schoolsbycounty

New Jersey Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 21 counties.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Avg Graduation Rate

91.4%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$13,088

Avg School Score

80/100

Total Schools

2,562

679 districts

State Overview

About Schools in New Jersey

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

The Gold Standard: NJ's Top Three Counties

Hunterdon, Sussex, and Monmouth counties lead the state, with all three maintaining school scores above 71.0. Hunterdon is the standout performer, combining a state-high 95.8% graduation rate with the highest per-pupil investment of $15,445. Sussex and Monmouth follow closely, both leveraging high spending to keep graduation rates well above 93%.

State Score Context

How New Jersey Counties Are Distributed

21 of 21 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

100%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

14

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

7

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

0

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Best school counties

Best Counties for Public School Research in New Jersey

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in New Jersey, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.

Short answer for New Jersey

Hunterdon County is the strongest county-level starting point in New Jersey by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 95/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

21 of 21 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.

State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $13,088.

Top measured county school signals

Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.

1Hunterdon CountyGraduation 95.8% · Spending $15,44595/1002Morris CountyGraduation 95.1% · Spending $13,72094/1003Bergen CountyGraduation 95.1% · Spending $13,50493/1004Burlington CountyGraduation 95.1% · Spending $12,71093/1005Salem CountyGraduation 95.3% · Spending $12,16092/1006Monmouth CountyGraduation 94.7% · Spending $14,01091/1007Somerset CountyGraduation 94.1% · Spending $13,33390/100
Graduation-focused starting point

Hunterdon County

95.8%

Hunterdon County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in New Jersey. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.

Funding context to inspect

Hunterdon County

$15,445

Hunterdon County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.

Counties to research carefully

Hudson County

60/100

Hudson County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in New Jersey. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.

District research

Compare New Jersey public school districts before narrowing by address

New Jersey has 679 public school district records and 2,562 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.

View District Rankings

All New Jersey Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for New Jersey.
CountySchool Score
Hunterdon County
Graduation
95.8%
Per pupil
$15,445
95/100
Morris County
Graduation
95.1%
Per pupil
$13,720
94/100
Bergen County
Graduation
95.1%
Per pupil
$13,504
93/100
Burlington County
Graduation
95.1%
Per pupil
$12,710
93/100
Salem County
Graduation
95.3%
Per pupil
$12,160
92/100
Monmouth County
Graduation
94.7%
Per pupil
$14,010
91/100
Somerset County
Graduation
94.1%
Per pupil
$13,333
90/100
Sussex County
Graduation
93.5%
Per pupil
$14,659
89/100
Ocean County
Graduation
92.7%
Per pupil
$13,447
85/100
Warren County
Graduation
92.3%
Per pupil
$13,552
84/100
Gloucester County
Graduation
92.7%
Per pupil
$11,860
84/100
Middlesex County
Graduation
92.3%
Per pupil
$12,224
83/100
Cape May County
Graduation
91.1%
Per pupil
$14,220
79/100
Atlantic County
Graduation
90.0%
Per pupil
$13,823
75/100
Union County
Graduation
88.6%
Per pupil
$12,330
69/100
Camden County
Graduation
88.1%
Per pupil
$12,416
68/100
Essex County
Graduation
88.2%
Per pupil
$12,098
68/100
Mercer County
Graduation
87.5%
Per pupil
$12,247
66/100
Cumberland County
Graduation
86.4%
Per pupil
$11,584
62/100
Passaic County
Graduation
85.0%
Per pupil
$12,921
60/100
Hudson County
Graduation
84.9%
Per pupil
$12,582
60/100

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in New Jersey

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Schools

Which New Jersey counties have the highest graduation rates?
Hunterdon County (95.8%), Salem County (95.3%), and Bergen County (95.1%) currently lead New Jersey among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in New Jersey?
Across New Jersey counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $13,088. The highest current county values are Hunterdon County ($15,445), Sussex County ($14,659), and Cape May County ($14,220). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
What are the best school counties in New Jersey?
Hunterdon County, Morris County, Bergen County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in New Jersey, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.
Which New Jersey county has the strongest measured school score?
Hunterdon County has the highest school score in New Jersey with a score of 95/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.
What is the average graduation rate in New Jersey?
The average high school graduation rate across New Jersey counties is 91.4%, based on NCES data.
Which county in New Jersey has the lowest school score?
Hudson County has the lowest school score in New Jersey with a score of 60/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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