Best Schools in Aurora, Illinois
62 schools · 40 Elementary · 11 Middle · 7 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in Aurora?
Use this page to compare every school in Aurora by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Metea Valley High School
High · Indian Prairie Cusd 204. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Waubonsie Valley High School
High · Indian Prairie Cusd 204. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Fred Rodgers Magnet Acad
Middle · Aurora East USD 131. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Aurora for 2026 are Metea Valley High School (9.0/10), Waubonsie Valley High School (8.5/10), and Fred Rodgers Magnet Acad (8.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
62
47 public · 15 private
Avg Score
6.1
out of 10
Median Home
$282,480
home value · ACS
Districts
5
serving the city
Schools
62
47 public · 15 private
Avg Score
6.1
out of 10
Median Home
$282,480
home value · ACS
Districts
5
serving the city
Rates 8.1/10 despite 56% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Aurora schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Aurora
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 62). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metea Valley High School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 2 | Waubonsie Valley High School | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Fred Rodgers Magnet Acad | 8.1 / 10 |
| 4 | Francis Granger Middle School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 5 | Rosary High School | 7.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Nancy Young Elementary School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Covenant Christian School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Gwendolyn Brooks Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Still Middle School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 10 | Wolfs Crossing Elem School | 7.5 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.1/10
- Median household income
- $107,571
- Median home value
- $282,480
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 42%
- Avg commute
- 30 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 71%
39% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Aurora compares
Illinois rank
#227 of 444
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.1
below Illinois avg (6.2)
Median household income
$108k
131% of Illinois median
Schools in this city
57
Education Snapshot
Aurora, IllinoisAurora runs 62 schools across 5 districts, enrolling roughly 38,091 students — the largest share at the elementary level, where 40 of the 62 schools operate. The city's composite MySchoolScout rating averages 6.1/10 across 57 scored schools, edging just below the Illinois state average of 6.2/10. That gap is notable given Aurora's economic profile: median household income of $92,366 runs 7% above the Illinois state median of $86,588, yet the stronger income base has not translated into above-state-average school performance. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher reach 34%. With 5 separate districts dividing this enrollment base, families navigate administrative boundaries to compare options, making individual school ratings more actionable than district or city averages. The secondary tier includes 11 middle schools and 7 high schools, rounding out a full K-12 range across the city.
About Schools in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois has 45 ranked public schools, giving families a wide field to evaluate. The city's average school score is 5.8 out of 10, which reflects a broad performance spread — from high-achieving campuses to schools that trail state benchmarks. Only 7 schools, or 16% of the total, score 7 or above, so standout options are available but not the norm across the district.
At the top of the rankings, Peter M Gombert Elementary School leads the city with a score of 8.2 out of 10, the highest in Aurora. Metea Valley High School follows at 8.1, and Waubonsie Valley High School scores 7.9 — both sit among the stronger high school options in the western suburbs. Francis Granger Middle School rounds out the upper tier at 7.7, while C I Johnson Elementary School holds a 7.3. These five schools form a reliable cluster of high performers, but they represent a small fraction of the 45 ranked schools citywide.
Aurora spans multiple school districts, and boundaries matter significantly here. Families near Naperville Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 — which serve parts of Aurora — tend to have access to the higher-scoring campuses. Gombert Elementary and Metea Valley both fall within District 204. Parents should confirm their specific attendance zone early, since an address close to a top-rated school does not guarantee enrollment there.
The practical takeaway: Aurora offers real choices for parents willing to research boundaries and consider options like open enrollment or magnet programs where available. With 84% of schools scoring below 7 out of 10, the city average alone is not a reliable guide. Focus on individual school scores, check which district serves your address, and compare grade-level options across elementary, middle, and high school separately — performance levels shift at each stage. The gap between Aurora's best and most average schools is meaningful, and the data rewards parents who look closely rather than rely on neighborhood reputation alone.
Elementary Schools
40 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 596 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.8 |
| 2 | 707 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.7 |
| 3 | 458 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 670 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.3 |
| 5 | 271 students · 3rd–5th | 7.1 |
| 6 | 584 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
| 7 | 487 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.0 |
| 8 | 316 students · Kindergarten–2nd | 6.8 |
| 9 | 415 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.4 |
| 10 | 281 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.2 |
Show all 40 elementary schools in Aurora
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 281 students · 6th–8th | 8.1 |
| 2 | 1,013 students · 6th–8th | 7.9 |
| 3 | 678 students · 6th–8th | 7.7 |
| 4 | 560 students · 6th–8th | 7.1 |
| 5 | 904 students · 6th–8th | 6.2 |
| 6 | 575 students · 6th–8th | 5.8 |
| 7 | 850 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 8 | 737 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 9 | 794 students · 6th–8th | 4.8 |
| 10 | 576 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
Show all 11 middle schools in Aurora
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,807 students · 9th–12th | 9.0 | ||
| 2 | 2,781 students · 9th–12th | 8.5 | ||
| 3 | 3,655 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 | ||
| 4 | 4,019 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 5 | 630 students · 10th–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Rosary High School
Private
265 students · 9th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 2 | Marmion Academy
Private
511 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 | ||
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 582 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 5.6 | ||
| 2 | 563 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.7 | ||
| 3 | 2 students · Pre-K–12th | — | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Covenant Christian School
Private
85 students · Pre-K–10th | 7.8 | ||
Schools in Aurora
Aurora, Illinois · 62 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$107,571
Median Home Value
$282,480
Median Rent
$1,714/mo
Population
187,044
College Educated
42%
Homeownership
71%
Avg Commute
30 min
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Community Profile
Aurora has a median household income of $107,571. It is a well-educated community where 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $282,480, with a median rent of $1,714/month. The local poverty rate of 8.0% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 30 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Illinois
- Elementary
- 40
- Middle
- 11
- High
- 7
- Other
- 4
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Illinois
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Aurora, Illinois
How many schools are in Aurora, Illinois?
Aurora has 62 schools, including 47 public and 15 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Aurora, Illinois?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Aurora is 6.1 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Aurora, Illinois?
The top-ranked school in Aurora on MySchoolScout is Metea Valley High School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best elementary school in Aurora, Illinois?
The top-ranked elementary school in Aurora on MySchoolScout is Nancy Young Elementary School with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best middle school in Aurora, Illinois?
The top-ranked middle school in Aurora on MySchoolScout is Fred Rodgers Magnet Acad with a composite score of 8.1/10.
What is the best high school in Aurora, Illinois?
The top-ranked high school in Aurora on MySchoolScout is Metea Valley High School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
How many school districts serve Aurora, Illinois?
Aurora is served by 5 school districts: Il Mathematics & Science Academy, Aurora East USD 131, Aurora West USD 129, Cusd 308, Indian Prairie Cusd 204.
What is the education level in Aurora, Illinois?
According to Census data, 42% of adults in Aurora have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Aurora, Illinois?
The median household income in Aurora is approximately $107,571 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Aurora, Illinois?
Yes, Aurora has 15 private schools alongside 47 public schools. The top-rated private school is Rosary High School with a score of 7.9/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Aurora, Illinois?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Aurora is 13.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Aurora, Illinois?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Illinois Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.