These Are The Best Middle Schools In IL: U.S. News Ranking

These Are The Best Middle Schools In IL: U.S. News Ranking U.S. News & World Report's 2025 rankings compared more than 2,500 Illinois middle schools, scoring them on test scores and demographics.

CHICAGO — Six of the top 10 best middle schools in Illinois are part of Chicago Public Schools, according to a new analysis by U.S. News & World Report.

The 2025 best middle schools rankings includes more than 2,500 in Illinois and scores them based on state assessment scores and publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Scores were analyzed in the context of socioeconomic demographics, and student-teacher ratios were used as a tiebreaker when schools scored equally.

LaMont Jones, U.S. News' managing editor for education, said research shows that students' academic performance in early grades can be major indication of their success at the secondary and postsecondary levels.

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," Jones said in a release. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children's education."

Top 10 Middle Schools In Illinois

Grades: K–8 Enrollment: 267

Grades: 7–12 Enrollment: 2,148

Grades: 7–12 Enrollment: 4,496

Grades: K–6 Enrollment: 323

Grades: 5–8 Enrollment: 277

Grades: K–8 Enrollment: 490

Grades: 5–8 Enrollment: 482

Grades: 7–12 Enrollment: 4,464

Grades: 6–8 Enrollment: 910

Grades: 6–8 Enrollment: 165

Below is the list of the top 25 middle schools in Illinois located outside of Chicago (the top four are also listed above) with their grade levels and enrollment.

It includes 12 schools in Cook County, two each in DuPage, Lake, Peoria and Winnebago counties, and one each from Clinton, Effingham, Grundy, Stephenson and Tazewell counties.