Massachusetts public high school

Lowell High School

Lowell school district

C+

overall grade

Ranks #219 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#219

of 335 schools

Average SAT

1090

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

82%

MA average 92%

Plan on college

69%

MA average 72%

SAT is the average total score of test takers. Graduation is the four-year rate. College is the share of graduates who report plans to attend a 2- or 4-year college.

Lowell is a mid-sized city in northeastern Massachusetts, about 25 miles northwest of Boston, located at the confluence of the Merrimack and Concord rivers. Once the cradle of the American Industrial Revolution, Lowell is known for its preserved 19th-century mill buildings, canal system, and its designation as a National Historical Park. Today, the city has a notably diverse population and has transformed from its textile manufacturing past into a center for healthcare, education, and technology.

How it compares

What stands out

Best of its categories: AP results, in the bottom 44% statewide. 67% of AP exams in 2025 scored 3 or higher, vs 66% at the typical MA high school.
Area to watch: Graduation rate ranks in the bottom 12% statewide.
Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 42% in 2022 to 33.1% in 2025.
Trend: The average SAT score is up 38 points since 2022 (1052 to 1090).

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Below averagebottom 35% · #219

SAT

Averagebottom 41% · #200

ELA MCAS

Below averagebottom 26% · #244

Math MCAS

Below averagebottom 25% · #249

AP results

Averagebottom 44% · #182

Graduation

Below averagebottom 12% · #293

College plans

Below averagebottom 31% · #232

The overall rank weighs SAT (30%), MCAS (25%), AP results (20%), and graduates' college plans (25%). Categories rank only the schools with data for them. How we rank

SAT

Average total score1090in 2025 · MA avg 1091

About the same as the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingAbout average

This school

545

MA avg

556

MathAbout average

This school

545

MA avg

535

318 students took the SAT.

"MA avg" is the average of the 335 high schools we rank. Only students who choose to take the SAT are counted.

MCAS (10th grade)

Share of 10th graders meeting or exceeding expectations. Statewide results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement. There was no test in 2020.

English Language Arts33%in 2026 · state 45%

12 points below the state

Math27%in 2026 · state 44%

17 points below the state

Biologyhigh school science, 2026Worse than average

This school

23%

State

38%

Detailed scores

Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)488 · 486 · 480

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)23rd · 23rd

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)56 · 42

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+67%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

About the same as the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 12%Score 4: 28%Score 3: 26%Score 2: 22%Score 1: 11%

241 students took 415 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12Worse than average

This school

43%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesWorse than average

This school

50.5%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate82%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

10 points below the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classWorse than average

This school

9.2%

MA avg

4.3%

5.7% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college69%in 2025 · state 72%

3 points below the state

Graduates' plans · 768 graduates

2-year public college

32.6%

4-year public college

26.3%

Work

17.4%

4-year private college

10.2%

Students

Who attends

Hispanic/Latino

40.9%

Asian

28.2%

White

18%

Black/African American

9.2%

Multi-Race

3.6%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.1%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0.1%

47.6% female · 52.3% male · 0.2% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityHigher than average

This school

77%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeHigher than average

This school

66.7%

MA avg

39%

English learnersHigher than average

This school

24.6%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

94%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersAbout average

This school

68.5%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldAbout average

This school

78.5%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

14.8MA avg 11.8

232.3 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateWorse than average

This school

89.1%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average

This school

33.1%

MA avg

22.3%

18.5 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 3.9% out-of-school, 0.2% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%)

About Lowell

Middlesex County · North Shore & Merrimack Valley

Avg single-family home value$515KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$5,844MA median $6,814

Tax rate$11.40 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$27,446MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school92.9%

Town bond ratingAA-

Free cash reserves1.7% of budget

Lowell district profile · What could you afford here? · All towns A–Z

Town figures are FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices. "MA median" is the median of the state's 351 towns.

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Schools with similar test results, demographics, and college plans.

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Salem High

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Greater Commonwealth Virtual School

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#240 in MASAT 1096Graduation 59%89% match

Haverhill High

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#223 in MASAT 1101Graduation 82%88% match