Ridge Ranked Among Top 30 High Schools In NJ For 2025-26: U.S. News

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Ridge High School has once again ranked among the best high schools in the country and New Jersey, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.

The 2025-2026 Best High School Rankings, released Tuesday, includes specialized STEM and charter rankings alongside the traditional state, district, and metro area categories.

Nearly 24,000 public high schools were evaluated, and nearly 18,000 were ranked.

Ridge High School in Bernards Township came in at 29th in New Jersey and 550th in the United States.

The school, with an enrollment of 1,644 students in grades 9 to 12, boasts a graduation rate of 94 percent and a 12:1 student-teacher ratio.

The AP participation rate at Ridge High School is 66 percent. The total minority enrollment is 44 percent, and 2 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Here's how all of the Somerset County schools ranked:

• Central Jersey College Prep Charter School - 25 in NJ and 461 in the U.S.
• Montgomery High School - 26 in NJ and 464in the U.S.
• Ridge High School in Bernards Township - 29 in NJ and 550 in the U.S.
• Bernards High School - 49 in NJ and 997 in the U.S.
• Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School - 72 in NJ and 1,510 in the U.S.
• Hillsborough High School - 74 in NJ and 1,527 in the U.S.
• Watchung Hills Regional High School - 109 in NJ and 2,147 in the U.S.
• Somerville High School - 143 in NJ and 3,552 in the U.S.
• Bound Brook High School - 212 in NJ and 6,500 in the U.S.
• Franklin High School - 227 in NJ and 7,001 in the U.S.
• Somerset County Vocational Technical High School - 237 in NJ and 7,370 in the U.S.
• Manville High School - 263 in NJ and 8,607 in the U.S.
• North Plainfield High School - 305 in NJ and 10,660 in the U.S.

The 2025-2026 Best High Schools national rankings identify top public schools based on six key performance indicators, including student achievement on state-required assessments, strong graduation rates, and college readiness measures.

Schools are evaluated on how effectively they serve all students, including underserved populations, with college readiness specifically measured through student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.

The rankings consider curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes as well. U.S. News worked with RTI International, a global research firm, to implement the comprehensive ranking methodology, using the most current data from the 2022-2023 school year.

To see the top 25 high schools in New Jersey, click here.

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