Best Midwestern Colleges
There are 252 ranked four-year colleges in the Midwest, evaluated with the same methodology used for our national rankings. Only nonprofit, selective four-year schools are included.
Leading our 2027 rankings is University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, topping our list in the Midwest. The top rated public university is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also highly ranked: Northwestern University, Washington University in St Louis and University of Notre Dame.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.
Saint Xavier University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Saint Xavier is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
- SAT Range 950-1120
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $11,318
Aurora University
- Private 4 Year
- Aurora, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Aurora University is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The suburban campus sits in Aurora, about 40 miles west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 900-1150
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $19,053
Buena Vista University
- Private 4 Year
- Storm Lake, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Buena Vista is a private university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus sits beside Storm Lake in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $19,704
Evangel University
- Private 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
Evangel is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, music, and education. It is the national university of the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 1040-1260
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $19,261
Mount Marty University
- Private 4 Year
- Yankton, SD
-
| 0 reviews
Mount Marty is a small private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus sits along the Missouri River in Yankton.
- SAT Range 810-1050
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $22,242
Missouri State University Springfield
- Public 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
-
4.0 | 3 reviews
Missouri State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and health professions. The Springfield campus lies in the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1020-1270
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $17,181
University of Wisconsin Stout
- Public 4 Year
- Menomonie, WI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
UW-Stout is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate industrial design, packaging, and engineering technology. The campus is in Menomonie, a small city in western Wisconsin.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $15,673
University of Wisconsin Platteville
- Public 4 Year
- Platteville, WI
-
3.0 | 4 reviews
UW-Platteville is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and agriculture. Most students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Platteville.
- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $16,266
Aquinas College
- Private 4 Year
- Grand Rapids, MI
-
| 0 reviews
Aquinas is a private Dominican liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and business. The wooded campus sits in a residential neighborhood of Grand Rapids.
- SAT Range 910-1140
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $18,018
Bemidji State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bemidji, MN
-
| 0 reviews
Bemidji State is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus sits on the shore of Lake Bemidji in northern Minnesota.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $14,859
Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Public 4 Year
- Fort Wayne, IN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Purdue Fort Wayne is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, technology, and business. The urban campus is set in Indiana's second-largest city.
- SAT Range 970-1220
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $14,735
Concordia University Chicago
- Private 4 Year
- River Forest, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Concordia Chicago is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate education and teacher preparation. The suburban campus sits in River Forest just west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 990-1180
- Avg GPA 3.18
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $19,073
Oakland University
- Public 4 Year
- Rochester Hills, MI
-
| 0 reviews
Oakland University is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The suburban campus sits in Rochester Hills northeast of Detroit.
- SAT Range 1030-1230
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $12,208
University of Wisconsin River Falls
- Public 4 Year
- River Falls, WI
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
UW-River Falls is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal science, and teacher education. The campus is in the small city of River Falls near the Twin Cities.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $14,769
Ferris State University
- Public 4 Year
- Big Rapids, MI
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Ferris State is a public university known for undergraduate pharmacy, optometry, and applied technology programs. The main campus is in the small city of Big Rapids in western Michigan.
- SAT Range 890-1120
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $10,825
Grace College and Theological Seminary
- Private 4 Year
- Winona Lake, IN
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Grace College is a private Christian college known for undergraduate biblical studies and ministry. The campus sits beside Winona Lake in northern Indiana.
- SAT Range 1000-1200
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $21,065
Concordia University Nebraska
- Private 4 Year
- Seward, NE
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Concordia Nebraska is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and theology. Students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Seward.
- SAT Range 1040-1235
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $24,158
Eastern Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Ypsilanti, MI
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
EMU is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus is in Ypsilanti, just east of Ann Arbor.
- SAT Range 920-1170
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $15,742