New Jersey's reputation for top-rated public education stayed unchallenged for yet another year, with the state ranking second in the nation for best high schools in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report listings.
Massachusetts beat out the Garden State by just three percentage points for the state with the highest percentage of top-ranking high schools. In Massachusetts, 47% of public high schools made the list, while 44% of New Jersey's high schools did.
Maryland came in third, with 43%. States are ranked by how many public high schools out of 18,000 nationally make the top quarter of U.S. high schools. Having a relatively high percentage of a state's high schools in the top 25% demonstrates that those high schools have performed at the highest levels compared with other schools, U.S. News reported.
Bergen County Academies in Hackensack ranked 2nd in New Jersey and 41 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne ranks 16 in New Jersey and 315 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest ranks 18th in New Jersey and 354th nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News raankings.
Tenafly High School ranks 24th in New Jersey and 458 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Summit High School ranked 28th in New Jersey and 525 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale ranked 30th in New Jersey and 569 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Passaic Academy for Science and Engineeringranked 31st in New Jersey and 586 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Mountain Lakes High School ranked 34th in New Jersey and 663 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Chatham High School ranked 37th in New Jersey and 748 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Ridgewood High School ranked 41 in New Jersey and 821 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Glen Rock High School ranked 48 in New Jersey and 986 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.
Bergen County Academies in Hackensack ranked 2nd in New Jersey and 41 nationally among public high schools in the 2026 US News rankings.