilities and everything ! Highly recommend anyone to attend if they can!
    Read 180 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,373 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  26. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North

    • West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 204
    18 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Alum: The academics at this High School North are exceptional and the teachers are clearly committed to helping students be successful in the future. However, at times I felt that the administration and parents on the e-board were placing too much pressure on students. In addition to midterms exams and final exams, students were also informed during my sophomore year that we were to be given "common assessments" each marking period. Overall, I enjoyed my time as student at West Windsor-Plainsboro. Despite the pressure that was placed on us to succeed academically, the school has a sense of community that is missing in many high schools. I was able to build a relationship with several of my teachers who inspired me to attend college and pursue a degree in a Business related field. In the future, I hope that the school will reduce the number of assessments so that students will have more time to gain real-world experiences.
    Read 204 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,497 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  27. Chatham High School

    • The School District of the Chathams, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 106
    19 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    High School Junior: My favorite experiences at this school have been centered around common themes of endless support and kindness. During lunch when I need extra help before a test or on the homework, my teachers are always available to answer any questions. If I were to say though what my favorite experience was at Chatham High, it would be the homecoming football game along with other school athletic games because students (from all grades), faculty, and parents all spend time to support the Chatham Cougars!
    Read 106 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,190 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  28. Livingston Senior High School

    • Livingston Public Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 285
    20 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Alum: I feel really lucky that I went to Livingston High School. It is full of opportunities I know a lot of other schools don't necessarily offer, like TV classes and Chinese. I was pretty active in the athletics at LHS; its really competitive and the coaches I had were fantastic. LHS definitely pushes its students to "reach for the stars" in terms of academics, athletics and extra curricular activities. It was pretty cliquey though, and that was a problem for a lot of people. Also, I feel like they really pushed you to go the typical college route and did explore other potential options for students. But I loved their muffins!
    Read 285 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,846 Students
    • 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  29. Union County Vocational-Technical High School

    • Public School
    • Scotch Plains, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 161
    21 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: I attend the Academy for Performing Arts (within the UCVTS campus). The staff throughout the campus are friendly, approachable and willing to help all students. They make you feel comfortable and at home. The campus, although it's big, feels like a bonded and diverse community. The academic opportunities the school provides is exceptional compared to other high schools. I have made many friends and have several memories that I will never forget and I am glad my parents chose to send me here. My time here has expanded my knowledge in Theatre history, etiquette and performance.
    Read 161 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 352 Students
    • 7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  30. Ridge High School

    • Bernards Township School District, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 169
    22 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    High School Sophomore: Ridge Highschool has been the most amazing experience for me so far, I never want it to end. This school is like no other . When talking to friends from other schools, most of them don't seem to have the same school spirit attitude. They tend to complain about there school and that they don't like it. For me, Ridge has never been this way. Ridge High school has given me so many opportunities the past 2 years to do anything that caught my interest and I am sure the next 2 years will create even more. The vast amount of clubs that Ridge has creates a friendly environment where everyone can feel accepted somewhere. Whether its Art Club or Forensics or Feminist Club, there is opportunity for everyone. Ridge has a great sports program as well which has helped me to meet some of my best friends during my time here. The coaches and athletic trainers are motivating and the team spirt and pride is an amazing thing to be apart of. Ridge High school students participate in all school events, you can see Ridge students supporting there classmates at any event. If I had the chance I would love to experience 4 more years of Ridge High school. It is truly a special school and I am so happy I am getting the most amazing High school experience I could ever ask for.
    Read 169 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 1,900 Students
    • 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  32. Science Park High School

    • The Newark Public Schools, NJ
    • 7-12
    • 276
    23 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Junior: It's been pretty amazing. Everyone, with some exceptions of course, get along pretty well. It's not rare that a student will get caught up in the hallway talking about their grades or something about politics and Trump. The teachers care about what they teach and do try to help students. There is a lot of extra curricular activities, so you won't ever really be bored. There's also after school tutoring from Rutgers med students, if you need it. The staff is pretty friendly as well.
    Read 276 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 800 Students
    • 12:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  33. J.P. Stevens High School

    • Edison Township Public Schools, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 313
    24 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: JPS is a high school full with diversity. Since the moment you enter the building you will see people from all over the world.
    That is why there is a lot of academic competition; nonetheless, it is a great experience to learn about different cultures.
    Since the school is more focused in academics, sports are okay. But what we are missing in athletics we have it in activities and clubs; JPS has something for everyone and anyone.
    Many students complaint about the food, but in my personal opinion is great, we even have a Mexican food section, my only comment would be the long lines for the deli section, if you don't run, you probably have to wait for awhile.
    The administration and the different facilities try always their best, teachers are good, but it also depends on the students.
    Many people dislike and try to forget their high school times, I am positively sure I won't.
    Read 313 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 2,170 Students
    • 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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  34. Marine Academy of Science & Technology

    • Public School
    • Highlands, NJ
    • 9-12
    • 99
    25 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey

    Senior: I absolutely love the Marine Academy of Science and Technology and honestly would not change much about it. The school's small size gives students the opportunity to learn in a close environment with teachers. All teachers know their students personally so that the highest level of understanding may be achieved. The student diversity is very low from an ethnic standpoint and moderate from a socioeconomic standpoint. The Marine Academy fully prepares students for post-secondary education. The school's clubs have positive benefits towards learning while still remaining fun and challenging for participants. Sports teams are not available at the Marine Academy, so students may play sports for their respective sending districts. Students mostly come from all parts of Monmouth County, whereas some individuals attend the school while living in Middlesex County and other New Jersey counties.
    Read 99 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 294 Students
    • 10:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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2017 Best Public High Schools in New Jersey
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