Rahway High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Rahway, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school of the Rahway Public Schools. The high school's present location was built in 1941. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1931; the school's current accreditation extends until July 2029.Rahway High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 22, 2024.

As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,270 students and 103.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. There were 619 students (48.7% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 108 (8.5% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Rahway High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.

Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 215th-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.Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 5, 2014. The school had been ranked 191st in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 261st in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 12, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 249th in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed March 16, 2011. Schooldigger.com ranked the school as 316th out of 376 public high schools statewide in its 2010 rankings (a decrease of 13 positions from the 2009 rank) 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 (HSPA).New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2009-2010, Schooldigger.com. Accessed February 5, 2012.

Advanced Placement courses Rahway High School offers Advanced Placement courses in AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP United States History, AP United States Government and Politics, AP Comparative Government & Politics, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and AP Physics.Rahway High School 2013-14 School Performance Report, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 4, 2015.

Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP)

Beginning in 2007 with support from Rahway alumnus and former Merck & Co. CEO P. Roy Vagelos, President of The Marianthi Foundation, the new Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP) was introduced. The APIP Program involves naming teachers as AP Teacher, Pre-AP Placement Teacher, Lead Teacher, and AP Advisor, providing financial incentives for students and teachers based upon AP enrollment and AP exam results.Casiano, Jonathan. "For AP students, school has cash; Extra motivation in rigorous courses", The Star-Ledger, December 23, 2007. Accessed July 9, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Modeled after, a similar program in Dallas, the Advanced Placement Incentive Program, or APIP, is a partnership between Rahway schools and the Marianthi Foundation, a local philanthropy founded by R. Roy Vagelos, a former Merck CEO and Rahway High School alumnus. APIP's goal is to change the perception that AP classes are for the elite, and motivate capable students to give the harder courses a try. Rahway High is the first school in New Jersey to use the APIP program."

Vagelos Scholars Program

Rahway High School seniors who are admitted to and attend a U.S. News & World Report ranked Top 25 National University or Liberal Arts College will receive a scholarship from the Marianthi Foundation. The Vagelos Scholarship, established in 2001, is funded by retired Merck and Co. CEO P. Roy Vagelos."Five seniors win awards", Home News Tribune, August 6, 2007. Accessed July 9, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "The scholarship program began in 2001.... To be eligible for a Vagelos scholarship, students must be in good standing at Rahway High School and must be accepted into one of the top 25 national liberal arts colleges or universities as determined by the annual report by U.S. News and World Report. Candidates must apply and inform the high school principal no later than Oct. 15 of their senior year in order to be considered."

Athletics The Rahway High School IndiansRahway High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Union County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021 Accessed October 20, 2020. Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had participated in the Mountain Valley Conference, which included public and private high schools in Essex, Somerset and Union counties.Home Page, Mountain Valley Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 2, 2011. Accessed December 15, 2014. With 784 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.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The football team competes in Division 3 of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location.Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties." The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 893 to 1,315 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.

The boys' basketball team won the Class B (since reclassified as Group III) state championship in 1930, defeating Weehawken High School by a score of 24–16 in the tournament final played in front of a crowd of 5,000 at the 144th Regiment Armory in Elizabeth.NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020."Jersey Title Won By New Brunswick; Gains Class A Championship First Time, Beating Union Hill Five, 26-18. Rahway Class B Victor Triumphs Over Woodrow Wilson by 24-16--St. Benedict's Retains Prep Crown.", The New York Times, March 23, 1930. Accessed January 25, 2021. "For the first time since the inception of the title play eleven years ago New Brunswick has won the New Jersey Class A high school basketball crown and Rahway the Class B championship. They emerged victors in the finals of their respective divisions tonight at the 114th Regiment Armory before 5,000. New Brunswick defeated Union Hill, 26-18, in a closely contested game and Rahway downed Woodrow Wilson of Weehawken by a score of 24-16."

The boys cross country team won the Group III state championship in 1952.NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The boys' track team won the indoor relay state championships in Group IV in 1970, and in Group III in 1972 and 1981, and in Group II in 2007, 2009 and 2018. The six state championships are the seventh-most of any public high school in the state.History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships , New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.

The boys track team won the indoor track Group III state championship in 1971 and 1972.Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024. The girls team won the Group III title in 1983 (as co-champion) and 1984.Girls Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1981-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.

The boys track team won the spring / outdoor track title as Group III champion in 1971, 1972 and 1985.NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The football team won the North II Group III state sectional championships in 1978, 1979 and 1984.NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. In 1978, the team scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the North II Group III sectional championship game to defeat Phillipsburg High School by a score of 23–10 in front of a crowd of 4,500 to finish the season with a 9–2 record.Wismer, Ted. "P-Burg drops bid for 2nd straight title", The Morning Call, December 3, 1978. Accessed February 4, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Phillipsburg failed to make almost-sure interceptions twice in the final period and it cost the Stateliners a second straight NJSIAA Group 3 championship yesterday. After a listless first half which saw Rahway hold the potent Stateliner offense to just 30 yards, Coach Bob Stem's team wiped out a 9-0 deficit and stake a 10-9 lead with 8:09 remaining in the game. But the Indians had all the big plays in the closing minutes three to be exact as they scored twice in the final-4:32 to earn a 23-10 victory before 4,500 in Maloney Stadium.... Only this time John Bodnar, lying on his stomach in the end zone made the catch and the Indians (9-2) led 16-10 after Hugger's perfect placement." The 1979 team finished the season with a 10–1 record after defeating Phillipsburg High School by a score of 14–6 in the North II Group III state sectional championship game played at Giants Stadium."Pascack Hills, Sparta, Mahwah, Rahway win", New York Daily News, December 2, 1979. Accessed January 16, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Rahway 14, Phillipsburg 6 - Defending champion Rahway, sparked by the running of Harold (Butch) Young (145 yards rushing on 15 carries), won the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 title with a pair of second-period touchdowns at Giants Stadium.... Herman Blanks' 28-yard run gave Rahway (10-1) a 14-0 half-time lead."

The girls track team won the spring track Group III state title in 1983.NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The wrestling team won the North II Group II state sectional championship in 1989 and 1999, and won in North II Group III in 2001Boys Wrestling Championship History: 1934–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Updated October 2024. Accessed July 1, 2025.

The boys bowling team won the Group I state championship in 2015.History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.

Extracurricular activities