Approximately 38% of public high school students in New Jersey are eligible for free lunch (2026).
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 Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering, Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center, and Passaic Preparatory Academy, each with 100% of students eligible.
Eligible for Free Lunch Range: 74%
100%
Avg. Eligible for Free Lunch: 82%
Free Lunch Eligibility Trends
Public High Schools Eligible For Free Lunch in New Jersey (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Eligible for Free Lunch
Grades
Location
Rank: #1 - 31. - 3.
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 - 31. - 3.
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 - 31. - 3.
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: #44.
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: #55.
Hope Academy
Alternative School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 95%
Grades: 6-12
266 Harrison Street
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Passaic, NJ 07055
(973) 928-1509
Rank: #66.
Kipp Cooper Norcross A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
(Math: 12% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 94%
Grades: K-12
525 Clinton Street
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Camden Prep Inc.
(Math: 18% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-12
1575 Mt. Ephraim Ave
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 379-4488
Camden, NJ 08104
(856) 379-4488
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Mastery Schools Of Camden Inc.
(Math: 10% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 89%
Grades: K-12
1001 North 17th Street
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 726-0027
Rank: #99.
Bridgeton High School
(Math: 5% | Reading: 8%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 86%
Grades: 9-12
111 N West Avenue
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 455-8030
Rank: #1010.
Team Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 20% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 85%
Grades: K-12
60 Park Place, Suite 802
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 622-0905
Rank: #11 - 1211. - 12.
Eligible for Free Lunch: 84%
Grades: 9-12
268 Baldwin Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
Rank: #11 - 1211. - 12.
Ocean Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 84%
Grades: K-9
1650 Massachusetts Ave.
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 987-6525
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 987-6525
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: #14 - 1614. - 16.
Camden's Promise Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 81%
Grades: PK-12
879 Beideman Ave
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 365-1000
Camden, NJ 08105
(856) 365-1000
Rank: #14 - 1614. - 16.
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: #14 - 1614. - 16.
People's Achieve Community Charter School
Charter School
Eligible for Free Lunch: 81%
Grades: K-12
534 Clinton Avenue
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 556-7070
Newark, NJ 07108
(973) 556-7070
Rank: #1717.
A.e. Burling High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50%)
Eligible for Free Lunch: 80%
Grades: 6-12
3600 Harris Avenue
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
(856) 662-8505
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
(856) 662-8505
Rank: #1818.
Newark School Of Fashion & Design
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 79%
Grades: 9-12
239 Woodside Avenue
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 327-4466
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 327-4466
Rank: #19 - 2219. - 22.
Academy For Urban Leadership Charter School
Charter School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: 7-12
612 Amboy Ave
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
(848) 203-3742
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
(848) 203-3742
Rank: #19 - 2219. - 22.
Atlantic City High School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: 9-12
1400 N Albany Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7300
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
(609) 343-7300
Rank: #19 - 2219. - 22.
Foundation Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: K-12
363 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 920-9200
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 920-9200
Rank: #19 - 2219. - 22.
Newark Vocational High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 78%
Grades: 9-12
301 West Kinney St
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7308
Newark, NJ 07103
(973) 733-7308
Rank: #23 - 2423. - 24.
College Achieve Central Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 77%
Grades: K-12
365 Emerson Ave
Plainfield, NJ 07062
(908) 625-1879
Plainfield, NJ 07062
(908) 625-1879
Rank: #23 - 2423. - 24.
New Brunswick High School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 17%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 77%
Grades: 9-12
1000 Somerset St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5300
Rank: #25 - 2625. - 26.
Lindenwold High School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 76%
Grades: 9-12
801 Egg Harbor Road
Clementon, NJ 08021
(856) 741-0320
Clementon, NJ 08021
(856) 741-0320
Rank: #25 - 2625. - 26.
North Star Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 76%
Grades: K-12
10 Washington Place
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-0101
Newark, NJ 07102
(973) 642-0101
Rank: #27 - 3027. - 30.
Harrison High School
(Math: 15% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: 9-12
401 Kingsland Avenue
Harrison, NJ 07029
(973) 482-5050
Harrison, NJ 07029
(973) 482-5050
Rank: #27 - 3027. - 30.
Leap Academy University Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: K-12
130 North Broadway
Camden, NJ 08102
(856) 614-0400
Camden, NJ 08102
(856) 614-0400
Rank: #27 - 3027. - 30.
Memorial High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: 9-12
5501 Park Ave
West New York, NJ 07093
(201) 553-4110
West New York, NJ 07093
(201) 553-4110
Rank: #27 - 3027. - 30.
Thomas A. Edison Career And Technical Academy
(Math: 4% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 75%
Grades: 9-12
625 Summer St
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6800
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6800
Rank: #31 - 3631. - 36.
Beloved Community Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: K-12
508 Grand Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 630-4700
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 630-4700
Rank: #31 - 3631. - 36.
Henry Snyder High School
(Math: 3% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: 9-12
239 Bergen Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 915-6600
Jersey City, NJ 07305
(201) 915-6600
Rank: #31 - 3631. - 36.
International High School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: 9-12
200 Grand Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-2280
Paterson, NJ 07501
(973) 321-2280
Rank: #31 - 3631. - 36.
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
(Math: 10% | Reading: 20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: 9-12
123 Pearl St
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6565
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
(908) 436-6565
Rank: #31 - 3631. - 36.
Newark School Of Global Studies
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
Eligible for Free Lunch: 74%
Grades: 9-12
24 Crane Street
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5112
Newark, NJ 07104
(973) 268-5112
Show 100 more public schools in NJ (out of 491 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 38%% for 2026.
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 Ocean County Vocational Technical School Brick Center, Passaic Academy For Science And Engineering and Passaic Preparatory Academy.
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