High schools in Chicago’s North Shore suburbs continue their strong showings as of U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 rankings, released last month.
U.S. News and World Report ranked nearly 18,000 public high schools out of more than 24,000 reviewed. The report said 679 Illinois schools made its rankings.
Following are the North Shore high schools according to their rank in the state.
- Number 8. Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire ranked number 8 in the state this year and 203 in the nation, down from number 6 in the state last year. It’s in Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125.
- Number 11. Vernon Hills High School in Vernon Hills, in Community High School District 128, ranked number 11 in the state and 323 nationally. It was down from number 8 in Illinois last year.
- Number 13. New Trier High School in Winnetka ranked 13th this year, down slightly from 10th position last year. The school, in New Trier Township High School District 203, ranked number 371 nationally.
- Number 16. Lake Forest High School, in Lake Forest Community High School District 115, ranked number 16 this year, down slightly from 14 last year, and 410 in the nation.
- Number 18. Deerfield High School, part of Township High School District 115, ranked 18th in Illinois and number 437 nationally. It was ranked 16th in Illinois last year.
- Number 19. Glenbrook South High School in Glenview ranked 19th in Illinois, up from 21st last year, and it ranked number 466 in the nation. It’s part of Glenbrook High School District 225.
- Number 20. Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook ranked 20th in Illinois, down from 19th last year, and it ranked number 475 nationally. It’s part of Glenbrook High School District 225.
- Number 28. Evanston Township High School in Evanston ranked number 28 in Illinois and 688 nationally, and was up from number 39 in the state last year.
- Number 61. Niles North High School in Skokie, part of Niles Township High School District 219, ranked number 61 in Illinois, up from 74th in the state last year, and 1,606 in national rankings.
- Number 71. Niles West High School in Skokie, also in Niles Township High School District 219, ranked number 71 in Illinois, up from number 80 last year, and 1,852 nationally.
Glenbrook South High School is in Glenview, Illinois. (Kaitlin Edquist / Pioneer Press) .
U.S. News & World said schools were ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation rates and how well they prepare students for college, according to the report.
Its 2025-26 best high school rankings included students who have demonstrated outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores on college-level exams and graduated in high proportions, the report said.
The full list can be seen at usnews.com/education/best-high-schools and can be filtered by state.
