School 28 in Paterson has been named the top public elementary school in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 rankings. The rankings, which highlight the best public elementary schools across the country, were based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. For this analysis, elementary schools were categorized as those serving grades K-6. To determine these rankings, U.S. News used data focusing on state assessments, highlighting the percentage of students scoring proficient or above in math and reading/language arts. The methodology also considered student backgrounds and performance in core subjects, with student-teacher ratios used as a tiebreaker when necessary.

Here are the top 10 public elementary schools in New Jersey:

1. School 28, Paterson Public School District
2. Princeton Charter School
3. Washington Elementary School, Westfield Public School District
4. Milton Avenue School, School District of the Chathams
5. Cornelia F. Bradford School, Jersey City Public Schools
6. Forrestdale School, Rumson Borough School District
7. Lincoln-Hubbard Elementary School, Summit Public School District
8. Orchard Elementary School, Ridgewood Public School District
9. Hatikvah International Academy Charter School, East Brunswick
10. Wildwood Elementary School, Mountain Lakes

The complete rankings for New Jersey schools can be accessed online. “These rankings serve as a resource to help parents understand how well schools are performing in delivering a high-quality education and preparing students for future success,” LaMont Jones states, managing editor for Education at U.S. News. For the 2025 rankings, U.S. News analyzed 47,573 elementary schools nationwide.

Also see: New Jersey’s Best Middle Schools.