Top Rated Midwest Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in the Midwest as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in the Midwest is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Rapid City, SD
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
South Dakota Mines is a public science and engineering university known for undergraduate mining, geological, and materials engineering. The Rapid City campus lies at the edge of the Black Hills.
- SAT Range 1140-1340
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $20,267
Indiana University Indianapolis
- Public 4 Year
- Indianapolis, IN
-
| 0 reviews
- May 15 application deadline
IU Indianapolis is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and philanthropic studies. The urban campus is located in downtown Indianapolis.
- SAT Range 1030-1240
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $12,228
University of Missouri St Louis
- Public 4 Year
- Saint Louis, MO
-
| 0 reviews
UMSL is a public university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The suburban campus is in St. Louis County.
- SAT Range 1060-1290
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $14,008
University of Cincinnati Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Cincinnati, OH
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
University of Cincinnati is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, design, and music. The urban campus occupies a hillside site in Cincinnati's Uptown area.
- SAT Range 1160-1370
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $24,696
University of Michigan Dearborn
- Public 4 Year
- Dearborn, MI
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Michigan-Dearborn is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and computer science. The suburban campus sits in Dearborn in the Detroit metro area.
- SAT Range 990-1255
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $11,521
Grand Valley State University
- Public 4 Year
- Allendale, MI
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Grand Valley State is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The Allendale campus sits west of Grand Rapids along the Grand River.
- SAT Range 940-1190
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $17,198
University of Illinois Springfield
- Public 4 Year
- Springfield, IL
-
| 0 reviews
UIS is a public university known for undergraduate public affairs, political science, and computer science. The campus is in Springfield, Illinois's state capital.
- SAT Range 940-1200
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $10,809
University of Northern Iowa
- Public 4 Year
- Cedar Falls, IA
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
UNI is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Cedar Falls.
- SAT Range 1020-1280
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $16,437
Northern Illinois University
- Public 4 Year
- Dekalb, IL
-
3.2 | 5 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
NIU is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and the visual arts. The residential campus is in the college town of DeKalb west of Chicago.
- SAT Range 940-1170
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $14,243
Illinois State University
- Public 4 Year
- Normal, IL
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Illinois State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Normal, next to Bloomington.
- SAT Range 990-1210
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $21,369
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Public 4 Year
- Edwardsville, IL
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
SIUE is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The large wooded campus sits in the St. Louis metro area.
- SAT Range 950-1190
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $17,115
Ohio University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Athens, OH
-
4.5 | 4 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Ohio University is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism and communications. Athens is a classic college town built around the residential campus.
- SAT Range 1090-1290
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $21,907
Winona State University
- Public 4 Year
- Winona, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
Winona State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Minnesota's bluff country.
- SAT Range 980-1250
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $18,289
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- Public 4 Year
- Carbondale, IL
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
SIU Carbondale is a large public university known for undergraduate aviation, journalism, and forestry. The wooded campus anchors the college town of Carbondale in southern Illinois.
- SAT Range 900-1160
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $13,473
University of Toledo
- Public 4 Year
- Toledo, OH
-
| 0 reviews
University of Toledo is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and pharmacy. The main campus sits in a residential section of Toledo.
- SAT Range 1100-1300
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $17,844
University of Minnesota Duluth
- Public 4 Year
- Duluth, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UMD is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and the natural sciences. The hillside campus overlooks Lake Superior above the city of Duluth.
- SAT Range 1180-1350
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $20,128
University of Nebraska at Kearney
- Public 4 Year
- Kearney, NE
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
UNK is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus is set in the college town of Kearney.
- SAT Range 905-1125
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $16,287
Wayne State University
- Public 4 Year
- Detroit, MI
-
4.2 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Wayne State is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, pharmacy, and business. The urban campus is in Midtown Detroit near the city's cultural district.
- SAT Range 1060-1270
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $14,416