Top High Schools in the Midwest and Chicago Area for 2024: U.S. News and World Report Rankings

In a recent ranking of the country’s best high schools for 2024, one Midwest institution stood out among the rest. According to U.S. News and World Report’s “2024 Best High School Rankings,” Signature School in Evansville, Indiana, secured the impressive No. 2 spot on the list, just behind BASIS Charter Schools in Peoria, Arizona.

The report analyzed over 24,000 public high schools across all 50 states, considering factors such as college readiness, state assessments, graduation rates, college curriculum breadth, and underserved student performance. The top 20 schools on the list all had selective enrollment requirements or other criteria like a minimum GPA.

While Chicago-area schools also made a strong showing on the list, with Walter Payton College Preparatory High School ranking at No. 5 nationally, several other schools from the area also made the top 100. Northside College Preparatory High School, Young Magnet High School, Jones College Prep High School, and Lane Technical High School all earned spots on the prestigious list.

In Illinois, suburban schools like Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Vernon Hills High School, New Trier Township High School, and Hinsdale Central High School also topped the state rankings for 2024.

The report highlighted the top 10 high schools in the nation, with schools from Arizona, Indiana, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, Georgia, and California making the list. Additionally, the top 10 high schools in Illinois were also recognized for their excellence in education.

For more information and to view the full report, visit the U.S. News and World Report website.