This Ocean County High School Is One Of The Best In NJ: Niche

MANAHAWKIN, NJ — One of New Jersey's best public high schools is right here in Ocean County, according to Niche's 2023 Best Schools and Districts rankings.

Niche — a website known for its extensive rankings of schools, universities and communities — released rankings Tuesday that include updated data for 92,743 public schools, 30,112 private schools and 11,820 school districts nationwide. The platform combined user input — ratings from current students, alumni and parents — with quantitative data.

According to Niche, the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES), located in Manahawkin, falls in the top ten of NJ's best public high schools. It ranks as seventh best.

See Niche's full rankings.

Three New Jersey schools were among the nation's best, according to Niche. Read More: NJ's 'Best' High Schools: New Rankings Released

Niche said its rankings 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. Niche incorporated nearly 2.5 million school reviews from students, parents and teachers — the largest online collection of school reviews, according to the platform.

The rankings help parents make informed decisions on their children's education, according to Niche CEO Luke Skurman.

"We strive to put as much power in their hands as possible so they can make informed decisions with confidence," Skurman said in a statement. "Our 2023 rankings surface key insights and data points for parents everywhere to use in their school search. We’re honored that millions of families consider us a reliable resource during such a pivotal moment in their lives."

Niche named the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, the top public school. Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, is the best private school.

As in previous years, the Best Schools rankings include categories for boarding, charter and magnet schools as well as schools for STEM and the arts among many others.

This article contains additional reporting by Josh Bakan.