Summary
Academy for Math Engineering & Science is a small, specialized public high school in the Salt Lake City area serving grades 9–12, with 460 students and an independently operated district structure focused on mathematics, engineering, and science. Its small size creates a very different setting from nearby comprehensive high schools, which enroll roughly 1,300 to 2,700 students. AMES ranks 22nd of 139 Utah high schools, placing it in the 84th percentile with four stars; it ranked 7th of 138 as recently as 2023–2024. Its 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio is also lower than those of most nearby large schools.
Academically, AMES remains one of the strongest local options, especially in mathematics. Its latest proficiency rates exceeded Utah averages in all six reported grade-subject areas, including mathematics results of 53.8% in ninth grade and 46.1% in tenth grade, compared with 39.4% and 29.4% statewide. AMES generally outperformed Olympus High, Murray High, Hillcrest High, Taylorsville High, and Cottonwood High in recent testing. However, Brighton High was stronger in English language arts, while Skyline High led AMES in most recent English and science comparisons.
Parents should also consider recent student-success indicators. AMES’s 89.1% graduation rate remains above most nearby comprehensive schools, but it declined sharply from 97.1% the previous year. Its 10.9% dropout rate is above Utah’s 8.5%, and chronic absenteeism rose to 23.5%, nearly three times the 2020–2021 level. Brighton and Skyline currently offer stronger graduation and dropout outcomes, while AMES retains a clearer advantage in mathematics. Overall, AMES offers a small, focused, academically strong environment, but families should ask how the school is addressing attendance, persistence, and weaker tenth-grade English and science results.
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