Education
4 CPS Schools Ranked Among Top 100 High Schools in the Nation
Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in Chicago. (WTTW News)
Four Chicago Public Schools high schools have been ranked among the best in the country, according to a new list from U.S. News & World Report.
The annual top high school rankings list was released Tuesday and included Northside College Prep, located in Chicago’s North Park neighborhood, as the top high school in Illinois and the 30th best high school in the country.
That marks a 10-place jump from last year’s rankings.
Other CPS schools included among the nation’s Top 100 were: Walter Payton College Prep (No. 54), Lane Tech (No. 80) and Jones College Prep (No. 99). Whitney Young Magnet High School finished just outside the Top 100 at No. 104.
While CPS has regularly held the top five high schools in Illinois in the U.S. News rankings, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora broke through this year, placing fourth in the state and No. 88 in the nation.
U.S. News & World Report said its rankings are based on several performance indicators including student achievement on state-required assessments, strong graduation rates and college readiness measures.
Schools are evaluated on how effectively they serve all students, including underserved populations, the outlet said.
“Every student deserves a pathway to success, and that journey often begins with selecting the right school,” LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, said in a statement. “The 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings empower families with the valuable data and transparency they need to help make the best educational choices for them. We are proud to offer this essential resource to help shape the next generation of college-ready students.”
