The 20 Best Colleges in the Midwest
What’s Covered:
The Midwest, America’s Heartland, is known for its friendly residents, strong work ethic, and down-to-earth culture. The region boasts major cities like Chicago, Kansas City, and Detroit, but is also dotted with smaller, tight-knit communities and towns. At its core, the Midwest is known for its welcoming attitude toward anyone and everyone. This includes a welcoming college culture! Each August, new freshmen begin their studies at dozens of Midwestern universities.
Our Ranking Methodology
Below is a list of the 20 best colleges in the Midwest. The list was constructed with a focus on school quality, outcomes, and return on investment (ROI), along with consideration of a range of other factors, including retention rate, selectivity, endowment per student, student-faculty ratio, median earnings, and cost of attendance.
You can find CollegeVine’s rankings in their entirety here.
The 20 Best Colleges in the Midwest
1. University of Chicago
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance Rate: 4%
Middle 50% SAT: 1510-1560
Idle 50% ACT: 34-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,519
The University of Chicago (UChicago) is known for the intellectual curiosity of its teachers and students. The university has a long history of free and open discourse, making it an exciting place for young and passionate minds to come together for important conversations.
The university has more graduate students than undergraduate students, but that doesn’t mean the undergraduate population gets left behind. Rather, undergraduates have advanced opportunities, including research and networking.
UChicago teachers focus on learning for the sake of learning and on expanding the boundaries of human knowledge, exploring different perspectives, and disrupting the norm.
Learn more about the University of Chicago and what it takes to get accepted.
2. Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Acceptance Rate: 8%
Middle 50% SAT: 1510-1560
Middle 50% ACT: 34-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 9,060
Northwestern is a school of well-rounded and motivated students. It is a Big Ten school with a vibrant sports community and a significant number of students involved in Greek life. At the same time, the university is consistently highly ranked for its academic excellence.
Northwestern is known for its school spirit, its many traditions, and the fact that the color Northwestern Purple is featured all over campus. The school has great name recognition and students are typically very successful after graduation.
Learn more about Northwestern University and what it takes to get accepted.
3. University of Notre Dame
Location: Notre Dame, Indiana
Acceptance Rate: 11%
Middle 50% SAT: 1470-1540
Middle 50% ACT: 33-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,880
Notre Dame is strong in academics, school spirit, and football. Founded as a private Catholic institution in 1842, the school welcomes students of all faiths while remaining known for its devout community, weekly Mass services, and prominent religious iconography.
Notre Dame culture largely centers around traditions, many of which take place in the dorms. Dorms are gender-divided and about 80% of undergraduates live in the university’s 32 residence halls.
In addition to dorm culture, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team brings students together to show off their school spirit at football games and tailgates.
Learn more about the University of Notre Dame and what it takes to get accepted.
4. Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Middle 50% SAT: 1500-1570
Middle 50% ACT: 33-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,220
The students, faculty, and staff at WashU epitomize the friendly and supportive Midwestern spirit. Students at the school say that the large university lacks the coldness of other schools and feels very familial.
The university is very supportive of its undergraduate population, with many established resources and programs that address student needs. Simply put, WashU undergraduates have access to anything they need for success. One example of the university’s commitment to student success is the Cornerstone program, which provides free tutors and assistance to students struggling in particular subjects.
Learn more about Washington University in St. Louis and what it takes to get accepted.
5. University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Acceptance Rate: 16%
Middle 50% SAT: 1360-1530
Middle 50% ACT: 31-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,454
The University of Michigan is much larger than many of the other great schools in the Midwest, and its size offers numerous advantages. One of which is that there’s always something to do at Michigan, whether you want to go to a Greek life recruiting event, support the Wolverines at “the Big House,” venture out to a concert in the city, or study at one of the school’s 20 libraries. Michigan has it all.
Additionally, the school’s large size fosters a diverse student body, representing different regions and a wide range of interests.
Learn more about the University of Michigan and what it takes to get accepted.
6. Carleton College
Location: Northfield, Minnesota
Acceptance Rate: 20%
Middle 50% SAT: 1470-1540
Middle 50% ACT: 32-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,128
Carleton College is a top liberal arts school—the school deeply values deep thinking. Carleton has a very low student-to-faculty ratio (9:1), enabling students to receive the attention needed to succeed. Carleton’s campus is situated in a small town in Minnesota, resulting in a laid-back culture where students are free to be themselves and form tight communities.
Learn more about Carleton College and what it takes to get accepted.
7. Grinnell College
Location: Grinnell, Iowa
Acceptance Rate: 15%
Middle 50% SAT: 1430-1520
Middle 50% ACT: 31-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,788
Grinnell is a unique school due to its commitment to social justice and equity. The school practices need-blind admissions and uses its endowment to fund merit scholarships that increase socioeconomic diversity.
Grinnellians are generally liberal, socially active, and engaged in whatever they are pursuing. Grinnell is exclusively undergraduate, allowing professors to focus on encouraging curiosity and engagement in younger students.
Learn more about Grinnell College and what it takes to get accepted.
8. Macalester College
Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Acceptance Rate: 28%
Middle 50% SAT: 1350-1480
Middle 50% ACT: 30-33
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,068
Macalester is a liberal arts college that emphasizes global citizenship and equips students with the intellectual foundation to make a meaningful impact on the world. The school offers strong financial aid and features a beautiful campus in a Saint Paul neighborhood, providing easy access to the Twin Cities area.
Macalester’s class sizes are small—like its student body—which helps foster a close-knit community. The school’s cohesive student body is also a product of the requirement that they live on campus for their first two years.
Learn more about Macalester College and what it takes to get accepted.
9. Case Western Reserve University
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 38%
Middle 50% SAT: 1450-1530
Middle 50% ACT: 32-35
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,528
Case Western is known for its outstanding research. It is particularly renowned for its top-notch engineering program, as well as its programs for nursing and medicine. Academics are taken very seriously at Case. That said, while students are committed, they are not competitive or cold. The school’s intensity does not create a negative culture, but rather a culture of encouragement as students and professors communally value academic achievement.
Learn more about Case Western Reserve University and what it takes to get accepted.
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10. Kenyon College
Location: Gambier, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 31%
Middle 50% SAT: 1370-1473
Middle 50% ACT: 31-33
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,228
Kenyon College is known as “the Writers’ College” because its academic intensity is focused on writing. Professors at Kenyon know their students’ names and create a community where student input is valued. The strong bonds between professors and students are evident in the way faculty regularly stop to chat with students along the Middle Path, the main thoroughfare through campus.
Generally, Kenyonites are known for being quirky, cerebral, and artsy and for creating a work-hard, play-hard culture on campus.
Learn more about Kenyon College and what it takes to get accepted.
11. University of Wisconsin
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Acceptance Rate: 45%
Middle 50% SAT: 1370-1490
Middle 50% ACT: 29-33
Undergraduate Enrollment: 39,083
Not just one of the best colleges in the Midwest, the University of Wisconsin is one of the best public universities in the U.S. It’s this academic excellence that leads some to call the school the “Berkeley of the Midwest.”
Given its location in America’s Heartland, it’s no surprise that Wisconsin has been at the center of a variety of fields—from alumni like John Muir and Gaylord Nelson (founder of Earth Day) leading in environmentalism to scientific achievements such as the discovery of vitamins and the cultivation of embryonic stem cells.
Learn more about the University of Wisconsin and what it takes to get accepted.
12. Denison University
Location: Granville, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 17%
Middle 50% SAT: 1340-1480
Middle 50% ACT: 30-33
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,394
Denison is a prestigious liberal arts college that encourages students to learn inside and outside of the classroom and empowers them to become architects of their own lives. One of Denison’s most well-known programs is Summer Scholars. Approximately 120 students are selected as Summer Scholars annually and pursue projects in a variety of fields under the supervision of a faculty member while receiving a stipend and funding for research.
Despite its location in the center of the country, students come from all over to attend Denison—students from 50 states and 73 countries can be found on campus.
Learn more about Denison University and what it takes to get accepted.
13. Oberlin College and Conservatory
Location: Oberlin, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 34%
Middle 50% SAT: 1370-1500
Middle 50% ACT: 31-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,896
Oberlin College is known both for its world-class music conservatory and its highly rated liberal arts program. Oberlin itself is a very small town with just a few restaurants, which is isolated from the rest of Ohio. That said, like most small liberal arts schools, the school works hard to foster an involved community.
The Oberlin student body is generally composed of liberal and unconventional students who enjoy discussing politics, culture, and philosophy. With regards to student life, Oberlin’s music conservatory sponsors roughly 500 concerts each year and there are hundreds of student groups to get involved in.
Learn more about Oberlin College and Conservatory and what it takes to get accepted.
14. Ohio State University (OSU)
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 61%
Middle 50% SAT: 1280-1430
Middle 50% ACT: 26-32
Undergraduate Enrollment: 46,815
Ohio State University is one of the largest colleges in the U.S. It’s home to more than 60,000 total students, of whom more than 45,000 are undergraduates. To keep pace with the interests of its huge number of undergraduates, Ohio State offers over 200 majors and almost as many minors in academic fields ranging from Architecture to Wildlife Science.
Can’t find an area that interests you? The Personalized Study Program lets you design your own major.
Learn more about the Ohio State University and what it takes to get accepted.
15. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Acceptance Rate: 80%
Middle 50% SAT: 1320-1470
Middle 50% ACT: 26-31
Undergraduate Enrollment: 41,303
“Ski-U-Mah!” Get to know those words well—ski-oo is a misinterpreted word from the Dakota language, thought to mean victory or winning, because you’ll hear it often at the University of Minnesota, where it is chanted at nearly every sporting event.
Outside of athletics, students at Minnesota have a lot to celebrate; the college is located in a flourishing urban district of Minneapolis, with easy access to restaurants, parks, miles of bike paths, and lakes—it’s Minnesota, after all.
Learn more about the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and what it takes to get accepted.
16. Purdue University
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Middle 50% SAT: 1220-1470
Middle 50% ACT: 28-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 43,633
After Purdue’s rivalry with Indiana University—the two colleges have competed in football for the Old Oaken Bucket since 1891—the college is known for its excellent STEM programming.
Purdue rises above other universities in numerous (literal) ways: it was the first college to offer a degree in Aeronautical Engineering; Gus Grissom (one of the first Americans to go to outer space), Neil Armstrong (the first person to walk on the moon), and Eugene Cernan (the last man to walk on the moon) are all Purdue Alumni; and the school is also home to its own airport, which is the second-largest airport in Indiana.
Learn more about Purdue University and what it takes to get accepted.
17. St. Olaf College
Location: Northfield, Minnesota
Acceptance Rate: 46%
Middle 50% SAT: 1320-1440
Middle 50% ACT:28-32
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,114
St. Olaf is a well-regarded liberal arts college founded by Norwegian Lutheran immigrants in 1874. The college remains grounded in Lutheran tradition today, although it is welcoming to students regardless of their faith—just 12% of St. Olaf students are Lutheran, while 46% have no religious preference.
St. Olaf operates on a 4-1-4 academic calendar, which consists of two 14-week semesters of four courses separated by a one-month interim on a single course in January.
Learn more about St. Olaf College and what it takes to get accepted.
18. University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
Location: Champaign, Illinois
Acceptance Rate: 42%
Middle 50% SAT: 1390-1520
Middle 50% ACT: 30-34
Undergraduate Enrollment: 37,140
University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign has a well-deserved reputation as one of the nation’s top party schools—thanks in part to laws that allow 19-year-olds to enter bars (but not drink) in Champaign and 18-year-olds to enter bars (but not drink) in Urbana.
UIUC isn’t all fun and games, however, and students there work as hard as they play. The college is consistently a top producer of Fulbright Award recipients, and its alumni include 24 Nobel Prize winners and 28 Pulitzer Prize winners.
Learn more about the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign and what it takes to get accepted.
19. Saint Louis University
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Acceptance Rate: 81%
Middle 50% SAT: 1210-1430
Middle 50% ACT: 26-31
Undergraduate Enrollment: 10,519
Saint Louis University is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and one of the best Jesuit colleges in the country. Jesuit education believes in caring for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—as well as encouraging students to contribute to the greater community.
More than 400 students attend Sunday evening student Mass, and roughly 80% of students volunteer at least once during the academic year. St. Louis University’s soccer team, the Billikens, has won nine NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships, more than any other men’s Division I college soccer program.
Learn more about Saint Louis University and what it takes to get accepted.
20. DePauw University
Location: Greencastle, Indiana
Acceptance Rate: 56%
Middle 50% SAT: 1170-1390
Middle 50% ACT: 26-32
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,858
DePauw University is a well-respected liberal arts college that’s affiliated with the Methodist Church. Despite its ties to the Methodist Church, DePauw is committed to providing an open college experience for students of all religious beliefs and backgrounds and is a place where students can explore, practice, and share their faith.
DePauw values learning both inside and outside of the classroom. The university offers majors ranging from Actuarial Science to Theatre, and it ranks among the best schools in the nation for study-abroad opportunities.
Learn more about DePauw University and what it takes to get accepted.
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
Each of the schools mentioned has a different average acceptance rate, and your chances of admission may be higher or lower than the average, depending on your individual profile.
To find out your chances of admission at each of these top schools in the Midwest, or any other schools you are interested in, use CollegeVine’s free chancing engine. By taking into account your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, we’ll estimate your odds of acceptance at different schools and give you tips on improving your profile.
