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.
Rockford University
- Private 4 Year
- Rockford, IL
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| 0 reviews
- 1,241 total enrollment
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
Bethel University
- Private 4 Year
- Mishawaka, IN
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4.3 | 3 reviews
- 1,167 total enrollment
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
Heidelberg University
- Private 4 Year
- Tiffin, OH
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| 0 reviews
- 1,091 total enrollment
Heidelberg is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus is in the small city of Tiffin in northwest Ohio.
- SAT Range 1030-1162
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $19,447
Lake Erie College
- Private 4 Year
- Painesville, OH
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| 0 reviews
- 1,108 total enrollment
Lake Erie is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate equestrian studies and business. The compact campus sits in Painesville, a small city east of Cleveland.
- SAT Range 945-1115
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $22,892
Indiana University Kokomo
- Public 4 Year
- Kokomo, IN
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| 0 reviews
- 2,921 total enrollment
IU Kokomo is a public regional campus of Indiana University known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. Most students study on a compact campus in the midsize city of Kokomo.
- SAT Range 960-1150
- Avg GPA 3.29
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $3,880
Midland University
- Private 4 Year
- Fremont, NE
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| 0 reviews
- 1,558 total enrollment
Midland is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. Most students live on the residential campus in Fremont, northwest of Omaha.
- SAT Range 963-1170
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $26,643
University of Wisconsin Superior
- Public 4 Year
- Superior, WI
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| 0 reviews
- 2,833 total enrollment
UW-Superior is a small public university known for undergraduate education, business, and transportation and logistics. The lakeside campus sits on the shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.32
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $13,215
Saint Mary of the Woods College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Mary of the Woods, IN
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| 0 reviews
- 1,159 total enrollment
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is a private Catholic college known for undergraduate music therapy, nursing, and equine studies. The wooded campus near Terre Haute is the historic home of the Sisters of Providence.
- SAT Range 875-1070
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $20,451
Wilmington College
- Private 4 Year
- Wilmington, OH
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1.0 | 1 reviews
- 1,040 total enrollment
A private Quaker liberal arts college known for undergraduate agriculture and peace studies. Students live on a residential campus in the small city of Wilmington in southwestern Ohio.
- SAT Range 850-1220
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $26,548
Cornerstone University
- Private 4 Year
- Grand Rapids, MI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,695 total enrollment
Cornerstone is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and business. Students live on a compact residential campus in Grand Rapids.
- SAT Range 970-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $21,335
Crown College
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Bonifacius, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- 1,846 total enrollment
Crown College is a private Christian college known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and nursing. The campus is in the small town of St. Bonifacius west of the Twin Cities.
- SAT Range 960-1150
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Acceptance Rate 23%
- Net Price $27,332
Grand View University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
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| 0 reviews
- 1,856 total enrollment
Grand View is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The urban campus sits in Des Moines, Iowa's capital city.
- SAT Range 920-1080
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $22,319
Muskingum University
- Private 4 Year
- New Concord, OH
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| 0 reviews
- 1,751 total enrollment
Muskingum is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate education and the sciences. Most students live on a residential campus in the small town of New Concord.
- SAT Range 910-1105
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $19,695
William Penn University
- Private 4 Year
- Oskaloosa, IA
-
| 0 reviews
- 1,425 total enrollment
William Penn is a private Quaker-affiliated university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small town of Oskaloosa.
- SAT Range 880-1110
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 52%
- Net Price $22,740
Concordia University Ann Arbor
- Private 4 Year
- Ann Arbor, MI
-
| 0 reviews
- 1,135 total enrollment
Concordia Ann Arbor is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus sits along the Huron River in Ann Arbor.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $31,080
Rochester University
- Private 4 Year
- Rochester Hills, MI
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| 0 reviews
- 1,193 total enrollment
Rochester University is a private Christian university with undergraduate programs in business, nursing, and education. The suburban campus is in Rochester Hills in metro Detroit.
- SAT Range 840-1060
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $21,611
Culver Stockton College
- Private 4 Year
- Canton, MO
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| 0 reviews
- 1,028 total enrollment
Culver-Stockton is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and equestrian studies. The campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 970-1080
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $21,996
Avila University
- Private 4 Year
- Kansas City, MO
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| 0 reviews
- 2,768 total enrollment
Avila is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The compact campus sits in southern Kansas City.
- SAT Range 800-960
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $17,004