Massachusetts public high school

Northbridge High School

Northbridge school district

B-

overall grade

Ranks #174 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#174

of 335 schools

Average SAT

1037

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

90%

MA average 92%

Plan on college

74%

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.

Northbridge is a small town in south-central Massachusetts, about 15 miles south of Worcester, characterized by its rural New England character and historic mill village centers along the Blackstone River. The town was once a thriving textile manufacturing center in the 19th century and is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, which preserves the region's industrial history. Today, Northbridge retains a quiet, residential feel while its proximity to Worcester and the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border makes it accessible to larger urban areas.

How it compares

What stands out

Strongest area: AP results, in the top 35% statewide. 78% of AP exams in 2025 scored 3 or higher, vs 66% at the typical MA high school.
Area to watch: SAT scores rank in the bottom 24% statewide.
Trend: ELA MCAS is down 24 points since 2023 (64% to 40%); statewide it fell 13 points.
Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 35.6% in 2022 to 25.7% in 2025.

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Averagebottom 49% · #174

SAT

Below averagebottom 24% · #257

ELA MCAS

Averagebottom 42% · #194

Math MCAS

Averagetop 49% · #158

AP results

Above averagetop 35% · #109

Graduation

Below averagebottom 29% · #237

College plans

Averagebottom 42% · #193

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 score1037in 2025 · MA avg 1091

54 points below the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingWorse than average

This school

534

MA avg

556

MathWorse than average

This school

503

MA avg

535

84 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 Arts40%in 2026 · state 45%

5 points below the state

Math42%in 2026 · state 44%

2 points below the state

Biologyhigh school science, 2026Worse than average

This school

24%

State

38%

Detailed scores

Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)495 · 494 · 485

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)46th · 51st

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)51 · 45

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+78%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

12 points above the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 15%Score 4: 34%Score 3: 29%Score 2: 21%Score 1: 1%

76 students took 118 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12Worse than average

This school

48.2%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesAbout average

This school

89.3%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate90%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

2 points below the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classBetter than average

This school

3.2%

MA avg

4.3%

2.4% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college74%in 2025 · state 72%

2 points above the state

Graduates' plans · 92 graduates

4-year public college

45.7%

Work

19.6%

4-year private college

17.4%

2-year public college

10.9%

Students

Who attends

White

77.1%

Hispanic/Latino

15.3%

Multi-Race

3.2%

Black/African American

2.3%

Asian

2.1%

51% female · 48.6% male · 0.4% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityAbout average

This school

48.5%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeAbout average

This school

38.4%

MA avg

39%

English learnersLower than average

This school

4.8%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

97.1%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersAbout average

This school

74.4%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldBetter than average

This school

95.5%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

10.8MA avg 11.8

43.6 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateAbout average

This school

92.4%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average

This school

25.7%

MA avg

22.3%

13.3 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 4.5% out-of-school, 0% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%)

About Northbridge

Worcester County · Central Massachusetts

Avg single-family home value$509KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$5,922MA median $6,814

Tax rate$11.60 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$46,340MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school88.3%

Town bond ratingAA+

Free cash reserves6.3% of budget

Northbridge 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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