See How Aurora High Schools Rank In 2026-27: U.S. News

AURORA, IL — U.S. News & World Report released its 2026-2027 Best High Schools list, placing three public high schools in Aurora among the 100 best in the state.

U.S. News evaluated about 27,000 eligible public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 of them.

This is how high schools in Aurora rank among themselves and in the state:

1. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy — No. 4 in the state
2. Metea Valley High School — No. 25 in the state
3. Waubonsie Valley High School — No. 42 in the state
4. West Aurora High School — No. 218 in the state
5. East Aurora High School — No. 318 in the state

The rankings are based on six performance measures, including student achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates and college readiness.

About 28 percent of West Aurora students took at least one AP Exam, compared to 46 percent at East Aurora, according to the report. The schools' graduation rates teeter between 88 and 90 percent.

Of the Indian Prairie School District 204 schools, 67 percent of Metea Valley students take at least one AP exam, compared to the 51 percent at Waubonsie Valley. Their graduation rates fall between 94 and 96 percent.

Neuqua Valley High School, the third in District 204 and located in Naperville, tops both schools, ranking 12th in Illinois, with a 98 percent graduation rate and 69 percent of students taking at least one AP exam.

At IMSA, recognized as one of the state's premier tuition-free STEM schools, 87 percent of students take at least one AP exam — and 76 percent pass at least one. Students' math and reading proficiency are almost perfect, at 99 and 98 percent, respectively.

U.S. News also considers how well schools serve underserved students, participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes.

RELATED: These Are The Best Public High Schools In IL For 2026-27: U.S. News

In Illinois, the state's top five public high schools are also ranked among the 100 best in the country, according to the report.

The rankings use data from the 2023-2024 school year and were produced with research firm RTI International.