Massachusetts public high school

Methuen High School

Methuen school district

C+

overall grade

Ranks #224 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#224

of 335 schools

Average SAT

1098

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

88%

MA average 92%

Plan on college

71%

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.

Methuen is a city of approximately 53,000 residents in northeastern Massachusetts, located about 30 miles north of Boston along the New Hampshire border. The city has a strong industrial heritage dating back to the 19th century textile mills and is home to the sprawling Loop shopping center, one of the region's major retail destinations. Methuen is known for its diverse, working-class character and its Spicket River, which runs through the downtown area.

How it compares

What stands out

Best of its categories: AP results, in the bottom 45% statewide. 68% of AP exams in 2025 scored 3 or higher, vs 66% at the typical MA high school.
Area to watch: Math MCAS ranks in the bottom 14% statewide.
Trend: ELA MCAS is down 23 points since 2023 (48% to 25%); statewide it fell 13 points.
Trend: Math MCAS is down 15 points since 2023 (35% to 20%); statewide it fell 6 points.

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Below averagebottom 34% · #224

SAT

Averagebottom 44% · #190

ELA MCAS

Below averagebottom 15% · #280

Math MCAS

Below averagebottom 14% · #286

AP results

Averagebottom 45% · #177

Graduation

Below averagebottom 25% · #252

College plans

Below averagebottom 34% · #221

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 score1098in 2025 · MA avg 1091

About the same as the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingAbout average

This school

560

MA avg

556

MathAbout average

This school

538

MA avg

535

156 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 Arts25%in 2026 · state 45%

20 points below the state

Math20%in 2026 · state 44%

24 points below the state

Biologyhigh school science, 2026Worse than average

This school

25%

State

38%

Detailed scores

Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)483 · 484 · 482

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)15th · 18th

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)41 · 38

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+68%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

2 points above the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 10%Score 4: 26%Score 3: 32%Score 2: 22%Score 1: 10%

395 students took 777 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12Worse than average

This school

53.4%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesAbout average

This school

74.7%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate88%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

4 points below the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classWorse than average

This school

5.5%

MA avg

4.3%

0.8% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college71%in 2025 · state 72%

About the same as the state

Graduates' plans · 488 graduates

2-year public college

29.7%

4-year public college

23.4%

4-year private college

16.6%

Work

12.9%

Students

Who attends

Hispanic/Latino

51.9%

White

35.7%

Black/African American

6.8%

Asian

3.9%

Multi-Race

1.7%

47% female · 52.7% male · 0.2% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityHigher than average

This school

59.2%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeHigher than average

This school

50.5%

MA avg

39%

English learnersHigher than average

This school

16.4%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

97.8%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersAbout average

This school

71.2%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldAbout average

This school

87.8%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

13.1MA avg 11.8

140.8 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateWorse than average

This school

87.5%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average

This school

42.4%

MA avg

22.3%

21.4 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 5% out-of-school, 4.4% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%) · 0.1% expelled

About Methuen

Essex County · North Shore & Merrimack Valley

Avg single-family home value$580KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$6,037MA median $6,814

Tax rate$10.40 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$37,068MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school89%

Town bond ratingAA-

Free cash reserves9.5% of budget

Methuen 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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