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.
University of Wisconsin La Crosse
- Public 4 Year
- La Crosse, WI
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| 0 reviews
UW-La Crosse is a public university known for undergraduate exercise science, biology, and teacher education. The campus sits along the Mississippi River at the base of wooded bluffs.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $14,712
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
- Public 4 Year
- Eau Claire, WI
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UW-Eau Claire is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and music. The campus sits along the Chippewa River in a western Wisconsin college town.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $15,151
Western Illinois University
- Public 4 Year
- Macomb, IL
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4.0 | 1 reviews
Western Illinois is a public university known for undergraduate criminal justice, education, and agriculture. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Macomb.
- SAT Range 880-1090
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $14,208
Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Public 4 Year
- Moorhead, MN
-
| 0 reviews
Minnesota State Moorhead is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, fine arts, and mass communications. The campus sits in Moorhead across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota.
- SAT Range 1080-1290
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 59%
- Net Price $18,221
University of South Dakota
- Public 4 Year
- Vermillion, SD
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| 0 reviews
USD is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and fine arts. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Vermillion.
- SAT Range 1125-1315
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $19,133
South Dakota State University
- Public 4 Year
- Brookings, SD
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| 0 reviews
South Dakota State is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and pharmacy. Most undergrads study on a residential campus in the college town of Brookings.
- SAT Range 1060-1240
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $19,932
Ball State University
- Public 4 Year
- Muncie, IN
-
4.6 | 5 reviews
Ball State is a public university known for undergraduate architecture, education, and telecommunications. The college-town campus is in Muncie.
- SAT Range 1080-1260
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $13,599
University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Public 4 Year
- Omaha, NE
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UNO is a public university known for undergraduate business, criminal justice, and information technology. The urban campus sits in midtown Omaha.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $13,662
Western Michigan University
- Public 4 Year
- Kalamazoo, MI
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5.0 | 3 reviews
Western Michigan is a large public university known for undergraduate aviation, engineering, and education. The residential campus sits on a hillside overlooking Kalamazoo in southwestern Michigan.
- SAT Range 990-1220
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $17,331
Northeastern Illinois University
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Northeastern Illinois is a public university known for undergraduate education and business programs. The urban campus sits on Chicago's Northwest Side.
- SAT Range 810-1010
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $14,140
Eastern Illinois University
- Public 4 Year
- Charleston, IL
-
| 0 reviews
Eastern Illinois is a mid-sized public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Charleston in east-central Illinois.
- SAT Range 880-1090
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $13,787
Bowling Green State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Bowling Green, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
BGSU is a large public university known for undergraduate education, aviation, and popular culture studies. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Bowling Green.
- SAT Range 1000-1210
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $24,283
Saint Cloud State University
- Public 4 Year
- Saint Cloud, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Saint Cloud State is a public university known for undergraduate aviation, business, and education. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in central Minnesota.
- SAT Range 1025-1260
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $14,735
Dakota State University
- Public 4 Year
- Madison, SD
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4.3 | 7 reviews
Dakota State is a public university known for undergraduate cybersecurity, computer science, and information systems. Most students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Madison.
- SAT Range 1190-1440
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $20,438
University of Michigan Flint
- Public 4 Year
- Flint, MI
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 22 application deadline
UM-Flint is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The urban campus is located in downtown Flint.
- SAT Range 970-1243
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $7,852
University of Central Missouri
- Public 4 Year
- Warrensburg, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Central Missouri is a public university known for undergraduate aviation, criminal justice, and education. The campus sits in the college town of Warrensburg east of Kansas City.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $14,943
Missouri Southern State University
- Public 4 Year
- Joplin, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Missouri Southern is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and health sciences. The campus is in Joplin in southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1150-1420
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $11,626
Missouri State University Springfield
- Public 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
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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