The Best Midwestern Small Colleges
These are the top ranked small, public and private, four-year colleges in the Midwest as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have total enrollment under 3,000. Small colleges allow students a more intimate and personalized experience where it's more likely you will get to know your professors. Leading the list for 2027 is Carleton College. Learn how the Best Small Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Malone University
- Private 4 Year
- Canton, OH
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| 0 reviews
- 1,256 total enrollment
Malone is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban campus sits in Canton in northeastern Ohio.
- SAT Range 930-1180
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $22,390
Carthage College
- Private 4 Year
- Kenosha, WI
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4.5 | 4 reviews
- 2,844 total enrollment
Carthage is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
- SAT Range 1000-1205
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $27,066
University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne
- Private 4 Year
- Fort Wayne, IN
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3.0 | 2 reviews
- 1,763 total enrollment
University of Saint Francis is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The residential campus in Fort Wayne centers Catholic and Franciscan campus life.
- SAT Range 870-1070
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,654
University of Dubuque
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
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| 0 reviews
- 1,757 total enrollment
University of Dubuque is a private Presbyterian university known for undergraduate aviation and nursing. Most students live on the residential campus near the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $26,067
Madonna University
- Private 4 Year
- Livonia, MI
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| 0 reviews
- 2,124 total enrollment
Madonna is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban campus sits in Livonia in the Detroit metro area.
- SAT Range 880-1080
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $18,373
Mercy College of Ohio
- Private 4 Year
- Toledo, OH
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| 0 reviews
- 1,096 total enrollment
Mercy College of Ohio is a private Catholic college known for undergraduate nursing and allied health programs. The urban Toledo campus is tied to the Mercy Health system and the Sisters of Mercy tradition.
- SAT Range 790-1010
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $15,311
Greenville University
- Private 4 Year
- Greenville, IL
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| 0 reviews
- 1,104 total enrollment
Greenville University is a private Free Methodist university known for undergraduate teacher education and music. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Greenville.
- SAT Range 771-1230
- Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $20,799
Mount Mary University
- Private 4 Year
- Milwaukee, WI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,182 total enrollment
Mount Mary is a private Catholic women's university known for undergraduate fashion design, dietetics, and art. The campus sits in a residential neighborhood on Milwaukee's northwest side.
- SAT Range 866-1123
- Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $20,390
Siena Heights University
- Private 4 Year
- Adrian, MI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,781 total enrollment
Siena Heights is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. Students attend a compact campus in the small city of Adrian in southeast Michigan.
- SAT Range 806-1073
- Avg GPA 3.32
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $17,520
Buena Vista University
- Private 4 Year
- Storm Lake, IA
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| 0 reviews
- 1,890 total enrollment
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
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3.5 | 4 reviews
- 2,289 total enrollment
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
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| 0 reviews
- 1,284 total enrollment
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
Aquinas College
- Private 4 Year
- Grand Rapids, MI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,157 total enrollment
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
Grace College and Theological Seminary
- Private 4 Year
- Winona Lake, IN
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4.0 | 2 reviews
- 2,304 total enrollment
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
Marian University
- Private 4 Year
- Fond Du Lac, WI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,246 total enrollment
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
Adrian College
- Private 4 Year
- Adrian, MI
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4.0 | 2 reviews
- 1,765 total enrollment
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
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| 0 reviews
- 1,004 total enrollment
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
Chicago State University
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
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| 0 reviews
- 2,238 total enrollment
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