As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Illinois using 2027 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
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1 / 25#25. York Community High School
- Location: Elmhurst School District No. 205, IL
- Enrollment: 2,590 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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2 / 25#24. Lake Forest High School
- Location: Lake Forest, IL
- Enrollment: 1,359 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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3 / 25#23. Naperville Central High School
- Location: Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL
- Enrollment: 2,589 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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4 / 25#22. Waubonsie Valley High School
- Location: Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL
- Enrollment: 2,849 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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5 / 25#21. James B. Conant High School
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6 / 25#20. Barrington High School
- Location: Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220, IL
- Enrollment: 2,718 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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7 / 25#19. Naperville North High School
- Location: Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203, IL
- Enrollment: 2,467 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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8 / 25#18. John Hersey High School
- Location: Township High School District No. 214, IL
- Enrollment: 2,040 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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9 / 25#17. Highland Park High School
- Location: Township High School District No. 113, IL
- Enrollment: 1,661 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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10 / 25#16. Metea Valley High School
- Location: Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL
- Enrollment: 2,766 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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11 / 25#15. Evanston Township High School
- Location: Evanston, IL
- Enrollment: 3,560 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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12 / 25#14. William Fremd High School
- Location: Township High School District No. 211, IL
- Enrollment: 2,689 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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13 / 25#13. Vernon Hills High School
- Location: Community High School District 128, IL
- Enrollment: 1,419 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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14 / 25#12. Hinsdale Central High School
- Location: Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86, IL
- Enrollment: 2,445 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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15 / 25#11. Neuqua Valley High School
- Location: Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204, IL
- Enrollment: 3,018 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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16 / 25#10. Glenbrook North High School
- Location: Glenbrook High School District 225, IL
- Enrollment: 2,111 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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17 / 25#9. Glenbrook South High School
- Location: Glenbrook High School District 225, IL
- Enrollment: 2,923 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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18 / 25#8. New Trier Township High School
- Location: New Trier Township High School District No. 203, IL
- Enrollment: 2,770 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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19 / 25#7. Jones College Prep High School
- Location: Chicago Public Schools, IL
- Enrollment: 1,954 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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20 / 25#6. Adlai E. Stevenson High School
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21 / 25#5. Lane Tech College Prep High School
- Location: Chicago Public Schools, IL
- Enrollment: 4,604 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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22 / 25#4. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
- Location: Chicago Public Schools, IL
- Enrollment: 2,223 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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23 / 25#3. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
- Location: Aurora, IL
- Enrollment: 655 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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24 / 25#2. Northside College Preparatory High School
- Location: Chicago Public Schools, IL
- Enrollment: 1,061 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: A+
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25 / 25#1. Payton College Preparatory High School
