The brief
The top-rated high schools in Chicago for 2026 are Northside College Preparatory HS (9.5/10), Payton College Preparatory HS (9.4/10), and Young Magnet High School (9.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 178 high schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Chicago's high school landscape spans 149 ranked schools, giving families a wide field to navigate. Payton College Preparatory leads the pack with a 9.2/10 composite score, followed closely by Northside College Preparatory and Bronzeville Scholastic, both at 9.1/10. The citywide average sits at 6.6/10, but 61 schools — 41% of the total — clear the 7/10 threshold, meaning strong options are distributed across the metro rather than concentrated at the very top. Chicago's high school mix includes selective enrollment schools, neighborhood schools, and charter options, so the right fit depends heavily on your priorities. Use the table below to sort by composite score, test performance, or other metrics to narrow the list. Filtering by neighborhood or school type can help surface options that match both your academic benchmarks and your family's practical needs.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.5
- 29.4
- 39.3
- 49.1
- 58.9
- 68.8
- 78.6
- 88.6
- 98.5
- 108.4
All 178 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 178
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Northside College Preparatory HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,032student-teacher ratio 14.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Payton College Preparatory HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,265student-teacher ratio 14.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 3Young Magnet High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 2,221student-teacher ratio 16.7:1grades 7th–12th
- 4Hancock College Preparatory HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,032student-teacher ratio 15.4:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Lane Technical High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 4,525student-teacher ratio 16.8:1grades 7th–12th
- 6Jones College Prep High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,973student-teacher ratio 16.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 7Bronzeville Scholastic HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 109student-teacher ratio 6.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 8Wolcott Schoolstudents 148student-teacher ratio 4.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 9Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heartstudents 132student-teacher ratio 8.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 10Von Steuben Metro Science HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,695student-teacher ratio 15.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 11Chicago Academy High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 563student-teacher ratio 12.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 12Lincoln Park High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 2,125student-teacher ratio 16.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 13Fusion Academy Lp: Chicago- Lincoln Parkstudents 84student-teacher ratio 3.8:1grades 6th–12th
- 14Brooks College Prep Academy HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 982student-teacher ratio 16.6:1grades 7th–12th
- 15Urban Prep Chtr Acad Englewood HScharterChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 99student-teacher ratio 14.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 16Intrinsic Charter High SchoolcharterChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 947student-teacher ratio 12.3:1grades 7th–12th
- 17Spry Community Links High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 60student-teacher ratio 3.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 18Back of the Yards Ib HSChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,025student-teacher ratio 13.1:1grades 9th–12th
- 19Devry Advantage Academy High SchlChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 132student-teacher ratio 18.9:1grades 11th–12th
- 20Yccs-Truman Middle College HScharterChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 191student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 21Urban Prep Chtr Bronzeville HScharterChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 167student-teacher ratio 13.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 22Solorio Academy High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,264student-teacher ratio 15.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 23Ace Amandla Charter SchoolcharterAce Amandla Charter Schoolstudents 137student-teacher ratio 10.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 24Mount Carmel High Schoolstudents 581student-teacher ratio 8.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 25Senn High SchoolChicago Public Schools Dist 299students 1,516student-teacher ratio 14.2:1grades 9th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Illinois education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in Illinois. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Northside College Preparatory HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,032 students · 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 1% in Illinois
- Academics
- 10.0
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 7.8
- 2
Payton College Preparatory HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,265 students · 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 1% in Illinois
- Academics
- 10.0
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 7.5
- 3
Young Magnet High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
2,221 students · 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 7th–12th
Top 2% in Illinois
- Academics
- 10.0
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 7.2
- 4
Hancock College Preparatory HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,032 students · 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 3% in Illinois
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 10.0
- Environment
- 7.0
- 5
Lane Technical High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
4,525 students · 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 7th–12th
Top 4% in Illinois
- Academics
- 10.0
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 4.9
- 6
Jones College Prep High School
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,973 students · 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 5% in Illinois
- Academics
- 10.0
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 4.2
- 7
Bronzeville Scholastic HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
109 students · 6.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 7% in Illinois
- Academics
- 7.2
- Growth
- 9.7
- Environment
- 6.7
- 8
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 9
Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart
132 students · 8.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 2% in Illinois
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 10
Von Steuben Metro Science HS
Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
1,695 students · 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 9% in Illinois
- Academics
- 8.7
- Growth
- 9.6
- Environment
- 4.8
Questions
What is the best high school in Chicago, Illinois?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Northside College Preparatory HS is the top-rated high school in Chicago with a composite score of 9.5/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many high schools are in Chicago, Illinois?
Chicago has 183 high schools, including 59 charter schools. Of these, 178 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in Chicago?
Among 178 Chicago high schools with a composite score, the average is 6.5/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Illinois).
How does MySchoolScout rate high schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Illinois, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Illinois, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Chicago high school rankings?
Chicago has 59 charter high schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Chicago2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in Chicago2026 rankings and ratings
- All 850 schools in ChicagoElementary, middle and high
- Illinois schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings