Massachusetts public high school

Waltham Sr High School

Waltham school district

B-

overall grade

Ranks #184 of 335 Massachusetts high schools.

Overall rank

#184

of 335 schools

Average SAT

1121

MA average 1091

Graduation rate

84%

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.

Waltham is a diverse city of about 65,000 residents located approximately 10 miles west of Boston along the Charles River. Once known as "Watch City" for its historic role as the center of American watchmaking in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Waltham is now home to a mix of residential neighborhoods, technology companies, and Brandeis University. The city combines urban amenities with its preserved industrial heritage, including the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation housed in the former Boston Manufacturing Company building.

How it compares

What stands out

Strongest area: SAT scores, in the top 44% statewide. The average SAT score is 1121, vs 1091 at the typical MA high school.
Area to watch: Graduation rate ranks in the bottom 17% statewide.
Trend: The share of graduates planning on college has risen from 61.2% in 2022 to 68.7% in 2025.
Trend: The average SAT score is up 44 points since 2022 (1077 to 1121).

Where it stands among 335 Massachusetts high schools

Bottom of MATop of MA

Overall

Averagebottom 46% · #184

SAT

Averagetop 44% · #146

ELA MCAS

Below averagebottom 29% · #235

Math MCAS

Averagebottom 46% · #180

AP results

Averagetop 46% · #146

Graduation

Below averagebottom 17% · #277

College plans

Below averagebottom 30% · #235

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 score1121in 2025 · MA avg 1091

30 points above the MA avg

By section (out of 800)

Reading & writingBetter than average

This school

575

MA avg

556

MathAbout average

This school

546

MA avg

535

205 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 Arts34%in 2026 · state 45%

11 points below the state

Math38%in 2026 · state 44%

6 points below the state

Detailed scores

Average scaled score, ELA · Math · Science (500+ = meeting expectations)490 · 492 · —

Achievement percentile vs. MA schools (ELA · Math)29th · 43rd

Student growth percentile, ELA · Math (50 = typical growth)42 · 46

AP & advanced courses

AP exams scored 3+73%in 2025 · MA avg 66%

7 points above the MA avg

Score breakdown

Score 5: 17%Score 4: 30%Score 3: 26%Score 2: 19%Score 1: 7%

412 students took 854 AP exams. A 3 or higher can earn college credit.

Completed an advanced coursegrades 11–12Worse than average

This school

56.4%

MA avg

71.4%

9th graders passing all coursesWorse than average

This school

70.5%

MA avg

82.6%

After high school

Four-year graduation rate84%in 2024 · MA avg 92%

7 points below the MA avg

Dropped outof the four-year classWorse than average

This school

9.9%

MA avg

4.3%

4% of the class were still in school after four years.

Plan to attend college69%in 2025 · state 72%

4 points below the state

Graduates' plans · 408 graduates

4-year private college

29.7%

4-year public college

24.8%

Work

20.1%

2-year public college

13.7%

Other / unknown

6.6%

Students

Who attends

Hispanic/Latino

52.4%

White

32.2%

Black/African American

Asian

3.4%

Multi-Race

2.9%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.1%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0.1%

45.2% female · 54.7% male · 0.2% nonbinary

Student needs

High needslow income, English learner, or disabilityHigher than average

This school

61.8%

MA avg

50.7%

Low incomeHigher than average

This school

49.8%

MA avg

39%

English learnersHigher than average

This school

16.7%

MA avg

8.6%

Teachers

Licensed teachersAbout average

This school

98.8%

MA avg

95.9%

Experienced teachersAbout average

This school

67.9%

MA avg

73.4%

Teaching in their fieldAbout average

This school

90.2%

MA avg

84.6%

Students per teacher

10.4MA avg 11.8

172.1 full-time-equivalent teachers

Attendance & safety

Attendance rateWorse than average

This school

91%

MA avg

92.3%

Chronically absentmissed 10%+ of daysWorse than average

This school

30.5%

MA avg

22.3%

15 days absent per student (MA avg 13.2) · Suspensions: 4.9% out-of-school, 0.6% in-school (MA high school avg 4% / 2.2%)

About Waltham

Middlesex County · Greater Boston — Inside I-95

Avg single-family home value$503KMA median $588K

Avg property tax bill$5,189MA median $6,814

Tax rate$10.30 per $1,000MA median $12.40

Income per person$48,365MA median $47,872

Local kids in public school88.1%

Town bond ratingAA+

Free cash reserves16.5% of budget

Waltham 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.

Similar schools elsewhere

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

Leominster High School

Leominster

B-

#172 in MASAT 1092Graduation 94%94% match

Framingham High School

Framingham

B-

#137 in MASAT 1159Graduation 79%93% match

Somerville High

Somerville

B-

#142 in MASAT 1175Graduation 88%93% match

Holbrook Middle High School

Holbrook

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#138 in MASAT 1101Graduation 91%90% match