High Tech cracks top 20 in NJ rankings; County Prep at #61

Picture a parent in Jersey City, scrolling through school rankings on a phone at the kitchen table, looking for any sign that their kid’s future is on solid ground. That’s the scene these numbers greet. And for thousands of local families, the latest U.S. News & World Report high school rankings offer a reason to feel good.

Secaucus’s High Tech High School landed at No. 19 in New Jersey — cracking the state’s top 20 for the first time. Hudson County Prep in Jersey City came in at No. 61. Nationally, High Tech ranks No. 334 out of nearly 18,000 public high schools, while County Prep sits at No. 1,127.

Both schools are part of the Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) system, which runs career-focused programs across the county. The rankings, released this month, are based on a mix of six factors: college readiness (30%), state assessment proficiency (20%), state assessment performance (20%), underserved student performance (10%), college curriculum breadth (10%), and graduation rate (10%).

How the rankings work

U.S. News partnered with RTI International, a nonprofit research firm, to evaluate more than 27,000 schools. They only considered public high schools with at least 15 seniors. Each school got a single score from 0 to 100, reflecting how well it did compared to schools nationwide.

It’s not a perfect system — no ranking is. But it’s one of the most widely watched metrics, and it gives families a consistent way to compare schools across state lines.

What this means for Hudson County families

For parents in Jersey City, Secaucus, and beyond, this is more than a bragging point. HCST schools are often the first choice for families who want their kids in a smaller, more specialized environment. Students at High Tech and County Prep choose a career pathway — from engineering to health sciences to visual arts — and build their schedule around it.

That structure comes with competition. Admission is selective, and students who get in often travel from across the county. The rankings reinforce what many families already suspected: the payoff is real. A top-20 placement in the state means High Tech’s graduates are leaving with some of the strongest college-prep foundations in New Jersey.

For County Prep, the No. 61 spot is still impressive — it places the school in the top 15% of the state’s high schools. And the school’s focus on hands-on learning means many students graduate with certifications and industry experience before they even start college.

What officials are saying

HCST Superintendent Thomas Macagnano called the rankings a direct reflection of the standards the district holds for students and staff. “Our teachers and administrators work every day to make sure a HCST education prepares students for what comes next, and results like these show that work is paying off,” he said.

The good news doesn’t stop there. On Friday, the district announced that High Tech Earth and Environmental Science teacher Dr. Shelly Witham earned Hudson County Teacher of the Year honors — the second straight year an HCST educator has won that award. That’s a signal that the people behind the numbers are being recognized too.

What to watch for

The rankings come out every year, so these numbers will shift. Families considering HCST schools should still visit campuses, talk to current students, and look at the programs that fit their child’s interests. Open houses and shadow days are the best way to get a real feel for whether a school is the right match.

For now, though, it’s a good moment for Hudson County. Two of our schools are proving that career and technical education doesn’t mean settling for less — it means opening doors.