Best Midwestern Colleges
There are 691 colleges and universities in the Midwest enrolling 3,600,526 students. Explore the list of top colleges in the Midwest below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in Midwest offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.
The Midwest is home to nationally ranked institutions like University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis and University of Notre Dame. The highest ranked college in the Midwest is University of Chicago and the top rated public state college is University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
List of the Best Midwest Colleges
St Olaf College
- Private 4 Year
- Northfield, MN
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Olaf is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Northfield.
- SAT Range 1300-1470
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 48%
- Net Price $26,756
Wheaton College
- Private 4 Year
- Wheaton, IL
-
4.0 | 3 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Wheaton is a private evangelical Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in a western suburb of Chicago.
- SAT Range 1260-1470
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $31,356
Oberlin College
- Private 4 Year
- Oberlin, OH
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Oberlin is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music through its Conservatory and for the arts. Most students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Oberlin.
- SAT Range 1360-1520
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Acceptance Rate 34%
- Net Price $51,624
Illinois Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Bloomington, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Illinois Wesleyan is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate music, nursing, and the sciences. Most students live on a residential campus in Bloomington in central Illinois.
- SAT Range 1120-1340
- Avg GPA 3.86
- Acceptance Rate 39%
- Net Price $28,644
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
- Public 4 Year
- Minneapolis, MN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Minnesota is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and biological sciences. The Twin Cities campus spans Minneapolis and St. Paul along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 1300-1500
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $17,209
Drake University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Drake is a private university known for undergraduate journalism, pharmacy, and business. The campus sits in a residential neighborhood near downtown Des Moines.
- SAT Range 1110-1350
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $29,565
Saint Louis University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Louis, MO
-
| 0 reviews
SLU is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate health sciences, nursing, and aviation. The urban campus sits in Midtown St. Louis.
- SAT Range 1200-1410
- Avg GPA 3.95
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $27,749
Saint Mary's College
- Private 4 Year
- Notre Dame, IN
-
3.8 | 5 reviews
Saint Mary's is a private Catholic women's college known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the liberal arts. The campus adjoins the University of Notre Dame in northern Indiana.
- SAT Range 1130-1325
- Avg GPA 3.83
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $27,865
The College of Wooster
- Private 4 Year
- Wooster, OH
-
2.3 | 3 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college known for a required senior Independent Study thesis. Most undergrads live on a residential campus in a small Ohio college town.
- SAT Range 1220-1460
- Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $28,004
Bradley University
- Private 4 Year
- Peoria, IL
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Bradley is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and health sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in Peoria.
- SAT Range 1090-1300
- Avg GPA 3.83
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $23,787
Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Rolla, MO
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
Missouri S&T is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and the physical sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the college town of Rolla.
- SAT Range 1190-1420
- Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $17,366
Lawrence University
- Private 4 Year
- Appleton, WI
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Lawrence is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music through its Conservatory of Music. The residential campus sits along the Fox River in Appleton.
- SAT Range 1200-1420
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $27,161
University of Dayton
- Private 4 Year
- Dayton, OH
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
University of Dayton is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate engineering and business. The Marianist campus sits in an urban neighborhood of Dayton.
- SAT Range 1200-1380
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $32,794
Indiana University Bloomington
- Public 4 Year
- Bloomington, IN
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
IU is a large public university known for undergraduate business, music, and media. Bloomington is a classic college town built around a historic limestone campus.
- SAT Range 1170-1400
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $17,270
Butler University
- Private 4 Year
- Indianapolis, IN
-
3.8 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Butler is a private university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and communication. Most students live on a residential campus on Indianapolis's north side.
- SAT Range 1160-1350
- Avg GPA 3.92
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $38,438
Loyola University Chicago
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
4.3 | 6 reviews
Loyola Chicago is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and communications. The urban campus sits along Lake Michigan on Chicago's North Side.
- SAT Range 1170-1360
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $39,147
University of St Thomas
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Thomas is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business. The urban campus sits along Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
- SAT Range 1260-1423
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $31,250
University of Illinois Chicago
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
UIC is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, architecture, and engineering. The urban campus sits on Chicago's Near West Side near the Illinois Medical District.
- SAT Range 1130-1350
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $10,852