Montclair High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Montclair, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Montclair Public School District.
Serving 1,961 students in grades 9-12, Montclair High School ranks in the bottom 50% of all schools in New Jersey for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 28% (which is lower than the New Jersey state average of 38%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 46% (which is lower than the New Jersey state average of 49%).
The student:teacher ratio of 13:1 is higher than the New Jersey state level of 11:1.
Minority enrollment is 51% of the student body (majority Black), which is lower than the New Jersey state average of 62% (majority Hispanic).
Quick Stats (2025)
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,961 students
- Student:Teacher Ratio: 13:1
- Minority Enrollment: 51%
- Graduation Rate: 94% (Top 50% in NJ)
- Overall Testing Rank: Bottom 50%
- Math Proficiency: 28% (Btm 50%)
- Reading Proficiency: 46% (Btm 50%)
- Science Proficiency: 41% (Top 20%)
- Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NJ Dept. of Education
Top Rankings
Montclair High School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in New Jersey for:
Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Diversity
School Overview
Montclair High School's student population of 1,961 students has declined by 5% over five school years.
The teacher population of 146 teachers has declined by 5% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades 9-12
(No virtual instruction)
(No virtual instruction)
Total Students
1,961 students
Gender %
Total Classroom Teachers
146 teachers
Year Founded
1886
Colors
White, Royal blue
School Rankings
Montclair High School ranks within the bottom 50% of all 2,184 schools in New Jersey (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of Montclair High School is 0.68, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.72. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall Testing Rank
#1388 out of 2184 schools
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
28%
38%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
49%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
23%
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
11:1
American Indian
n/a
n/a
Asian
6%
10%
Hispanic
15%
34%
Black
23%
15%
White
49%
38%
Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
Two or more races
7%
3%
All Ethnic Groups
Graduation Rate
94%
85%
Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
14%
32%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
3%
6%
School Statewide Testing
School District Name
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NJ Dept. of Education
Profile last updated: 02/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Montclair High School's ranking?
Montclair High School is ranked #1388 out of 2,184 schools, which ranks it among the bottom 50% of public schools in New Jersey.
What schools are Montclair High School often compared to?
Montclair High Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Glen Ridge High School, West Orange High School, Livingston High School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
28% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 38% NJ state average), while 46% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 49% NJ state average).
What is the graduation rate of Montclair High School?
The graduation rate of Montclair High School is 94%, which is higher than the New Jersey state average of 85%.
How many students attend Montclair High School?
1,961 students attend Montclair High School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
49% of Montclair High School students are White, 23% of students are Black, 15% of students are Hispanic, 7% of students are Two or more races, and 6% of students are Asian.
What is the student:teacher ratio of Montclair High School?
Montclair High School has a student ration of 13:1, which is higher than the New Jersey state average of 11:1.
What grades does Montclair High School offer ?
Montclair High School offers enrollment in grades 9-12 (No virtual instruction).
What school district is Montclair High School part of?
Montclair High School is part of Montclair Public School District.
School Reviews
5 10/5/2018
Montclair High School consistently sends more kids to IVY, NESCAC, polytechnic and prestigious, ancient academic institutions than any other public high school in the state (including Chatham, Summit, Mountain Lakes, Ridgewood, Westfield and Glen Ridge High Schools). In fact, it sends close to a hundred kids to little ivies and public ivies in every graduating class. Buzz Aldrin left MHS for MIT while over 2 dozen of his classmates were accepted to Yale. In most places, if one kid gets into Cornell, they have a photo taken with the Mayor on the cover of the town paper. At Montclair HS it is not uncommon to see 8,9, 10 or more students accepted to Cornell. year after year. MHS alumni can be found attending Cambridge, Trinity, Oxford, St Andrews, Stanford, Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Madison, UCLA, etc.. It is one of those schools that most high school kids are envious of, as it has lots of school pride and plenty of reasons to justify it. It's full of beautiful kids from diverse backgrounds and even international students from England, Spain, Sweden, etc.. Sports teams like CREW/Rowing are National Champions for years in a row. Football? Regular State Champs. Lacrosse? Yes, the boys and girls teams regularly place sectional titles, and their players are committed to D1 programs by Sophomore year. Field Hockey? Check. Soccer? Yes, with pipelines to Maryland, UVA and Boston College. Did I mention the Latin and Economics programs or the Dentistry lab or the AP Mandarin courses?
2 9/8/2009
Due to the greed of politicians/those that are politically connected ruined the quality of education in Montclair.
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