The school was the 261st-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 296th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 302nd in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 272nd in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 312th in the magazine's September 2010 issue, which surveyed 332 schools across the state. Schooldigger.com ranked the school 270th out of 367 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the language arts literacy and mathematics components of the High School Proficiency Assessment.
Athletics
The Carteret High School Ramblers compete in the Greater Middlesex Conference, which includes public and private high schools located in the greater Middlesex County area and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 770 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range. For football, the school was classified by the NJSIAA as North Jersey Group III for 2018–20. School colors are royal blue and white. Sports offered include softball, bowling, track and field spring, soccer, basketball, football, tennis, wrestling and baseball. The boys' basketball team won the Group III state championship in 1932 vs. Weehawken High School by a final score of 28-27 and the Group II title in 1934 with a 42–38 victory over Ramsey High School in the tournament final. The boys track team won the indoor track Group III state championship in 1973 and the Group II title in 1987. The football team won the NJSIAA state sectional championships in Central Jersey Group III in 1976 and in Central Jersey Group II in 1992, 1996, 2007 and 2012. The 2007 football team won the Central Jersey, Group II state sectional championship with a 20–14 over Rumson-Fair Haven High School in a game played at Rutgers Stadium, The win was Carteret's fourth sectional title, and its first since 1996. The 2012 football team went undefeated at 12-0 and were crowned Central Jersey Group II champions as well. They beat Weequahic by the score of 13–12 in a game played at Metlife Stadium. The boys bowling team won the overall state championship in 2005. The girls bowling team won the Group II state championship in 2008.
Administration
Core members of the school's administration are:
David Salvatore, Principal
Christina Rozanski, Vice Principal
Then vice principal Nicholas Sysock was suspended without pay in October 2012 after being charged with possession of child pornography. After pleading guilty to a single count of possession of child pornography, Syscock was sentenced in August 2013 to three years in prison and will have limits on his access to children after his release.
Joseph A. Cafasso, former Fox News consultant on military and counterterrorism issues who left the network after allegations surfaced that he misrepresented his military record.