These are the 10 best Illinois high schools in 2025, US News says. Did yours rank?
A Chicago institution with a 96% graduation rate is the best public high school in Illinois, according to the latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report.
The Best Illinois High Schools analysis for 2025-26 put Payton College Preparatory High School in the No. 1 spot for the Land of Lincoln, among 715 public high schools evaluated statewide. The school was also ranked the 32nd best in the nation.
“Our ranking reflects the collective efforts of our entire school community and our ongoing commitment to building a strong, supportive culture for both students and faculty,” Payton College Preparatory High School Principal Fareeda Shabazz-Anderson wrote in an emailed statement to the News-Democrat.
The latest U.S. News & World Report high school rankings were released Aug. 19, and compared schools’ performances for college readiness, state exam proficiency rates, graduation rates, underserved student performance and more.
While no metro-east high schools were named among the top 50 best high schools in Illinois, Mascoutah High School was named the 28th best high school in the St. Louis metro area, Edwardsville High School took 29th place and O’Fallon Township High School was in 34th for the metro.
Here’s how the top 10 best high schools in Illinois compared, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Top 10 best high schools in Illinois for 2025-26
1. Payton College Preparatory High School
Overall score: 99.82 out of 100
Location: Chicago
Payton College Preparatory High School has a graduation rate of 96%, a math proficiency rate of 86% and a reading proficiency rate of 88%. The school has 1,265 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1.
2. Northside College Preparatory High School
Overall score: 99.78
Location: Chicago
Northside College Preparatory High School has a graduation rate of 97%, a math proficiency rate of 94% and a reading proficiency rate of 93%. The school has 1,032 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1, and was ranked 40th in the U.S.
3. Lane Technical High School
Overall score: 99.6
Location: Chicago
Lane Technical High School has a graduation rate of 96%, a math proficiency rate of 88% and a reading proficiency rate of 90%. The school has 4,252 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17-to-1, and was ranked 72nd in the U.S.
4. Young Magnet High School
Overall score: 99.42
Location: Chicago
Young Magnet High School has a graduation rate of 95%, a math proficiency rate of 91% and a reading proficiency rate of 90%. The school has 1,949 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17-to-1, and was ranked 104th in the U.S.
5. Jones College Prep High School
Overall score: 99.41
Location: Chicago
Jones College Prep High School has a graduation rate of 94%, a math proficiency rate of 87% and a reading proficiency rate of 92%. The school has 1,973 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17-to-1, and was ranked 106th in the U.S.
6. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Overall score: 99.33
Location: Aurora
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy has a graduation rate of 93%, a math proficiency rate of 95% and a reading proficiency rate of 92%. The school has 630 students and was ranked 120th in the U.S. A student-to-teacher ratio was not available.
7. University of Illinois High School
Overall score: 99.31
Location: Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois High School has a graduation rate of 98%, a math proficiency rate of 98% and a reading proficiency rate of 100%. The school has 250 students and was ranked 124th in the U.S. A student-to-teacher ratio was not available.
8. Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Overall score: 98.87
Location: Lincolnshire
Adlai E. Stevenson High School has a graduation rate of 95%, a math proficiency rate of 73% and a reading proficiency rate of 72%. The school has 4,614 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 16-to-1, and was ranked 203rd in the U.S.
9. Hinsdale Central High School
Overall score: 98.31
Location: Hinsdale
Hinsdale Central High School has a graduation rate of 96%, a math proficiency rate of 70% and a reading proficiency rate of 76%. The school has 2,436 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1, and was ranked 302nd in the U.S.
10. Hancock College Preparatory High School
Overall score: 98.25
Location: Chicago
Hancock College Preparatory High School has a graduation rate of 98%, a math proficiency rate of 50% and a reading proficiency rate of 52%. The school has 1,032 students, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15-to-1, and was ranked 314th in the U.S.
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