Resources › For Students and Parents Top Midwest Colleges and Universities A list of 30 of Midwest's best colleges and universities Share Flipboard Email Print Creating Your College Wish List Introduction Understanding the Different Kinds of Colleges 15 Things to Consider When Choosing a School Faculty to Student Ratio What Is a Liberal Arts College? 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What Is a Reach School? What Is a Match School? What Is a Safety School? Midwest Region. By Allen Grove College Admissions Expert Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. our editorial process Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Allen Grove Updated November 30, 2019 The Midwest encompasses a wide range of colleges and universities—private and public, urban and rural, large and small, secular and religious. The 30 colleges and universities below were chosen based on a range of factors including retention rates, graduation rates, student engagement, selectivity, and financial aid. The schools are listed alphabetically to avoid the often arbitrary distinctions that separate #1 from #2, and because of the futility of comparing a large research university to a small liberal arts college. The 30 colleges and universities in the list below were selected from Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin. Albion College Albion College Observatory. kennethaw88 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 Location: Albion, MichiganEnrollment: 1,533 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; good financial aid; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; NCAA Division III athletic program; over 100 student clubs and organizationsFor more information and admissions data, visit the Albion College profile Carleton College Carleton College Bell Tower. Roy Luck / Flickr Location: Northfield, MinnesotaEnrollment: 2,097 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: one of the nation's ten best liberal arts colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; high retention and graduation rate; attractive campus with an 880-acre arboretum; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratioFor more information and admissions data, visit the Carleton College profile Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University. Rdikeman / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Location: Cleveland, OhioEnrollment: 11,890 (5,261 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private universityExplore the Campus: Case Western Photo TourDistinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences programs; strong engineering programs; one of the top Ohio collegesFor more information and admissions data, visit the Case Western Reserve University profile College of Wooster The College of Wooster. Allen Grove Location: Wooster, OhioEnrollment: 2,004 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: member of the Five Colleges of Ohio Consortium; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences programs; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the top Ohio colleges; strong independent study program; NCAA Division III athletic programFor more information and admissions data, visit the College of Wooster profile Creighton University Creighton University. Raymond Bucko, SJ / Flickr Location: Omaha, NebraskaEnrollment: 8,910 (4,446 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private Jesuit universityDistinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; good financial aid and value; member of the NCAA Division I Big East Conference; one of the country's top Catholic universitiesFor more information and admissions data, visit the Creighton University profile Denison University Denison University Swasey Chapel. Allen Grove Location: Granville, OhioEnrollment: 2,394 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: member of the Five Colleges of Ohio Consortium; one of the top Ohio colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; 900-acre campus includes a 550-acre biological reserve; good financial aidFor more information and admissions data, visit the Denison University profile DePauw University DePauw University Performing Arts Center. Rovergirl88 / Wikimedia Commons Location: Greencastle, IndianaEnrollment: 2,156 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the top Indiana colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; five different honors programs; campus features a 520-acre nature park; good financial aidFor more information and admissions data, visit the DePauw University profile Grinnell College Grinnell College. Barry Solow / Flickr Location: Grinnell, IowaEnrollment: 1,716 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; few core requirements; NCAA Division III athletic programFor more information and admissions data, visit the Grinnell College profile Hope College Hope College. Leo Herzog / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 Location: Holland, MichiganEnrollment: 3,149 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the Reformed Church in AmericaDistinctions: distinguished in Loren Pope's College's That Change Lives; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; located five miles from Lake MichiganFor more information and admissions data, visit the Hope College profile Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan University. soundfromwayout / Flickr Location: Bloomington, IllinoisEnrollment: 1,693 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 17; high retention and graduation rates; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciencesFor more information and admissions data, visit the Illinois Wesleyan University profile Indiana University at Bloomington Sample Gates at Indiana University Bloomington. lynn Dombrowski / Flickr Location: Bloomington, IndianaEnrollment: 43,503 (33,301 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public research universityDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; membership in the Association of American Universities for research strengths; attractive 2,000-acre campus; Hoosiers compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten ConferenceFor more information and admissions data, visit the Indiana University profile Kalamazoo College Hoben Hall at Kalamazoo College. AaronEndre / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Location: Kalamazoo, MichiganEnrollment: 1,467 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: featured in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; strong student engagement through internships, service-learning and study abroad; located blocks from Western Michigan UniversityFor more information and admissions data, visit the Kalamazoo College profile Kenyon College Leonard Hall at Kenyon College. Curt Smith / Flickr Location: Gambier, OhioEnrollment: 1,730 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: member of the Five Colleges of Ohio Consortium; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 15; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; campus features a 380-acre nature preserveFor more information and admissions data, visit the Kenyon College profile Luther College Luther College. Prizm / Wikimedia Commons Location: Decorah, IowaEnrollment: 2,005 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaDistinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; institutional emphasis on service; high participation in study abroad; excellent value; NCAA Division III athletic programsFor more information and admissions data, visit the Luther College profile Macalester College Macalester College - Leonard Center. Evenjk / Wikimedia Commons Location: Saint Paul, MinnesotaEnrollment: 2,174 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 17; diverse student population; high retention and graduation rates; one of the country's best liberal arts colleges; NCAA Division III athleticsFor more information and admissions data, visit the Macalester College profile Marquette University Marquette Hall at Marquette University. Tim Cigelske / Flickr Location: Milwaukee, WisconsinEnrollment: 11,605 (8,435 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private Catholic universityDistinctions: 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average upper-level class size of 25; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; 116 majors and 65 minors; member of the NCAA Division I Big East ConferenceFor more information and admissions data, visit the Marquette University profile Miami University, Ohio Miami University Ohio. Wikimedia Commons Location: Oxford, OhioEnrollment: 19,934 (17,327 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public research universityDistinctions: one of the oldest public universities in the country; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; competes in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference; high graduation rate for a Division I schoolFor more information and admissions data, visit the Miami University profile Northwestern University stevegeer / Getty Images Location: Evanston, IllinoisEnrollment: 22,127 (8,642 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private research universityDistinctions: one of the most selective of all Illinois colleges; membership in the Association of American Universities for research strengths; one of the top U.S. universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Big Ten athletic conference; impressive 6 to 1 student / faculty ratioFor more information and admissions data, visit the Northwestern University profile Notre Dame Washington Hall at the University of Notre Dame. Allen Grove Location: Notre Dame, IndianaEnrollment: 12,607 (8,617 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private Catholic universityDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; highly selective admissions; large 1,250-acre campus includes two lakes; excellent graduate school placement; extremely high high graduation rate; many Fighting Irish teams compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference; one of the top universities and top Catholic universitiesFor more information and admissions data, visit the Notre Dame profile Oberlin College Oberlin College. Allen Grove Location: Oberlin, OhioEnrollment: 2,812 (2,785 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private liberal arts collegeDistinctions: member of the Five Colleges of Ohio Consortium; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; strong Conservatory of Music; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; first co-ed college in U.S.; diverse student bodyFor more information and admissions data, visit the Oberlin College profile Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Colin Shipley / Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 Location: Terre Haute, IndianaEnrollment: 2,142 (2,085 undergraduates)Type of Institution: undergraduate engineering collegeDistinctions: often ranked #1 among top undergraduate engineering colleges; 295-acre art-filled campus; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; hands-on approach to learning; high job placement rateFor more information and admissions data, visit the Rose-Hulman profile St. Olaf College St. Olaf College. Daniel Edwins / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 Location: Northfield, MinnesotaEnrollment: 3,048 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; featured in Lauren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; high graduation and retention rates; good financial aid; NCAA Division III athleticsFor more information and admissions data, visit the St. Olaf College profile Truman State University Truman State University. Derhai / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Location: Kirksville, MissouriEnrollment: 5,853 (5,504 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public liberal arts collegeDistinctions: one of the country's top public liberal arts colleges; excellent value; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; 17 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 24; NCAA Division II athletic programsFor more information and admissions data, visit the Truman State University profile University of Chicago University of Chicago. puroticorico / Flickr Location: Chicago, IllinoisEnrollment: 17,002 (6,532 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private research universityDistinctions: strong first-year student housing system; 5 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the most selective Illinois colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the Association of American Universities for research strengths; one of the top U.S. universitiesFor more information and admissions data, visit the University of Chicago profile University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, UIUC. Christopher Schmidt / Flickr Location: Urbana and Champaign, IllinoisEnrollment: 49,702 (33,915 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public research universityDistinctions: one of the top public universities; one of the top engineering schools; member of the Association of American Universities for research strengths; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Big Ten ConferenceFor more information and admissions data, visit the UIUC profile University of Michigan University of Michigan Tower. jeffwilcox / Flickr Location: Ann Arbor, MichiganEnrollment: 46,716 (30,318 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public research universityDistinctions: one of the top public universities in the country; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the Big Ten Conference; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratioFor more information and admissions data, visit the University of Michigan profile University of Wisconsin Madison Bruce Leighty / Getty Images Location: Madison, WisconsinEnrollment: 43,463 (31,705 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public research universityDistinctions: one of the country's top public universities; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; waterfront campus; member of the NCAA Division 1 Big Ten ConferenceFor more information and admissions data, visit the University of Wisconsin profile Washington University in St. Louis Washington University St. Louis. 阿赖耶识 / Flickr Location: St. Louis, MissouriEnrollment: 15,852 (7,751 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private research universityDistinctions: most selective and prestigious university in Missouri; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; high retention and graduation rates; residential college system; 7 to 1 student / faculty ratioFor more information and admissions data, visit the Washington University profile Wheaton College, Illinois Wheaton College Illinois. Teemu008 / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0 Location: Wheaton, IllinoisEnrollment: 2,944 (2,401 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private Christian liberal arts collegeDistinctions: one of the 40 schools featured by Loren Pope in Colleges that Change Lives; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; interdenominational with students from over 55 church denominations; highly ranked liberal arts collegeFor more information and admissions data, visit the Wheaton College profile Xavier University Xavier University. Sapphire / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Location: Cincinnati, OhioEnrollment: 7,127 (4,995 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private Catholic universityDistinctions: one of the country's top Catholic colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; strong preprofessinal programs; Musketeers compete in the NCAA Division I Big East Conference; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratioFor more information and admissions data, visit the Xavier University profile