For the 2025 school year, there are 24 public middle schools serving 13,781 students in Ocean County, NJ.
The top ranked public middle schools in Ocean County, NJ are Memorial Middle School, G. Harold Antrim Elementary School and Bay Head Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Ocean County, NJ public middle schools have an average math proficiency score of 31% (versus the New Jersey public middle school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 48% statewide average). Middle schools in Ocean County have an average ranking of 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of New Jersey public middle schools.
Minority enrollment is 40% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the New Jersey public middle school average of 68% (majority Hispanic).
Best Public Middle Schools in Ocean County (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Memorial Middle School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
808 Laura Herbert Dr
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 701-1900
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 701-1900
Gr: 6-8 | 593 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
G. Harold Antrim Elementary School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
401 Niblick Street
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 899-3737
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 899-3737
Gr: PK-8 | 310 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #33.
Bay Head Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
145 Grove Street
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 892-0668
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 892-0668
Gr: K-8 | 120 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
Rank: #44.
Lavallette Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
105 Brooklyn Ave.
Lavallette, NJ 08735
(732) 793-7722
Lavallette, NJ 08735
(732) 793-7722
Gr: PK-8 | 160 students Student-teacher ratio: 8:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #55.
Carl W. Goetz Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
835 Patterson Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 833-4610
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 833-4610
Gr: 6-8 | 1,011 student Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #66.
New Egypt Middle School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
115 Evergreen Road
New Egypt, NJ 08533
(609) 758-6800
New Egypt, NJ 08533
(609) 758-6800
Gr: 6-8 | 264 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
Rank: #77.
Southern Regional Middle School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
75 Cedar Bridge Road
Manahawkin, NJ 08050
(609) 597-9481
Manahawkin, NJ 08050
(609) 597-9481
Gr: 7-8 | 849 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
Rank: #88.
Lake Riviera Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
171 Beaverson Boulevard
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 785-3000
Brick, NJ 08723
(732) 785-3000
Gr: 6-8 | 896 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #99.
Lacey Township Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
660 Denton Avenue
Forked River, NJ 08731
(609) 242-2100
Forked River, NJ 08731
(609) 242-2100
Gr: 6-8 | 845 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #1010.
Toms River Intermediate School East
(Math: 30% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1519 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-5777
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-5777
Gr: 6-8 | 1,278 student Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #1111.
Russell O. Brackman Middle School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
600 Barnegat Blvd North
Barnegat, NJ 08005
(609) 698-5880
Barnegat, NJ 08005
(609) 698-5880
Gr: 7-8 | 509 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #1212.
Christa Mcauliffe Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
35 South Hope Chapel Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 833-4701
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 833-4701
Gr: 6-8 | 662 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 53%
Rank: #1313.
Central Regional Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
509 Forest Hills Parkway
Bayville, NJ 08721
(732) 269-1100
Bayville, NJ 08721
(732) 269-1100
Gr: 7-8 | 707 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 37%
Rank: #1414.
Manchester Township Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
2759 Ridgeway Rd
Manchester Township, NJ 08759
(732) 657-1717
Manchester Township, NJ 08759
(732) 657-1717
Gr: 6-8 | 614 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #1515.
Toms River Intermediate School North
(Math: 25% | Reading: 45%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
150 Intermediate North Way
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-5800
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-5800
Gr: 6-8 | 932 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #1616.
Veterans Memorial Middle School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
105 Hendrickson Avenue
Brick, NJ 08724
(732) 785-3000
Brick, NJ 08724
(732) 785-3000
Gr: 6-8 | 884 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #1717.
Toms River Intermediate School South
(Math: 23% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1675 Pinewald Road
Beachwood, NJ 08722
(732) 505-3900
Beachwood, NJ 08722
(732) 505-3900
Gr: 6-8 | 1,095 student Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: #1818.
Pinelands Regional Jr. High School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
590 Nugentown Road
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
(609) 296-3106
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
(609) 296-3106
Gr: 7-8 | 503 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #1919.
Ocean Academy Charter School
Charter School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1650 Massachusetts Ave.
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 987-6525
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 987-6525
Gr: K-8 | 499 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #2020.
Lakewood Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
755 Somerset Avenue
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-3600
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-3600
Gr: 7-8 | 582 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #2121.
Lakehurst Elementary School
(Math: 15-19% | Reading: 12%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
301 Union Ave
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 657-5741
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 657-5741
Gr: PK-8 | 404 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: n/an/a
Manchester Regional Day School
Special Education School
890 Toms River Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 928-1500
Jackson, NJ 08527
(732) 928-1500
Gr: PK-12 | 64 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 66%
Rank: n/an/a
Ocean Regional School
Alternative School
1141 Old Freehold Rd
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
Gr: 2-12
Ocean County Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Quick Facts
25 Birdsall Street
Barnegat, NJ 08005
(609) 698-5818
Barnegat, NJ 08005
(609) 698-5818
Gr: K-5 | 138 students Minority enrollment: 12%
Enhancement Technical Prg Lake High School (Closed 2012)
Vocational School
Naes
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 657-8198
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 657-8198
Gr: 12 | 2 students Student-teacher ratio: 1:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Merdian Acad-lakewood (Closed 2010)
Special Education School
150 Oberlin Avenue North
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-1228
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 905-1228
Gr: Inquire with school | 34 students Minority enrollment: 53%
Middle School U At New Lisbon (Closed 2014)
Alternative School
M S U New Lisbon, Developmenta
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
131 Evergreen Road
New Egypt, NJ 08533
(609) 758-6800
New Egypt, NJ 08533
(609) 758-6800
Gr: PK-K | 98 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 9%
Ocean County Juv Det Center (Closed 2014)
Alternative School
165 Sunset Avenue
Toms River, NJ 08754
(732) 341-1365
Toms River, NJ 08754
(732) 341-1365
Gr: 10-12 | 12 students Minority enrollment: 67%
Hangar One, Joint Base Mcguire
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 286-5678
Lakehurst, NJ 08733
(732) 286-5678
Gr: 11-12
Ocean Trans Ed Center (Closed 2023)
Alternative School
1141 Old Freehold Rd
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
Toms River, NJ 08753
(732) 505-4180
Central And Fourth Aves
Seaside Park, NJ 08752
(732) 793-0177
Seaside Park, NJ 08752
(732) 793-0177
Gr: PK-6
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public middle schools in Ocean County, NJ?
The top ranked public middle schools in Ocean County, NJ include Memorial Middle School, G. Harold Antrim Elementary School and Bay Head Elementary School.
How many public middle schools are located in Ocean County?
24 public middle schools are located in Ocean County.
What is the racial composition of students in Ocean County?
Ocean County public middle schools minority enrollment is 40% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the New Jersey public middle schools average of 68% (majority Hispanic).
Which public middle schools in Ocean County are often viewed compared to one another?
Popular comparisons of public middle schools in Ocean County include: Christa Mcauliffe Middle School vs. Carl W. Goetz Middle School, Carl W. Goetz Middle School vs. Christa Mcauliffe Middle School, Ocean Rch vs. Ocean Regional School
Recent Articles
Why Single-Sex Public Schools are Growing in Popularity
This article examines the growing trend of single-sex public schools in the United States. It explores the potential benefits, research findings, and controversies surrounding gender-specific education, as well as the factors driving its increasing popularity among parents and educators.
When Teachers Cheat: The Standardized Test Controversies
Teachers across the country are being accused of cheating on standardized tests, using erasers to conveniently change their students’ answers. However, are these teachers driven to cheat because the funding system is flawed?
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
Recent deaths during field trips have parents and school officials questioning the safety of these excursions. Learn about these tragedies and what parameters should be in place to ensure a safe field trip.
