Top Rated Midwest Private Colleges
These are the top ranked private four-year colleges in the Midwest. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the highest ranked private college in the Midwest is University of Chicago. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
St Catherine University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
St. Catherine is a private Catholic women's university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. Most bachelor's programs enroll women on the urban Saint Paul campus.
- SAT Range 850-1140
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $20,918
Simpson College
- Private 4 Year
- Indianola, IA
-
2.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Simpson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, business, and education. The residential campus is in the small college town of Indianola near Des Moines.
- SAT Range 890-1280
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,282
Saint Ambrose University
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Ambrose is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus sits in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 930-1170
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $25,345
Concordia University Wisconsin
- Private 4 Year
- Mequon, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Concordia Wisconsin is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The suburban campus sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Mequon.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $31,916
Viterbo University
- Private 4 Year
- La Crosse, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Viterbo is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and performing arts. The campus sits in La Crosse along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 1040-1380
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $21,933
The University of Findlay
- Private 4 Year
- Findlay, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Findlay is a private university known for undergraduate equestrian studies, pharmacy, and animal science. The campus is located in the small city of Findlay in northwest Ohio.
- SAT Range 1010-1213
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $27,297
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
2.0 | 2 reviews
- Nov 15 application deadline
SAIC is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fine arts, design, and contemporary art practice. The urban downtown campus is connected to the Art Institute of Chicago museum.
- SAT Range 1048-1260
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $55,631
Saint Norbert College
- Private 4 Year
- De Pere, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Norbert is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and communication. It is the only Norbertine college in the United States, with a residential campus along the Fox River.
- SAT Range 1033-1290
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $27,880
Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Lincoln, NE
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Nebraska Wesleyan is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in Lincoln.
- SAT Range 1020-1290
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $21,122
Franciscan University of Steubenville
- Private 4 Year
- Steubenville, OH
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Franciscan is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate theology, philosophy, and catechetics. The hillside campus overlooks the Ohio River in Steubenville.
- SAT Range 1110-1350
- Avg GPA 3.78
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $23,086
Cornell College
- Private 4 Year
- Mount Vernon, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college known for its One Course At A Time calendar of intensive undergraduate courses. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Mount Vernon.
- SAT Range 1120-1285
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $25,220
Mount St. Joseph University
- Private 4 Year
- Cincinnati, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Mount St. Joseph is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The hilltop campus overlooks the Ohio River on Cincinnati's west side.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 59%
- Net Price $17,094
Marietta College
- Private 4 Year
- Marietta, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Marietta is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and environmental science. The campus sits in a historic town along the Ohio River.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $22,007
Capital University
- Private 4 Year
- Columbus, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Capital is a private university known for undergraduate music through its conservatory, plus nursing and education. The residential campus sits in Bexley, a suburb of Columbus.
- SAT Range 910-1180
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $22,395
Dominican University
- Private 4 Year
- River Forest, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 31 application deadline
Dominican is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The suburban River Forest campus sits just west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 880-1100
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $13,402
Millikin University
- Private 4 Year
- Decatur, IL
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Millikin is a private university known for undergraduate music, theatre, and business. The residential campus is in Decatur in central Illinois.
- SAT Range 860-1130
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $22,813
Central College
- Private 4 Year
- Pella, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Central is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences, education, and study abroad. Most undergrads live on a residential campus in the small college town of Pella.
- SAT Range 1056-1120
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,848
Wartburg College
- Private 4 Year
- Waverly, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Wartburg is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, education, and biology. Most students live on the residential campus in the small Iowa town of Waverly, with long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $24,031