Several New Jersey high schools have earned recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 rankings, with one STEM program named the best in the country.
High Technology High School in Lincroft secured the No. 1 spot on the national STEM list and placed 27th overall. The school received a score of 99.85 out of 100, with a 100% graduation rate, a curriculum centered on engineering and college-level coursework through partnerships with universities.
New Jersey placed 11 schools in the top 100 nationwide, tying states with much larger populations. Overall, 411 of the state’s 427 high schools were ranked, giving New Jersey the third-highest percentage (2.2%) of top schools in the nation.
Other standout programs included Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, Edison Academy Magnet School, and Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School in Jersey City. Union County Magnet, Biotechnology High, and Woodbridge Academy Magnet earned national recognition as well.
The report assessed more than 24,000 public high schools, evaluating 18,000 on measures such as state exam results, graduation rates, curriculum breadth, and college readiness. Performance among underserved students and participation in advanced coursework were also weighed.
In addition to STEM programs, 25 New Jersey charter schools appeared in the national rankings, led by Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School in Somerset.
Nationally, the top high schools were spread across 27 states and the District of Columbia, though concentrations were highest in Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. BASIS Tucson North in Arizona earned the top overall ranking.
Check out the complete ranking of the best high schools in the nation by U.S. News
Top High Schools in New Jersey (2025-2026, U.S. News)
- High Technology High School, Lincroft – #27 nationally, #1 STEM in the U.S.
- Bergen County Academies, Hackensack – #41 nationally
- Edison Academy Magnet School, Edison – #59 nationally
- Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School, Jersey City – #77 nationally
- Union County Magnet High School, Scotch Plains – #79 nationally
- Biotechnology High School, Freehold – #80 nationally
- Bergen County Technical High School, Teterboro – #82 nationally
- Woodbridge Academy Magnet School, Woodbridge – #90 nationally
- Academy for Information Technology, Scotch Plains – #94 nationally
- Academy for Allied Health Sciences, Scotch Plains – #114 nationally
Top 5 High Schools in the Nation (2025-2026, U.S. News)
- BASIS Tucson North – Arizona
- Signature School – Indiana
- Central Magnet School – Tennessee
- Davidson Academy – Nevada
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology – Virginia
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