Why school start dates depend on where you live
If you’re wondering why some students go back to school in August and others in September, here’s why.
Eight New Jersey public high schools ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s recently released rankings for the 2024-2025 school year.
Nearly 17,660 schools were rated on six factors – college readiness, proficiency on state assessments, performance on state assessments, achievement of disadvantaged students, breadth of college curriculum and graduation rate – based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare their students for college.
According to the New Jersey State Department of Education, high school students must be assessed in the areas of mathematics, English, language arts and science through the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments.
U.S. News’ Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 25,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia, including New Jersey’s 426 high schools.
Best High Schools in New Jersey: Top 10
10. Academy of Health Sciences in Scotch Plains; 193 in the national ranking
9. Scotch Plains Academy of Information Technology; 111 national
8. Union County Magnet High School in Scotch Plains; 95 national
7. Bergen County Technical High School in Teterboro; 90 national
6. Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School in Jersey City; 79 national
5. Biotechnology High School in Freehold; 72 national
4. Bergen County Academies in Hackensack; 62 national
3. Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health in Woodbridge; 58 national
2. Middlesex County Academy of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies in Edison; 42 national
1. Lincroft High Technology High School; 24 national
More: When is the first day of school? Here are the dates for all districts in Central Jersey
High schools in Hunterdon County, NJ on the list
- 14. Hunterdon Central Regional High School
- 122. North Hunterdon High School
- 131. Delaware Valley Regional High School
- 137. Hunterdon County Academies
- 234. South Hunterdon High School
- 239. Warren Hills Regional High School
High Schools in Middlesex County, NJ on the list
- 2. Middlesex County Academy of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies
- 3. Middlesex County Academy of Health Professions
- 17. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North
- 27. John P. Stevens High School
- 47. Metuchen High School
- 60. South Brunswick High School
- 96. Highland Park High School
- 115. East Brunswick High School
- 117. Piscataway High School
- 126. Monroe High School
- 127. South Plainfield High School
- 129. Edison-Gymnasium
- 144. Dunellen High School
- 195. John F Kennedy Memorial High School
- 196. Middlesex Grammar School
- 197. Spotswood High School
- 202. East Brunswick Magnet School
- 205. Old Bridge High School
- 206. North Brunswick High School
- 207. Sayreville War Memorial High School
- 223. Colonia-Gymnasium
- 243. Middlesex County Vocational School, Perth Amboy
- 257. Perth Amboy High School
- 278South Amboy Middle/High School
- 301. Woodbridge High School
- 306Carteret High School
- 324. New Brunswick High School
- 349-406. Academy for Urban Leadership Charter School
- 349-406Middlesex County Vocational School
- 349-406. South River High School
Somerset County, NJ High Schools on the List
- 25. Ridge High School
- 26. Central Jersey College Preparatory Charter School
- 30. Montgomery High School
- 59. Bernard’s High School
- 61. Hillsborough High School
- 81. Watchung Hills Regional High School
- 108. Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School
- 157. Somerville High School
- 185. Franklin-Gymnasium
- 246. Manville High School
- 259. North Plainfield High School
- 265. Bound Brook High School
- 285. Somerset County Vocational Technical High School
High Schools in Union County, NJ on the list
- 8th. Union County Magnet High School
- 9. Academy for Information Technology
- 10. Academy of Health Sciences
- 18. Union County Tech
- 29. Summit High School
- 40. Westfield High School
- 41. New Providence High School
- 70. Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
- 90. Governor Livingston High School
- 118. College Reach Central Charter School
- 135. Academy of Performing Arts
- 136. Plainfield Academy of Arts and Advanced Studies
- 249. Barack Obama Green Charter High School
- 271. Linden High School
- 296. Rahway High School
- 303. David Brearley Middle/High School
- 349-406Plainfield High School
- 349-406. Union County Teams Charter School
- Without rating: Queen City Academy Charter School
Email: [email protected]
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.comPart of the USA Today Network. Contact: [email protected] or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, subscribe or activate your digital account today.
