Approximately 32% of public high school students in New Jersey are eligible for free lunch (2025).
The public high schools with the highest eligible for free lunch are listed below (where sufficient data available).
The public high school with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey is Essex High School with 100% of students eligible.
Eligible for Free Lunch Range: 70%
100%
Avg. Eligible for Free Lunch: 82%
Public High Schools Eligible For Free Lunch in New Jersey (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Eligible for Free Lunch
Grades
Location
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Essex High School
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
369 Passaic Avenue
Fairfield, NJ 07004
(973) 815-1389
Fairfield, NJ 07004
(973) 815-1389
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center
Vocational School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
350 Chambers Bridge Road
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 286-5670
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 286-5670
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Ocean County Vocational Technical School Jackson Center
Vocational School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 9-12
850 Toms River Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 286-5665
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 286-5665
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering
(Math: 32% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
291 Lafayette Avenue
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Passaic Preparatory Academy
(Math: 13% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 6-12
252 Boulevard
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5504
Rank: #1 - 61. - 6.
Regional Day School
Special Education School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 100%
Grades: 10-12
1070 Old Trenton Road
Trenton, NJ 08690
(609) 588-8456
Trenton, NJ 08690
(609) 588-8456
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Newcomers
(Reading: ≤5%)
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: 3-11
482-506 Market Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0110
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-0110
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Passaic High School No. 12
(Math: 2% | Reading: 14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 98%
Grades: 9-12
170 Paulison Ave.
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5600
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 470-5600
Rank: #99.
Kipp Cooper Norcross A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
(Math: 12% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 92%
Grades: K-12
525 Clinton Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #10 - 1210. - 12.
College Achieve Greater Asbury Park Charter School District
Charter School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-12
3455 West Bangs Ave
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
(732) 774-0727
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
(732) 774-0727
Rank: #10 - 1210. - 12.
Hope Academy
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: 6-12
266 Harrison Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Rank: #10 - 1210. - 12.
Mastery Schools Of Camden Inc.
(Math: 10% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 88%
Grades: K-12
1001 North 17th Street
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Rank: #1313.
College Achieve Paterson Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 83%
Grades: K-12
21 Market Street
Eatontown, NJ 07724
(862) 257-1423
Eatontown, NJ 07724
(862) 257-1423
Rank: #1414.
Lakewood High School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 81%
Grades: 9-12
855 Somerset Avenue
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-3500
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-3500
Rank: #1515.
Paterson Charter School For Science And Technology
Charter School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 80%
Grades: K-12
196 West Railway Avenue
Paterson, NJ 07503
(973) 247-0600
Paterson, NJ 07503
(973) 247-0600
Rank: #1616.
Newark School Of Fashion & Design
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 79%
Grades: 9-11
239 Woodside Avenue
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 327-4466
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 327-4466
Rank: #17 - 1817. - 18.
Pride Academy
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: 6-12
1701 South 6th Street
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 966-8955
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 966-8955
Rank: #17 - 1817. - 18.
Stem Innovation Academy Of The Oranges
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 80-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: 9-12
445 Scotland Road
South Orange, NJ 07079
(973) 677-4190
South Orange, NJ 07079
(973) 677-4190
Rank: #19 - 2019. - 20.
Camden's Promise Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 77%
Grades: PK-12
879 Beideman Ave
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 365-1000
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 365-1000
Rank: #19 - 2019. - 20.
Newark Vocational High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 77%
Grades: 9-12
301 West Kinney St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7308
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7308
Rank: #21 - 2221. - 22.
Atlantic City High School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 76%
Grades: 9-12
1400 N Albany Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7300
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7300
Rank: #21 - 2221. - 22.
Team Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 76%
Grades: K-12
60 Park Place, Suite 802
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #23 - 2423. - 24.
Nj Regional Day School - Newark
Special Education School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: K-12
334 Lyons Ave
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 705-3820
Newark, NJ 07112
(973) 705-3820
Rank: #23 - 2423. - 24.
University High School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: 8-12
55 Clinton Pl
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 374-3190
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 374-3190
Rank: #2525.
Great Oaks Legacy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: PK-12
909 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(862) 256-0909
Newark, NJ 07102
(862) 256-0909
Rank: #26 - 2826. - 28.
International High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 72%
Grades: 9-12
200 Grand Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-2280
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-2280
Rank: #26 - 2826. - 28.
North Star Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 72%
Grades: K-12
10 Washington Place
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-0101
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-0101
Rank: #26 - 2826. - 28.
Thomas A. Edison Career And Technical Academy
(Math: 4% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 72%
Grades: 9-12
625 Summer St
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6800
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6800
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Beloved Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 71%
Grades: K-12
508 Grand Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 630-4700
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 630-4700
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Foundation Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 71%
Grades: K-12
363 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 920-9200
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 920-9200
Rank: #29 - 3129. - 31.
Memorial High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 71%
Grades: 9-12
5501 Park Ave
West New York, NJ 07093
(201) 553-4110
West New York, NJ 07093
(201) 553-4110
Rank: #32 - 3932. - 39.
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
(Math: 5% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 70%
Grades: 9-12
641 South Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6600
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6600
Rank: #32 - 3932. - 39.
American History High School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 70%
Grades: 9-12
74 Montgomery St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7333
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7333
Rank: #32 - 3932. - 39.
Central High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 70%
Grades: 9-12
250 18th Avenue
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-6378
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-6378
Rank: #32 - 3932. - 39.
Essex County Newark Technical
Vocational School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 70%
Grades: 9-12
91 West Market St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 412-2204
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 412-2204
Show 100 more public schools in NJ (out of 488 total schools)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Jersey average of public high schools students eligible for free lunch?
The New Jersey average of public high schools students eligible for free lunch is 32%% for 2025.
What are the public high schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free lunch in New Jersey?
The best top ranked public high schools in New Jersey include Essex High School, Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center and Ocean County Vocational Technical School Jackson Center.
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