Massachusetts public high school

Peabody Veterans Memorial High School

Peabody school district

C+

overall grade

Ranks #225 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#225

of 335 schools

Average SAT

1088

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

86%

MA average 92%

Plan on college

72%

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.

Peabody is a diverse, working-class city in Essex County, located about 15 miles north of Boston. Known historically as the "Leather Capital of the World" due to its once-thriving tanning industry, the city has transformed into a commercial hub anchored by the Northshore Mall and numerous retail centers. Peabody Veterans Memorial High School serves the city's approximately 54,000 residents and is known for its strong technical and vocational programs alongside its comprehensive academic offerings.

How it compares

What stands out

Best of its categories: AP results, in the bottom 38% statewide. 64% 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 19% statewide.
Trend: Chronic absence has fallen from 46.4% in 2022 to 22.2% in 2025.
Trend: Math MCAS is down 15 points since 2023 (39% to 24%); statewide it fell 6 points.

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Below averagebottom 34% · #225

SAT

Averagebottom 40% · #205

ELA MCAS

Below averagebottom 19% · #267

Math MCAS

Below averagebottom 19% · #268

AP results

Averagebottom 38% · #201

Graduation

Below averagebottom 19% · #270

College plans

Below averagebottom 35% · #219

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 score1088in 2025 · MA avg 1091

About the same as the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingAbout average

This school

557

MA avg

556

MathAbout average

This school

531

MA avg

535

100 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 Arts28%in 2026 · state 45%

17 points below the state

Math24%in 2026 · state 44%

20 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)486 · 484 · 480

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)19th · 18th

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)41 · 31

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+64%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

2 points below the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 10%Score 4: 25%Score 3: 29%Score 2: 28%Score 1: 8%

286 students took 568 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12Worse than average

This school

48.7%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesWorse than average

This school

66.3%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate86%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

6 points below the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classWorse than average

This school

7.6%

MA avg

4.3%

3.8% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college72%in 2025 · state 72%

About the same as the state

Graduates' plans · 319 graduates

4-year public college

30.1%

4-year private college

28.5%

Work

19.1%

2-year public college

13.2%

Apprenticeship

4.4%

Students

Who attends

White

60.9%

Hispanic/Latino

26.9%

Black/African American

7.7%

Multi-Race

2.5%

Asian

1.6%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.4%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0.1%

48.3% female · 51.6% male · 0.1% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityHigher than average

This school

60.5%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeHigher than average

This school

47.1%

MA avg

39%

English learnersHigher than average

This school

14.3%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

97.8%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersAbout average

This school

76.4%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldAbout average

This school

87.9%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

10.3MA avg 11.8

129.4 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateAbout average

This school

92.8%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysAbout average

This school

22.2%

MA avg

22.3%

12.3 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 4% out-of-school, 4.1% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%)

About Peabody

Essex County · North Shore & Merrimack Valley

Avg single-family home value$677KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$6,411MA median $6,814

Tax rate$9.50 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$40,500MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school88.2%

Free cash reserves4.8% of budget

Peabody 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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