These Are The Best Public High Schools In NJ, New Ranking Says

Several New Jersey schools are among the best public high schools in the country, according to a Monday report released by Niche.

The 2026 Best Public High Schools in America ranking evaluates more than 93,000 public high schools nationwide.

Niche said its rankings, now in the 11th year, differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni, and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.

New Jersey’s top 50 public high schools are:

1. The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering (Morris County)
2. Bergen County Academies (Bergen County)
3. Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science (Ocean County)
4. High Technology High School (Monmouth County)
5. Union County Magnet High School (Union County)
6. Academy for Information Technology (Union County)
7. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School (Jersey City)
8. Biotechnology High School (Monmouth County)
9. Academy for Allied Health Science (Union County)
10. Northern Highlands Regional High School (Allendale)
11. Bergen County Technical High School – Teterboro (Bergen County)
12. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (West Windsor-Plainsboro)
13. Union County Vocational-Technical High School (Union County)
14. Livingston Senior High School (Livingston)
15. PCTI Stem Academy (Passaic County)
16. Millburn High School (Millburn Township)
17. Tenafly High School (Tenafly)
18. Ridgewood High School (Ridgewood)
19. Northern Valley Regional High School (Demarest)
20. Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School (Somerset)
21. Princeton High School (Princeton)
22. Summit Senior High School (Summit)
23. Marine Academy of Science & Technology (Monmouth County)
24. Chatham High School (Chatham)
25. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (West Windsor-Plainsboro)
26. Academy of Allied Health & Science (Monmouth County)
27. Northern Valley Regional High School – Old Tappan (Northern Valley)
28. Edison Academy Magnet School (Middlesex County)
29. Montgomery High School (Montgomery Township)
30. Ridge High School (Bernards Township)
31. Metuchen High School (Metuchen)
32. Communications High School (Monmouth County)
33. Applied Technology High School (Bergen County)
34. High Tech High School (Hudson County)
35. West Morris Mendham High School (West Morris)
36. Mountain Lakes High School (Mountain Lakes)
37. Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (Rumson)
38. Haddonfield Memorial High School (Haddonfield)
39. Moorestown High School (Moorestown Township)
40. Westfield Senior High School (Westfield)
41. South Brunswick High School (South Brunswick)
42. Watchung Hills Regional High School (Warren)
43. East Brunswick High School (East Brunswick)
44. Woodbridge Academy Magnet School (Middlesex County)
45. Ramsey High School (Ramsey)
46. New Providence High School (New Providence)
47. Bernards High School (Somerset Hills)
48. Robbinsville High School (Robbinsville)
49. STEM Innovation Academy of the Oranges (Orange)
50. Holmdel High School (Holmdel Township)

According to Niche, the top five public high schools in America are:

1. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
2. The Davidson Academy (Nevada)
3. Massachusetts Academy for Math & Science
4. South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics
5. Stuyvesant High School (New York)

“Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions a family can make," Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, said in a news release.

“Our K-12 rankings bring together rigorous data and real experiences from students, parents and educators,” Skurman continued. “This gives families the clarity to choose schools where their children can succeed academically, thrive socially, and build a strong foundation for their future.”