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.
Central Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Mount Pleasant, MI
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
Central Michigan is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health professions. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Mount Pleasant.
- SAT Range 960-1200
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $17,575
Cleveland State University
- Public 4 Year
- Cleveland, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Cleveland State is a public university known for undergraduate urban affairs, engineering, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown Cleveland.
- SAT Range 880-1130
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,230
Marian University
- Private 4 Year
- Fond Du Lac, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Marian is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The small campus lies in Fond du Lac at the southern end of Lake Winnebago.
- SAT Range 800-1080
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $22,697
Minnesota State University Mankato
- Public 4 Year
- Mankato, MN
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Minnesota State Mankato is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River valley in southern Minnesota.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $18,861
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- Public 4 Year
- Oshkosh, WI
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
UW Oshkosh is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus borders Lake Winnebago in a mid-sized Wisconsin city.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $12,500
Adrian College
- Private 4 Year
- Adrian, MI
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Adrian is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and exercise science. The residential campus sits in the small city of Adrian in southeast Michigan.
- SAT Range 873-1140
- Avg GPA 3.2
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $25,922
Cleary University
- Private 4 Year
- Howell, MI
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Cleary is a private university known for undergraduate business and management programs. The campus is in Howell, a smaller city in southeastern Michigan.
- SAT Range 950-1170
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $23,705
Kent State University at Kent
- Public 4 Year
- Kent, OH
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Kent State is a large public university known for undergraduate fashion design, journalism, and education. Most undergrads study on a residential campus in the college town of Kent.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $21,278
Chicago State University
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Chicago State is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The urban campus is located on Chicago's South Side.
- SAT Range 750-963
- Avg GPA 3.18
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $10,441
University of Akron Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Akron, OH
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
University of Akron is a large public university known for undergraduate polymer science and engineering. The urban campus sits near downtown Akron.
- SAT Range 900-1190
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $14,693
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- Public 4 Year
- Milwaukee, WI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
UWM is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, nursing, and freshwater sciences. The urban East Side campus sits near Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,263
Indiana University Southeast
- Public 4 Year
- New Albany, IN
-
| 0 reviews
IU Southeast is a public regional campus of Indiana University known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The New Albany campus sits across the Ohio River from Louisville.
- SAT Range 970-1180
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $9,102
Wright State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Dayton, OH
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Aug 23 application deadline
Wright State is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and computer science. The suburban campus sits near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the Dayton area.
- SAT Range 913-1230
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $15,254
Rockford University
- Private 4 Year
- Rockford, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Rockford is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in the mid-sized city of Rockford in northern Illinois.
- SAT Range 850-1070
- Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $23,642
University of Southern Indiana
- Public 4 Year
- Evansville, IN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
University of Southern Indiana is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The suburban campus sits on the west side of Evansville near the Ohio River.
- SAT Range 1030-1240
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $14,722
University of Wisconsin Whitewater
- Public 4 Year
- Whitewater, WI
-
| 0 reviews
UW-Whitewater is a public university known for undergraduate business and education. The campus is set in the small college town of Whitewater in southeastern Wisconsin.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $12,709
Bethel University
- Private 4 Year
- Mishawaka, IN
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Bethel is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. The Mishawaka campus is affiliated with the Missionary Church.
- SAT Range 900-1150
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $19,494
University of Wisconsin Green Bay
- Public 4 Year
- Green Bay, WI
-
| 0 reviews
UW-Green Bay is a public university known for undergraduate environmental science and business. The wooded campus borders Green Bay and includes a large arboretum with trails.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $11,429