Best Schools in Newark, New Jersey
85 schools · 51 Elementary · 4 Middle · 20 High · 10 Other
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.7/10
- Median household income
- $45,304
- Median home value
- $336,544
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 18%
- Avg commute
- 33 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 23%
20% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Newark compares
New Jersey rank
#254 of 344
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.6
below New Jersey avg (6.3)
Median household income
$45k
38% of New Jersey median
Schools in this city
84
About Schools in Newark, New Jersey
Newark's public school system gives parents 80 ranked schools to choose from, with an average score of 5.7 out of 10. The spread around that average matters as much as the number itself. Nineteen schools — 24 percent of the ranked total — score 7 or higher, a meaningful cluster of high-performing options above the city mean. Families willing to research the full landscape will find both genuine standout programs and real variability depending on grade level and location.
At the top of the scale, Michelle Obama Elementary School scores 9.5 out of 10 — the highest in Newark. The high school tier runs deep at its ceiling: Science Park High School scores 9.0, Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology 8.6, Technology High School 8.5, and Bard Early College High School 8.0. Four high schools above 8.0 is a strong concentration for a single city. Each follows a specialized track — science, technology, or early college — which means seats are competitive and applications are generally required regardless of home address.
The 5.7 city average signals uneven distribution across the system. Families zoned to neighborhood schools will typically find scores closer to that midpoint. The gap between top-tier programs and the overall average is wide, which makes school selection — not just neighborhood selection — the decision with the most consequence for Newark parents. That gap is especially pronounced at the high school level, where the five highest-scoring schools all top 8.0 while the city mean sits nearly three points lower.
The practical approach is to start early and focus on programs over proximity. The top high schools draw applicants from across the city, and application timelines matter. For families at the elementary stage, Michelle Obama Elementary is the clear performance leader. For middle and high school planning, the specialized program pipeline rewards early research. Use each school's MySchoolScout profile to compare against Newark's 5.7 average and understand exactly where a specific school lands before finalizing any decision.
Elementary Schools
51 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 169 students · Pre-K–4th | 9.1 |
| 2 | 286 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.8 |
| 3 | 144 students · Pre-K–4th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 467 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.5 |
| 5 | 339 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.4 |
| 6 | 324 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.3 |
| 7 | 835 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.1 |
| 8 | 220 students · Pre-K–4th | 7.1 |
| 9 | 35 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 |
| 10 | 318 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 |
| 11 | 94 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 |
| 12 | 597 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 |
| 13 | 614 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.7 |
| 14 | 763 students · Pre-K–6th | 6.6 |
| 15 | 673 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.5 |
| 16 | 562 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.4 |
| 17 | 552 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.4 |
| 18 | 737 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.3 |
| 19 | 777 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.3 |
| 20 | 780 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.2 |
| 21 | 737 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.1 |
| 22 | 1,042 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.1 |
| 23 | 870 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.0 |
| 24 | 337 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.7 |
| 25 | 1,033 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.7 |
Show 26 more elementary schools
| 26 | 653 students · Pre-K–8th | 5.4 | ||
| 27 | 555 students · Pre-K–8th | 5.4 | ||
| 28 | 881 students · Pre-K–8th | 5.2 | ||
| 29 | 1,236 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.1 | ||
| 30 | 319 students · Pre-K–8th | 5.1 | ||
| 31 | 1,057 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.8 | ||
| 32 | 1,235 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.8 | ||
| 33 | 561 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.7 | ||
| 34 | 439 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.5 | ||
| 35 | 588 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.4 | ||
| 36 | 545 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.3 | ||
| 37 | 738 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.1 | ||
| 38 | 701 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.9 | ||
| 39 | 581 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.9 | ||
| 40 | 878 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.8 | ||
| 41 | 833 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.7 | ||
| 42 | 513 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.7 | ||
| 43 | 705 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.7 | ||
| 44 | 456 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.7 | ||
| 45 | 580 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.5 | ||
| 46 | 727 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.4 | ||
| 47 | 777 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.3 | ||
| 48 | 262 students · Kindergarten–5th | 3.3 | ||
| 49 | 553 students · Pre-K–8th | 3.0 | ||
| 50 | 493 students · Pre-K–8th | 2.9 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | ST MICHAEL SCHOOL
Private
247 students · Kindergarten–8th | Not Rated | ||
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 358 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.1 | ||
| 2 | 106 students · 4th–8th | 5.5 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | NEWARK BOYS CHORUS SCHOOL
Private
33 students · 4th–8th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | ELYON LEARNING CENTER ACADEMY
Private
4 students · 1st–4th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
20 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 970 students · 7th–12th | 8.7 | ||
| 2 | 1,148 students · 9th–12th | 8.6 | ||
| 3 | 654 students · 9th–12th | 8.2 | ||
| 4 | 382 students · 9th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 5 | 361 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 | ||
| 6 | 548 students · 9th–12th | 6.9 | ||
| 7 | 447 students · 8th–12th | 6.9 | ||
| 8 | 598 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 9 | 2,110 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 10 | 172 students · 9th–12th | 5.9 | ||
| 11 | 378 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 | ||
| 12 | 826 students · 9th–12th | 5.6 | ||
| 13 | 592 students · 9th–12th | 5.5 | ||
| 14 | 280 students · 9th–12th | 4.9 | ||
| 15 | 354 students · 9th–12th | 4.8 | ||
| 16 | 621 students · 9th–12th | 4.3 | ||
| 17 | 553 students · 9th–12th | 4.1 | ||
| 18 | 1,872 students · 9th–12th | 3.2 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | ST VINCENT ACADEMY
Private
235 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | ALIF MUHAMMAD WIA SCHOOL
Private
104 students · 8th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 301 students · 9th–11th | 7.6 |
| 2 | 109 students · Pre-K–12th | 7.3 |
| 3 | 104 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.2 |
| 4 | 214 students · 9th–11th | 6.8 |
| 5 | 1,076 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 6.7 |
| 6 | 1,393 students · Pre-K–12th | 4.7 |
| 7 | 6,476 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.6 |
| 8 | 6,319 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.1 |
| 9 | 2,124 students · Pre-K–12th | 4.1 |
| 10 | 2,247 students · Kindergarten–12th | 2.4 |
Schools in Newark
Newark, New Jersey · 85 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 9 ZIP codes
Median Income
$45,304
Median Home Value
$336,544
Median Rent
$1,211/mo
Population
307,360
College Educated
18%
Homeownership
23%
Avg Commute
33 min
Poverty Rate
26.6%
Community Profile
Newark has a median household income of $45,304. It is a community where 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $336,544, with a median rent of $1,211/month. The area has a poverty rate of 26.6%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 33 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Quick Facts
- State
- New Jersey
- Total Schools
- 85
- Elementary
- 51
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 20
- Districts
- 17
- Avg Rating
- 5.7/10
Resources
School Districts (17)
Discovery Charter School
1 school · 106 students
Marion P. Thomas Charter School
1 school · 1,402 students
New Horizons Community Charter School
1 school · 337 students
North Star Academy Charter School
1 school · 6,490 students
Robert Treat Academy Charter School
1 school · 702 students
Maria L. Varisco-Rogers Charter School
1 school · 580 students
Gray Charter School
1 school · 339 students
TEAM Academy Charter School
1 school · 6,318 students
Newark Educators Community Charter School
1 school · 144 students
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
1 school · 2,124 students
Roseville Community Charter School
1 school · 286 students
Phillip's Academy Charter School
1 school · 673 students
Link Community Charter School
1 school · 358 students
KIPP: Cooper Norcross A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
1 school · 2,247 students
LEAD Charter School
1 school · 280 students
Essex County Schools of Technology
3 schools · 2,053 students
Newark Public School District
64 schools · 42,791 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in New Jersey
Top metros statewide by school count.
How We Rate Schools
Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Newark, New Jersey
How many schools are in Newark, New Jersey?
Newark has 85 schools, including 80 public and 5 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Newark, New Jersey?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Newark is 5.7 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.
What is the top-ranked school in Newark, New Jersey?
The top-ranked school in Newark on MySchoolScout is Michelle Obama Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best elementary school in Newark, New Jersey?
The top-ranked elementary school in Newark on MySchoolScout is Michelle Obama Elementary School with a composite score of 9.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Newark, New Jersey?
The top-ranked middle school in Newark on MySchoolScout is Link Community Charter School with a composite score of 6.1/10.
What is the best high school in Newark, New Jersey?
The top-ranked high school in Newark on MySchoolScout is Science Park High School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
How many school districts serve Newark, New Jersey?
Newark is served by 17 school districts: Discovery Charter School, Marion P. Thomas Charter School, New Horizons Community Charter School, North Star Academy Charter School, Robert Treat Academy Charter School, Maria L. Varisco-rogers Charter School, Gray Charter School, Team Academy Charter School, Newark Educators Community Charter School, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, Roseville Community Charter School, Phillip's Academy Charter School, Link Community Charter School, Kipp: Cooper Norcross a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation, Lead Charter School, Essex County Schools of Technology, Newark Public School District.
What is the education level in Newark, New Jersey?
According to Census data, 18% of adults in Newark have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Newark, New Jersey?
The median household income in Newark is approximately $45,304 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Newark, New Jersey?
Yes, Newark has 5 private schools alongside 80 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Vincent Academy with a score of 8.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Newark, New Jersey?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Newark is 14.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Newark, New Jersey?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New Jersey Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.