NJ’s Best High Schools Ranked In New Analysis

NEW JERSEY— Several New Jersey schools are among the best high schools in the country, according to a ranking released Monday by Niche.

For its 2027 Best Schools and Districts in America rankings, Niche analyzed 93,000 public schools, 30,000 private schools and 11,000 school districts nationwide.

The best public high schools in NJ are:

1. The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering - Morris County
2. Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science - Ocean County
3. Bergen County Academies - Bergen County
4. Union County Magnet High School - Union County
5. High Technology High School - Monmouth County
6. Academy for Information Technology - Union County
7. Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School - Hudson County
8. Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro - Bergen County
9. Biotechnology High School - Monmouth County
10. Academy for Allied Health Science - Union County
11. Northern Valley Regional High School Demarest - Bergen County
12. Tenafly High School - Bergen County
13. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South - Mercer County
14. Northern Valley Regional High School - Old Tappan - Bergen County
15. Union County Vocational-Technical High School - Union County
16. PCTI STEM Academy - Passaic County
17. Livingston Senior High School - Essex County
18. Northern Highlands Regional High School - Bergen County
19. Princeton High School - Mercer County
20. Millburn High School - Essex County
21. Mountain Lakes High School - Morris County
22. Summit Senior High School - Union County
23. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North - Mercer County
24. Edison Academy Magnet School - Middlesex County
25. Marine Academy of Science & Technology - Monmouth County

For the full list of public school rankings, click here.

The best private high schools are:

1. The Lawrenceville School - Mercer County
2. Princeton International School of Math and Science - Mercer County
3. The Peddie School - Mercer County
4. Newark Academy - Essex County
5. Elite Preparatory Academy - Sussex County
6. Princeton Day School - Mercer County
7. Delbarton School - Morris County
8. The Pingry School - Somerset County
9. Blair Academy - Warren County
10. Montclair Kimberley Academy - Essex County
11. Primoris Academy - Bergen County
12. Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart - Mercer County
13. Saddle River Day School - Bergen County
14. The Wardlaw + Hartridge School - Middlesex County
15. Rutgers Preparatory School - Somerset County
16. Franklin School - Hudson County
17. Villa Walsh Academy - Morris County
18. Pioneer Academy - Passaic County
19. Dwight-Englewood School - Bergen County
20. Moorestown Friends School - Burlington County
21. Gill St. Bernard's School - Somerset County
22. Mount Saint Mary Academy - Somerset County
23. Kent Place School - Union County
24. The Pennington School - Mercer County
25. Rising Star Academy - Hudson County

For the full list of private school rankings, click here.

Niche’s rankings combine federal and state data, school statistics, and over 3 million reviews from students, parents, and teachers to evaluate schools beyond test scores.

This year's updates feature methodology improvements and new standalone rankings for public and private schools. To offer clearer comparisons, Niche separated public and private lists for Best Schools for the Arts, Most Diverse Schools, Best College Prep Schools, and Best Teachers. Two rankings also received purpose-built methodologies for the first time. Best Boarding High Schools and Best Private Online High Schools both now include factors specific to their school type.

“Families deserve a complete view of their options, whether they’re evaluating schools in their area or exploring what’s available elsewhere,"” Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, said in a news release. “This year’s rankings give families more ways to find the right fit, with updates designed to help them find schools where their children will thrive.”

Niche also provides rankings by state, metro area, STEM and arts programs, K-8 schools, and more, giving families the flexibility to compare schools based on what matters most to them.