Education (K-12) · 2024–25 school year
New Jersey Public Schools
Public K-12 education statistics for New Jersey — 1,355,569 students in 2,575 schools in 2024–25, with enrollment history back to 1986 and county-level detail from 2002.
| Statistic | Value | School year |
|---|---|---|
| Student enrollment | 1,355,569 | 2024–25 |
| Public schools | 2,575 | 2024–25 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 116,214 | 2024–25 |
| Pupil-teacher ratio | 11.6 | 2024–25 |
| Free/reduced-price lunch students | 43.3% | 2024–25 |
| School poverty rate (MEPS) | 11.0% | 2022–23 |
| Charter school enrollment | 4.7% | 2024–25 |
| High school graduation rate | 91.8% | 2024–25 |
| Math proficiency (of tested) | 35.5% | 2021–22 |
| Reading proficiency (of tested) | 48.6% | 2021–22 |
| Chronically absent students | 17.2% | 2021–22 |
| White students | 37.1% | 2024–25 |
| Black students | 14.1% | 2024–25 |
| Hispanic students | 34.6% | 2024–25 |
| Asian students | 10.4% | 2024–25 |
Not every statistic is collected every year — each row shows its most recent available school year (amber when older than 2024–25). Blank/absent means not collected or below reliability floors, never zero. Some universal-meals states no longer report free/reduced-price lunch — school poverty (MEPS) is the better lens there. A 0% charter share in a state without a charter-school law is a true zero.
New Jersey state report card
Outcomes reported directly by New Jersey’s education agency — often more current than the federal series above. Because each state uses its own tests, definitions, and reporting windows, these figures are not comparable state-to-state; each row notes how New Jersey measures it.
| Measure | Latest | Trend | School year |
|---|---|---|---|
5-year graduation rate How New Jersey measures this5-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate, NJ state calculation (all state-endorsed diplomas), statewide; Cohort 2024; state row of the cohort-2024 4-year & 5-year rates file | 92.9% | 2023–24 | |
College enrollment rate How New Jersey measures thisPercent of Class of 2024 high-school graduates enrolled in a postsecondary institution as of the fall following graduation (NJ SMART + National Student Clearinghouse match); published range 69.1-71.2%, statewide row of 'Postsecondary Trend Data' sheet | 69.1% | 2023–24 | |
Dropout rate How New Jersey measures thisAnnual high-school dropout rate as published in NJ School Performance Reports (DropoutRateTrends sheet, Dropout_State column), statewide | 0.8% | 2024–25 | |
Math proficiency (state test) How New Jersey measures thisPercent of valid test scores meeting or exceeding expectations (Levels 4-5) on state Math assessments - NJSLA-Math grades 3-8 plus Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II end-of-course (plus DLM alternate assessment) - statewide All Students; MathParticipationPerformance sheet, MetExceededExpectations_State; denominator = ValidScores_State | 42.0% | 2024–25 | |
Reading / ELA proficiency (state test) How New Jersey measures thisPercent of valid test scores meeting or exceeding expectations (Levels 4-5) on state ELA assessments - NJSLA-ELA grades 3-9 (plus DLM alternate assessment) - statewide All Students; ELAParticipationPerformance sheet, MetExceededExpectations_State (equals FederalProficiencyRate_State); denominator = ValidScores_State | 53.0% | 2024–25 | |
Chronic absenteeism (recent) How New Jersey measures thisPercent of students chronically absent (absent 10% or more of days enrolled), all grades statewide; ChronicAbsenteeismTrends sheet, ChronicAbsenteeismRate_State column, All Students | 14.4% | 2024–25 |
Source: New JerseyDepartment of Education (public reporting), 2026 collection. Not comparable across states — proficiency reflects different assessments and cut scores; graduation, dropout, and college-going use each state’s own cohort definitions and windows. Absent rows mean the state doesn’t publish that measure in a comparable file.
New Jersey schools by county
Students enrolled, 2024–25.
New Jersey schools — FAQ
How many students attend public school in New Jersey?+
1,355,569 students were enrolled in New Jersey's 2,575 public K-12 schools in the 2024–25 school year, taught by 116,214 full-time-equivalent teachers (NCES Common Core of Data).
What share of New Jersey students get free or reduced-price lunch?+
43.3% of New Jersey public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–25 — a common proxy for student economic need.
What is New Jersey's high school graduation rate?+
91.8% of New Jersey's adjusted cohort graduated in the 2024–25 school year — reported by New Jersey's education agency (its 4-year ACGR, more current than the federal series, which lags to 2021–22). Graduation rates run from 2010–11 onward.
Where does this data come from?+
Core statistics (enrollment, schools, teachers, poverty, demographics) come from the National Center for Education Statistics — the Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Civil Rights Data Collection. The most recent graduation rates and the state report-card outcomes (proficiency, college-going, dropout, chronic absenteeism) come directly from state education agencies, which publish sooner than the federal series. Full source and license details are on the methodology page. pumsdata is independent and not affiliated with NCES or any state agency.
Other states
Data: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (CCD, EDFacts, CRDC) and ED Data Express, plus current-year graduation and report-card outcomes from state education agencies. Full source and license details on the methodology page.