2024 Best Elementary Schools in New Jersey

The Complete Guide to Elementary Schools in New Jersey

When it comes to elementary schools, New Jersey is leading the charge. The state boasts more than 2,000 different elementary schools (2,149) spread across numerous cities and metropolitan areas, some of the largest being Newark, Jersey City and Elizabeth. That’s a full 108% more than the typical state, and on a per capita basis, New Jersey actually ranks #31 in the nation. Despite having so many schools and having such a large number per capita, there are still enough students to go around. The typical elementary school in New Jersey has about 387 students on average, which puts it just 1% larger than the national average. On a positive note though, despite the larger school size, there are fewer students per teacher than usual in New Jersey (as evidenced by New Jersey elementary schools having an 11:1 student to teacher ratio, 21% lower than the national average).

As a whole, the average elementary school in the state earns a B grade, which is equal to the national average. However, of the 2,000+ elementary schools in New Jersey, there are nearly 1,500 (1,411) that are rated above average. Still that leaves about 650 options (652) for the parent to evaluate - which can be an overwhelming endeavor. Narrowing that total down further, if you include only schools that rank in the top 25% of the nation, that total slims to just 652 schools. In other words, there’s still nearly 600 school options in New Jersey that rank in the nation’s top quartile.

Are public elementary schools in New Jersey a good option?

New Jersey has 1,659 total public elementary schools, and of that total traditional public schools comprise 94% or about 1,556 of them. That’s a large number, but for those with above average sights only 55 out of 10 (55%) score above the national average so nearly half wouldn’t qualify. It's worth noting that the typical public school size in New Jersey tends to be slightly above average at 433 students per school - 13% above the typical state average.

What is the best public elementary school in New Jersey?

The best public elementary school in New Jersey is Alpine Elementary School located in Alpine - part of Bergen County near Closter. With 151 students and a student to teacher ratio of 7:1 – 50% lower than the typical US elementary school – Alpine Elementary School has huge learning potential for its pupils. Alpine Elementary wins out amongst nearly 1,600 other traditional public schools in the state (1,556). About 55% of all such schools are rated above the national average.

Key statistics about charter elementary schools in New Jersey

Some ask whether charter schools in New Jersey are a good option? This really depends on your preference but with more than 75 different options (76 to be exact) there are numerous potential fits for your youngsters needs and learning style. Although far less prevalent than their traditional public school counterparts in terms of overall numbers (only 4% of all NJ elementary schools), the typical charter elementary school in New Jersey scores a C+ - well below the national average overall of a B grade. The reason for this grade disparity is partly due to state having 13% fewer charter schools per capita than the average state – indicating there’s some room for improvement here - but despite this there are still 25 charter options rated above the national average so finding success isn’t impossible with some research and effort.

What is the best charter elementary school in New Jersey?

The top ranked charter elementary school in New Jersey is Princeton Charter School located in Princeton proper near Trenton – one of many historic towns within NJ borders. The school has 426 students and as you’d expect is graded an A+. The school is known for exceptional quality thought its student to teacher ratio is 10:1 – 29% higher than national average which could mean larger class sizes at times – but due to its size academics can thrive here given correct input from teachers and other teaching aides/methods being applied properly as well as parental involvement.

Everything you need to know about magnet elementary schools in New Jersey

Despite being such a small state compared with its neighbor NY or even Pennsylvania (its only 27th largest by population), there are just 27 magnet elementary schools located within NJ borders which places it 30th nationally for magnet schools per capita. The school quality is somewhat polarizing with median score being just a B–, slightly below national average overall of B grade, however nearly half (48%) are considered above national average which means there’s about 13 magnet options that might be fit for high achievers looking for the best of the best.