Payton College Preparatory High School (Ranked Top 1% for 2026)

1034 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60610

10/

Top 1%

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School is a public four-year magnet high school located in the Old Town neighborhood on the near–north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 2000, Payton is operated by the Chicago Public Schools district.

Serving 1,265 students in grades 9-12, Payton College Preparatory High School ranks in the top 1% of all schools in Illinois for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 1%, and reading proficiency is top 1%).

The percentage of students achieving is 84% (which is higher than the Illinois state average of 27%). The percentage of students achieving is 95% (which is higher than the Illinois state average of 30%).

The student-teacher ratio of 15:1 is higher than the Illinois state level of 13:1.

Minority enrollment is 65% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Asian), which is higher than the Illinois state average of 55% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Quick Facts (2026)

Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 1,265 students
Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
Minority Enrollment: 65%
: 96% (Top 5% in IL)
: Top 1%
: 84% (Top 1%)
: 95% (Top 1%)
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

<�鶹��ý class="so-dt-title" id="top-rankings">Top Rankings

Payton College Preparatory High School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:

Category

Attribute

Overall Rank

Highest overall rank (Top 1%)

Math Proficiency

Highest math proficiency (Top 1%)

Reading/Language Arts Proficiency

Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 1%)

Graduation Rate

Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)

Diversity

Most diverse schools (Top 5%)

<�鶹��ý class='so-dt-title' id="overview">School Overview

Payton College Preparatory High School's student population of 1,265 students has grown by 6% over five school years.

The teacher population of 86 teachers has grown by 56% over five school years.

Awards

Blue Ribbon School - Selected in 2008, 2014

Grades Offered

Grades 9-12

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade Trends
Grade	Payton College Preparatory High School
9	295
10	348
11	321
12	301

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Total Students

1,265 students

View Data

Total Students Trends Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School
2023	1,233
2022	1,167
2021	1,191
2020	1,153
2019	1,153
2018	977
2017	977
2016	887
2015	899
2014	817
2013	856
2012	883
2011	895
2010	903
2009	864
2008	890
2007	837
2006	835
2005	800
2004	821
2003	663

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Gender %

Total Classroom Teachers

86 teachers

View Data

Total Classroom Teachers Trends Over Years (2002-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School
2023	79
2022	77
2020	65
2019	65
2018	55
2017	55
2016	55
2015	53
2014	57
2013	66
2012	53
2011	57
2010	59
2009	63
2008	57
2007	55
2006	63
2005	57
2004	49
2003	50
2002	46

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Year Founded

2000

Colors

Navy Blue, Orange

<�鶹��ý class='so-dt-title' id="school-rankings">School Rankings

Payton College Preparatory High School ranks within the top 1% of all 3,542 schools in Illinois (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).

The of Payton College Preparatory High School is 0.74, which is more than the diversity score at state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.

This School

State Level (IL)

#6 out of 3542 schools
(Top 1%)

View Data

Overall School Rank Trends Over Years (2012-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School
2023	#6
2022	#1
2021	#1
2019	#2
2018	#1
2017	#1
2016	#12
2015	#9
2014	#1
2013	#8
2012	#32

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84%

27%

View Data

Math Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	84%	27%	20%
2021	96%	28%	17%
2019	93%	33%	24%
2018	97%	32%	22%
2017	95%	32%	24%
2016	80%	31%	23%
2015	80%	29%	21%
2014	99%	59%	50%
2013	95%	58%	48%
2012	98%	80%	73%
2011	96%	80%	72%

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95%

30%

View Data

Reading and Language Arts Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2022)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2022	95%	30%	20%
2021	94%	32%	21%
2019	97%	38%	27%
2018	99%	37%	22%
2017	97%	38%	28%
2016	92%	36%	27%
2015	92%	38%	29%
2014	99%	57%	45%
2013	95%	58%	47%
2012	96%	75%	65%
2011	95%	75%	65%

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Student-Teacher Ratio

15:1

13:1

View Data

Student-Teacher Ratio Comparison Over Years (2002-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	16:1	14:1	15:1
2022	15:1	14:1	16:1
2020	18:1	15:1	18:1
2019	18:1	15:1	18:1
2018	18:1	16:1	20:1
2017	18:1	15:1	20:1
2016	16:1	16:1	19:1
2015	17:1	16:1	17:1
2014	14:1	16:1	18:1
2013	13:1	13:1	15:1
2012	17:1	16:1	18:1
2011	16:1	16:1	18:1
2010	15:1	16:1	18:1
2009	14:1	16:1	20:1
2008	16:1	18:1	20:1
2007	15:1	17:1	22:1
2006	13:1	16:1	17:1
2005	14:1	16:1	18:1
2004	17:1	17:1	20:1
2003	13:1	16:1	19:1
2002	12:1	16:1	19:1

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American Indian

n/a

Asian

26%

View Data

Asian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	24%	6%	4%
2022	22%	5%	4%
2021	19%	5%	5%
2020	17%	5%	5%
2019	17%	5%	5%
2018	17%	5%	4%
2017	17%	5%	4%
2016	16%	5%	4%
2015	12%	6%	5%
2014	10%	5%	4%
2013	9%	5%	4%
2012	8%	4%	4%
2011	11%	5%	3%
2010	15%	5%	4%
2009	18%	5%	4%
2008	16%	5%	5%
2007	13%	5%	5%
2006	12%	5%	4%
2005	9%	5%	3%
2004	8%	4%	4%
2003	6%	4%	3%

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Hispanic

26%

28%

View Data

Hispanic Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	24%	27%	44%
2022	23%	27%	44%
2021	22%	27%	44%
2020	22%	26%	44%
2019	22%	26%	44%
2018	23%	26%	45%
2017	23%	26%	45%
2016	22%	26%	44%
2015	24%	25%	41%
2014	23%	25%	46%
2013	25%	24%	46%
2012	25%	24%	44%
2011	26%	23%	44%
2010	24%	22%	42%
2009	21%	22%	41%
2008	21%	21%	40%
2007	21%	20%	39%
2006	21%	19%	39%
2005	23%	18%	38%
2004	27%	18%	37%
2003	28%	17%	37%

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Black

17%

View Data

Black Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	9%	17%	41%
2022	9%	17%	41%
2021	9%	17%	41%
2020	11%	17%	41%
2019	11%	17%	41%
2018	13%	17%	41%
2017	13%	17%	41%
2016	14%	17%	42%
2015	16%	17%	38%
2014	18%	17%	40%
2013	21%	18%	40%
2012	25%	18%	42%
2011	24%	18%	43%
2010	27%	20%	45%
2009	25%	20%	47%
2008	21%	20%	47%
2007	23%	20%	48%
2006	25%	20%	49%
2005	28%	20%	50%
2004	30%	21%	50%
2003	31%	21%	51%

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White

35%

45%

View Data

White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	38%	45%	9%
2022	41%	47%	9%
2021	45%	47%	9%
2020	44%	48%	9%
2019	44%	48%	9%
2018	43%	49%	9%
2017	43%	49%	9%
2016	44%	49%	9%
2015	43%	49%	11%
2014	40%	50%	9%
2013	37%	50%	9%
2012	34%	51%	9%
2011	33%	51%	9%
2010	33%	53%	9%
2009	36%	53%	8%
2008	39%	54%	8%
2007	42%	55%	8%
2006	39%	56%	8%
2005	39%	57%	9%
2004	35%	57%	9%
2003	34%	58%	9%

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Hawaiian

n/a

Two or more races

View Data

Two or More Races Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2013-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	4%	4%	2%
2022	4%	4%	2%
2021	4%	4%	1%
2020	5%	4%	1%
2019	5%	4%	1%
2018	4%	3%	1%
2017	4%	3%	1%
2016	4%	3%	1%
2015	5%	3%	3%
2014	9%	3%	1%
2013	8%	3%	1%

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All Ethnic Groups

0.74

0.69

View Data

Diversity Score Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	0.74	0.70	0.63
2022	0.73	0.68	0.63
2021	0.71	0.68	0.63
2020	0.72	0.68	0.63
2019	0.72	0.68	0.63
2018	0.72	0.67	0.62
2017	0.72	0.67	0.62
2016	0.72	0.67	0.62
2015	0.72	0.67	0.59
2014	0.74	0.66	0.63
2013	0.75	0.66	0.63
2012	0.75	0.65	0.63
2011	0.76	0.66	0.62
2010	0.75	0.64	0.62
2009	0.74	0.64	0.61
2008	0.77	0.64	0.61
2007	0.75	0.63	0.61
2006	0.76	0.61	0.60
2005	0.72	0.61	0.60
2004	0.72	0.60	0.61
2003	0.72	0.59	0.61

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96%

87%

View Data

Graduation Rate Comparison Over Years (2011-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	96%	87%	83%
2022	99%	87%	83%
2018	96%	87%	77%
2017	99%	87%	82%
2016	95%	85%	74%
2015	93%	85%	77%
2014	92%	86%	81%
2013	95%	83%	70%
2012	96%	82%	69%
2011	99%	83%	74%

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Eligible for

26%

43%

View Data

Free Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (2003-2023)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2023	26%	43%	74%
2022	28%	43%	74%
2021	27%	44%	74%
2020	31%	47%	80%
2019	31%	47%	80%
2018	33%	46%	83%
2017	33%	46%	83%
2016	30%	47%	83%
2015	34%	52%	86%
2014	24%	47%	83%
2013	26%	45%	81%
2012	9%	21%	41%
2011	25%	39%	70%
2010	24%	37%	70%
2009	21%	33%	66%
2008	20%	32%	68%
2007	20%	32%	68%
2006	21%	32%	67%
2005	24%	32%	70%
2004	20%	31%	71%
2003	21%	30%	69%

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Eligible for (13-14)

View Data

Reduced-Price Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (2004-2014)
Year	Payton College Preparatory High School	Illinois	Chicago Public Schools District 299
2014	7%	3%	3%
2013	6%	5%	4%
2012	24%	27%	46%
2011	7%	5%	6%
2010	9%	6%	7%
2009	9%	6%	8%
2008	8%	6%	8%
2007	11%	6%	8%
2006	8%	6%	8%
2005	9%	5%	8%
2004	9%	5%	9%

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School Statewide Testing

School District Name

Chicago Public Schools District 299

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IL Dept. of Education

<�鶹��ý class='so-dt-title' id="school-notes">School Notes

School Mascot: Grizzlies

Profile last updated: 02/09/2025

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<�鶹��ý class='so-dt-title' id='faq'>Frequently Asked Questions

What is Payton College Preparatory High School's ranking?

Payton College Preparatory High School is ranked #6 out of 3,542 schools, which ranks it among the top 1% of public schools in Illinois.

What schools are Payton College Preparatory High School often compared to?

Payton College Preparatory High Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Northside College Preparatory High School, Jones College Prep High School by visitors of our site.

What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?

84% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 27% IL state average), while 95% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 30% IL state average).

What is the graduation rate of Payton College Preparatory High School?

The graduation rate of Payton College Preparatory High School is 96%, which is higher than the Illinois state average of 87%.

How many students attend Payton College Preparatory High School?

1,265 students attend Payton College Preparatory High School.

What is the racial composition of the student body?

35% of Payton College Preparatory High School students are White, 26% of students are Asian, 26% of students are Hispanic, 9% of students are Black, and 4% of students are Two or more races.

What is the student-teacher ratio of Payton College Preparatory High School?

Payton College Preparatory High School has a student ration of 15:1, which is higher than the Illinois state average of 13:1.

What grades does Payton College Preparatory High School offer ?

Payton College Preparatory High School offers enrollment in grades 9-12

What school district is Payton College Preparatory High School part of?

Payton College Preparatory High School is part of Chicago Public Schools District 299.

In what neighborhood is Payton College Preparatory High School located?

Payton College Preparatory High School is located in the Near North neighborhood of Chicago, IL. There are 1 other public schools located in Near North.

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