Best Public High Schools in Illinois (2026)

The Tier System

CPS divides Chicago neighborhoods into four socioeconomic tiers based on census data (median income, adult education levels, poverty rates). Each selective enrollment school allocates approximately 25% of seats to students from each tier. A student from Tier 1 (lowest income) who scores at the 80th percentile among Tier 1 applicants will receive a seat that a Tier 4 student might need the 95th percentile to earn. This is an explicit equity mechanism.

The Admissions Test

CPS uses the High School Admissions Test (HSAT) developed by Pearson for 8th grade admissions. The HSAT tests reading, language, and mathematics. A composite score combining HSAT performance and 7th grade GPA determines placement within each tier. There is no fee to take the HSAT; it is administered through CPS.

The 11 Selective Enrollment Schools

Northside College Prep, Walter Payton College Prep, Whitney Young, Jones College Prep, Lane Tech, Brooks College Prep, Curie Metropolitan HS, Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Taft High School (partial SE), South Shore International, and Chicago Virtual Charter School make up the CPS selective enrollment system. Each has different academic focuses.

Naperville (Districts 203 & 204)

Three Naperville-area schools appear in IL's top 10. CUSD 203 (Naperville Central, Naperville North) and Indian Prairie SD 204 (Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Metea Valley) both serve the high-achieving I-88 corridor community. Naperville has ranked among America's best cities for families for over a decade.

The North Shore (New Trier, Lake Forest, Deerfield)

Chicago's North Shore communities — Winnetka, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Glencoe — support New Trier Township HSD ($26K+/pupil) and Lake Forest High School among Illinois's best. Property values exceeding $1M+ in these communities sustain extraordinary school funding.

The IMSA Pipeline

Many students from Naperville and North Shore districts apply to IMSA for 10th grade entry. Top IMSA applicants often come from Naperville and North Shore elementary schools, creating a feeder pattern between these suburban districts and the state's residential STEM academy.

College Outcomes

New Trier, Northside, and Naperville Central all send consistent numbers of students to Ivy League and T20 universities each year. Illinois's flagship university (UIUC) is also a strong outcome — UIUC Engineering is a top-5 public engineering school, with direct pipelines from all these districts.

What is IMSA and how does admission work?

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora is a state-funded residential high school for Illinois's most academically talented STEM students. It is funded by the State of Illinois and is free to attend — students pay no tuition and receive room and board at no charge. Admission is statewide and based on academic records, standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, and a competitive application review. Approximately 650 students attend in grades 10–12 (there is no freshman year; students enter in 10th grade). IMSA's curriculum is entirely project-based and research-oriented, going far beyond standard AP coursework. Students work on genuine research problems in collaboration with university and industry partners. IMSA alumni are disproportionately represented at Ivy League universities and top STEM programs; notable alumni include the creators of YouTube (Chad Hurley, Steve Chen), the founders of PayPal's early team, and dozens of leading academic scientists.

How do Chicago's selective enrollment schools work?

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) operates 11 selective enrollment high schools that admit students via a competitive process using 7th grade GPA, 8th grade standardized test scores, and an admissions exam (the HSAT, High School Admissions Test). Chicago's selective enrollment system uses a socioeconomic tier system that allocates seats across four income tiers (approximately 25% of seats per tier) to ensure students from lower-income neighborhoods have access to seats. This is a deliberate equity mechanism. The top selective enrollment schools — Northside College Prep, Walter Payton College Prep, Whitney Young, and Jones College Prep — consistently rank among the best public schools in the Midwest. These schools are entirely free; students attend regardless of their neighborhood of residence anywhere in Chicago.

Why do Naperville's schools rank so highly in Illinois?

Naperville — a western suburb of Chicago approximately 30 miles from the Loop — consistently produces some of the strongest public high school outcomes in the Midwest. Three factors drive this: (1) Naperville is home to a large concentration of pharmaceutical, technology, and financial services professionals employed at companies including Navistar, Nicor Gas, BP America, and hundreds of smaller firms in the I-88 tech corridor; (2) Naperville has consistently ranked among the best cities in America for families and education in national surveys, attracting families who prioritize schooling; (3) District 204 (Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley) and District 203 (Naperville Central, Naperville North) both invest heavily in their schools, with per-pupil spending of $14,000–$17,000. Naperville's PSAT/SAT scores are among the highest of any suburban school system in Illinois.

What is New Trier Township High School known for?

New Trier Township High School in Winnetka (North Shore of Chicago) is one of the most well-funded and academically distinguished public high schools in the United States. New Trier spends approximately $26,000–$28,000 per pupil — among the highest in Illinois — funded by the extraordinary property values in Winnetka, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and the other North Shore villages it serves. The school is known for its extremely broad course catalog (300+ course offerings), its unique advisory system (every student has a faculty advisor who tracks their academic and personal development), and its outstanding college placement record. About 95–98% of graduates attend four-year colleges; Ivy League and top-20 university attendance is consistent annually. New Trier is sometimes held up as the gold standard for what generously funded public education can achieve.

How does Illinois fund public education, and does it affect school quality?

Illinois historically had one of the most inequitable school funding systems in the United States, relying heavily on local property taxes with minimal state equalization. This meant that wealthy districts like New Trier spent $25,000+ per pupil while many downstate and urban districts spent well under $10,000. In 2017, Illinois passed the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula, which for the first time directed state funds based on student needs and district poverty levels. This has begun to narrow the spending gap, but the transition is gradual: districts receiving adequacy funding have improved, while wealthy districts maintain their high local tax base. As of 2026, Illinois's school funding equity remains significantly better than pre-2017 but still shows substantial variation.