Your high school education can play a big role in mapping out the trajectory of your future career path. From the subjects you engage with to the grades you receive, your high school education and the subsequent assessments will determine what options you have available to you when it comes to studying at college after you graduate. Knowing what each school brings to the table can help you make a smarter, more confident decision. We’ve compiled the 15 best high schools in Illinois to help you make a more informed decision as to what the best school for you might be.
What Are the Top Schools in Illinois?
Across the Prairie State, standout schools offer exceptional academic programs, supportive learning environments, and high college acceptance rates. The best public high schools in Illinois often feature AP/honors courses, specialized career pathways, and award-winning extracurriculars. Private schools in Illinois similarly boast small class sizes and world-class faculty. Below are some of the top public and private institutions shaping Illinois’ educational landscape.
There are approximately 724 high schools in Illinois, including public, private, and charter institutions across the state.
Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
🏆 Ranking: #1 in Illinois, #25 nationally
📌 Location: Chicago, IL
There are some schools out there whose names just command attention. Walter Payton Prep is most certainly one of them. When admissions boards and employers are scanning through stacks of resumes, this is a high school that immediately jumps off the page.
It’s ranked not just No. 1 in the state, but it's even among the top 5 public high schools nationwide. In particular, the school has a reputation for advanced STEM programs and a strong global curriculum, offering Mandarin immersion, travel opportunities, and college-level rigor. Sounds like just bout everything a student might have on their checklist, right? So, if you have the grades, why not go for it?
Northside College Preparatory High School
🏆 Ranking: #2 in Illinois, ranked nationally at #35
📌 Location: Chicago, IL
The second spot is equally as deserved, with Northside Prep offering students in the state a perfect blend between elite academics and a deeply student-centered approach. As you might expect when you begin looking at the top high schools in Illinois, they come with a competitive admission process, as all of the brightest students will be gunning for their spot in a classroom here.
They offer an AP-heavy curriculum that will help you get to whatever course you’ve got your eyes on for when you get done with high school. Even if you don’t have it all mapped out just yet, this school will help you maxmize your grades, ensuring you have as many options available to you by the time you finish.
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Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
🏆 Ranking: #3 in Illinois (per Niche), unranked nationally
📌 Location: Aurora, IL
It should come as no surprise to see this high school place so highly on our list. The school is for the most gifted and academic students in the state, placing a massive focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. Industries in STEM are some of the fastest-growing across the world, a trend that seems to continue at an exponential rate. Students flock to this high school as a means of preparing for a STEM course at college or in a related career path thereafter.
Not only does having this school down on your resume communicate your aptitude for academics, but it also communicates your passions and prior knowledge when ot comes to these subjects. Going about your learning here is almost like a glimpse into college life, seeing as students will be diving deep into advanced coursework and hands-on research.
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
🏆 Ranking: #3 in Illinois, ranked nationally at #52
📌 Location: Chicago, IL
Whitney Young has long been one of the most well-rounded public schools in the state. One thing that students appreciate when working their way through a list of potential schools that they may look to enrol at is the degree of choice offered, allowing them to steer their learning in the direction they desire.
Well, how does having over 25 AP courses, championship-winning sports teams, and a vibrant arts program sound?
It’s safe to say that you’ll have plenty to engage in as you declutter your mind and further your education outside of the classroom.
Students who are lucky and bright enough to earn a place here have over 100 clubs to partake in, as well as the opportunity to secure internships or enroll in pre-professional pathways. So, while the grades are most certainly up there, you can see that there’s so much more to this school that makes it one of the best in Illinois.
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Jones College Prep High School
🏆 Ranking: #4 in Illinois, Ranked nationally at #53
📌 Location: Chicago, IL
Location is often one of the biggest factors that determines a student's decision as to where they go to pursue their high school education. After all, you’ve got to consider the daily commute that you’ll have to make each morning, which can have a measurable effect on your attitude towards learning. Thankfully, Chicago has a great transport system that makes this high-performing school accessible to the masses. Located in the South Loop of Chicago, Jones College Prep gives students access to some of the city’s most exciting resources, from museums to internships. Students here tend to follow pathways in law, business, and fine arts, and will be pushed to meet the high expectations of the school.
Illinois high schools are required to have students meet certain criteria to graduate, including four years of language arts, three years of math, and one year of art, music, a foreign language, or vocational education.
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
🏆 Ranking: #6 in Illinois, Ranked nationally at #194
📌 Location: Lincolshire, IL
There are few stamps as reassuring as a school being a top performer year in and year out. Stevenson High is a school that has built its reputation on the back of hard work and its experienced faculty. When you put the school under a fine lens, it seemingly does everything well. From AP Scholars to championship sports teams, the school offers opportunities for every kind of student, explaining why it's such a popular option here in Illinois. Even with a student body of over 4,000, Stevenson maintains a welcoming and structured environment, helping students narrow the gap between their current selves and the students they wish to be by the time they get around to graduating high school.
Lane Tech College Prep High School
🏆 Ranking: #5 in Illinois, Ranked nationally at #60
📌 Location: Chicago, IL
Another school comprising of over 4,000 students, without any sacrifice to the exceptional learning experience it manages to provide is Lane Tech. The specialized programs in engineering, computer science, and the arts that are offered at the school make it stand out even among some of the elite company mentioned over the course of this article.
The school is known far and wide as the “School of Champions,” which, if nothing else, gives you a sense of its ethos. If you want to stack the odds in your favor and achieve the grades you know you are capable of, then you definitely going to want to consider this one.
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Hinsdale Central High School
🏆 Ranking: Among top-rated suburban schools—expected top 10 in state; exact national rank not specified
📌 Location: Hinsdale, IL
Hinsdale Central has long been a go-to for families in the western suburbs looking to ensure that they’re leaving their child’s education in more than capable hands. The ACT/SAT scores produced at this school speak for themselves, but alone, don’t encapsulate the entirety of the experience offered. With its wide selection of AP courses and active student organizations, it prepares students for the pressures and possibilities of all that lie ahead in college life. While these factors mightn’t be as apparent when skimming through the rankings, they are indeed major contributors as to why it’s considered one of the best schools in Illinois!
Glenbrook South High School
🏆 Ranking: Consistently ranked among top suburban high schools; exact U.S. News rank not noted
📌 Location: Glenview, IL
Next up on our list of the best schools in Illinois is Glenbrook South, a high school that consistently scores extremely highly in English, math, and science. While many students opt to study here as a means of developing their knowledge in these areas, the school’s learning experience goes far beyond just academics. It also offers thriving programs in the arts, leadership development, and community service, which all contribute in their own way to the transformative journey that makes the school so highly sought after.
Neuqua Valley High School
🏆 Ranking: Frequently ranked among top public schools in Illinois; precise state/national rank not cited
📌 Location: Naperville, IL
Neuqua Valley, located in Naperville, takes the tenth spot on our list of the best high schools in Illinois. While knowing that a school consistently ranks among the best schools in the country is more than reassuring to learn, it’s equally important to know exactly what earned the school the ranking in the first place.
Whether you opt for a stroll through the school grounds yourself or you ask any students who have ever enrolled here, you’ll find that the school offers everything a high school student could want.
Any student, past or present will likely tell you how their time here expanded their horizons.
When you consider the school’s science research labs, celebrated music program, and the dozens of AP offerings they offer, it’s no wonder why the school performs so well, sending graduates to the top colleges in the US.
New Trier Township High School
🏆 Ranking: Consistently appears in Illinois top 10; specific rank not listed
📌 Location: Winnetka, IL
Another factor to consider when evaluating a school is its long-standing reputation for success. Producing high grades is one thing, but the ability to do it time and time again is what propels certain schools above the rest. The next box that New Trier ticks for students is the choice it offers, not only helping students to excel in core school subjects, but also providing avenues for students to engage in other areas, such as ancient philosophy and modern filmmaking.
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Glenbrook North High School
🏆 Ranking: Often ranked in state’s top tier; exact rank nationally unknown
📌 Location: Northbrook, IL
Glenbrook North shares some of the same DNA as Glenbrook South but has carved its very own path, garnered its very own reputation, and clearly a strong one, deserving of the twelfth spot on our list. Students tend to score well across the board here, but do exceptionally well in the areas of speech, journalism, and STEM. There is plenty of support for students here at the school, with the faculty often receiving plenty of praise for their responsiveness and commitment to individual growth.
William Fremd High School
🏆 Ranking: Regularly featured in top suburban high school lists; detailed rank not confirmed
📌 Location: Palatine, IL
Students who’ve got their end goal in mind when going about the selection process for a suitable destination for their learning often turn to this gem.
This is because the school facilitates its students to take part in AP Capstone, engineering pathways, and dual-credit options with nearby colleges.
This goes a long way in helping students build a strong college application and enhances their chances of admission into their desired course, too.
This is something that doesn’t necessarily show when looking solely at the impressive grades produced at the school, but nonetheless contributes to its reputation as one of the best schools in Illinois.
Metea Valley High School
🏆 Ranking: Included in lists of top 15; no U.S. News rank specified
📌 Location: Aurora/Naperville, IL
There’s no evident drop-off in standards as we progress further in our list. This shows just how high the standard is when it comes to high school education across the state of Illinois. This next school would easily lead you to believe it was a college with its modern and well-resourced campus. It also offers a variety of electives in fields like business, digital media, and health sciences, alongside a solid AP program.
Students in 11th grade are assessed through the SAT and the Illinois Science Assessment. There are a wide variety of high schools in Illinois, including public, private, and charter options, with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) alone offering over 160 programs.
Vernon Hills High School
🏆 Ranking: Recognized as one of Illinois' top schools; specific ranking not publicly cited
📌 Location: Vernon Hills, IL
Finishing off the top 15 is Vernon Hills, a smaller suburban school that is renowned not just in strong test scores, but also for how it promotes inclusion and curiosity in its student body. In terms of what students can avail of, you’ve got honors and AP classes, while also having student-led innovation through clubs, music, and STEM activities to try your hand at. It definitely fits the bill if you’re looking for somewhere to work on developing that academic strength in a more personal setting.
Whether you're looking in the suburbs of Chicago or smaller communities throughout the state, Illinois offers a wide variety of high-performing high schools. From top-ranked public institutions to elite private campuses, students have access to exceptional educational opportunities that prepare them for success beyond graduation.
Broader insights from the top high schools across the US highlight regional variation.
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