These are the top 25 high schools in Illinois, new list from U.S. News & World Report says (2024)

Five schools from Chicago and several others in the suburbs are among the top high schools in Illinois, according to a new list.

The new list, from U.S. News and World Report, titled "2024 Best High School Rankings," reviewed more than 24,000 public high schools in all 50 states, according to editors. Editors then categorized schools based on several factors including college readiness, state assessments, graduation rate, college curriculum breadth and underserved student performance, the report said.

The results formed a ranking of more than 17,660 public high schools across the country. It also served to rank the top high schools in each state.

Across the country, 11.5% of the ranked public high schools were charter schools, and 4.4% were magnet schools. Both Florida and Arizona led the list, with 12 high schools in the top 100. California was next, with 11 schools in the top 100.

In Illinois, a total of 673 schools were ranked. The top five schools in the state -- all selective enrollment or magnet schools -- were in Chicago. Many others that made the top 25 were in the Chicago suburbs.

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School was ranked as the No. 1 high school in Illinois, followed by Northside College Preparatory High School at No. 2. Rounding out the top five were Young Magnet High School at No. 3, Jones College Prep High School at No. 4 and Lane Technical High School came in at No. 5.

The first suburban Chicago school to appear on the list is Adlai E Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, at No. 6. Of the top 25 schools in Illinois, 24 are in the Chicago area.

Here's a glimpse into the top 25 high schools in Illinois, according to the report. The school's nationwide ranking is in parenthesis:

1. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago (No. 5 in national rankings)
2. Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago (No. 35 in national rankings)
3. Young Magnet High School, Chicago (No. 52 in national rankings)
4. Jones College Prep High School, Chicago (No. 53 in National Rankings)
5. Lane Technical High School, Chicago (No. 60 in national rankings)
6. Adlai E Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire (No. 194 in national rankings)
7. Brooks College Prep Academy High School, Chicago (No. 305 in national rankings)
8. Vernon Hills High School, Vernon Hills (No. 309 in national rankings)
9. Hanco*ck College Preparatory High School, Chicago (No. 327 in national rankings)
10. New Trier Township High School, Winnetka (No. 348 in national rankings)
11. Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdale (No. 350 in national rankings)
12. Libertyville High School, Libertyville (No. 351 in national rankings)
13. William Fremd High School, Palatine (No. 365 in national rankings)
14. Lake Forest High School, Lake Forest (No. 374 in national rankings)
15. Neuqua Valley High School, Naperville (No. 396 in national rankings)
16. Deerfield Township High School, Deerfield (No. 428 in national rankings)
17. John Hersey High School, Arlington Heights (No. 450 in national rankings)
18. University High School, Normal (No. 451in national rankings)
19. Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook (No. 464 in national rankings)
20. Barrington High School, Barrington (No. 467 in national rankings)
21. Glenbrook South High School, Glenview (No. 474 in national rankings)
22. Prospect High School, Mt. Prospect (No. 507 in national rankings)
23. Maine South High School, Park Ridge (No. 537 in national rankings)
24. Glenbard West High School, Glen Ellyn (No. 541 in national rankings)
25. Naperville North High School, Naperville (No. 638 in national rankings)

Here's a glimpse at the top 25 high schools in the nation, according to the report:

1. BASIS Charter Schools -- Peoria, Arizona
2. Signature School -- Evansville, Indiana
3. Tesla STEM High School -- Redmond, Washington
4. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School -- Chicago, Illinois
6. The School for the Talented and Gifted -- Dallas, Texas
7. Academic Magnet High School -- North Charleston, South Carolina
8. International Academy -- Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
9. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology -- Lawrenceville, Georgia
10. Riverside Stem Academy -- Riverside, California
11. Whitney High School -- Cerritos, California
12. Science Academy Stem Magnet -- North Hollywood, California
13. International Academy of Macomb, Clinton Township -- Michigan
14. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology -- Alexandria, Virginia
15. Haas Hall Bentonville -- Bentonville, Arkansas
16. The Early College at Guilford -- Greensboro, North Carolina
17. BASIS Oro Valley -- Oro Valley, Arizona
18. Pine View School -- Osprey, Florida
19. Central Magnet School -- Murfreesboro, Tennessee
20. Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science -- Albuquerque, New Mexico
21. Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School -- Montgomery, Alabama
22. Oxford Academy -- Cypress, California
23. Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School -- Dallas, Texas
24. High Technology High School -- Lincroft, New Jersey
25. Queens High School for the Sciences at York College -- Jamaica, New York

You can find the full report here.