Lens covers 44 big-city colleges in the Midwest, 17 public and 27 private. They range from Avila University (1,312 undergraduates) to Ohio State University (45,638). Acceptance rates run from 4% to 97%, and 39 of the 44 admit at least half of applicants.
Big-city colleges are in a city of 250,000 people or more (NCES locale). It describes the surrounding area; some city colleges have a campus of their own. In Lens, the Midwest means Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Open these 44 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 44 big-city colleges in the Midwest
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augsburg University | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2,494 | 82% | $45,452 |
| Avila University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1,312 | 88% | $42,000 |
| Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | 4,317 | 85% | $47,560 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, Ohio | 6,437 | 37% | $66,608 |
| Chicago State University | Chicago, Illinois | 1,384 | 43% | $12,754 |
| Cleveland State University | Cleveland, Ohio | 8,969 | 91% | $12,988 in-state · $18,510 out-of-state |
| Columbia College Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 5,368 | 89% | $34,088 |
| Concordia University–Saint Paul | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 3,018 | 79% | $25,600 |
| Creighton University | Omaha, Nebraska | 4,348 | 80% | $48,856 |
| DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois | 14,090 | 76% | $45,999 |
| Hamline University | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 1,776 | 88% | $50,004 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago, Illinois | 2,833 | 55% | $52,386 |
| Indiana Institute of Technology | Fort Wayne, Indiana | 1,441 | 70% | $31,361 |
| Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | 13,830 | 76% | $10,762 in-state · $34,891 out-of-state |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 11,737 | 82% | $53,710 |
| Macalester College | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 2,131 | 29% | $68,104 |
| Marian University | Indianapolis, Indiana | 2,266 | 95% | $40,664 |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 7,660 | 81% | $51,170 |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 2,654 | 59% | $50,480 |
| National Louis University | Chicago, Illinois | 4,406 | 95% | $12,705 |
| North Park University | Chicago, Illinois | 1,818 | 69% | $36,710 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago, Illinois | 3,982 | 75% | $12,383 in-state · $22,726 out-of-state |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | 45,638 | 61% | $13,244 in-state · $40,022 out-of-state |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana | 5,484 | 84% | $9,532 in-state · $22,887 out-of-state |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago, Illinois | 2,849 | 97% | $21,315 |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis, Missouri | 7,267 | 75% | $55,760 |
| Saint Xavier University | Chicago, Illinois | 3,096 | 84% | $37,940 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 2,805 | 77% | $56,420 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 7,569 | 4% | $70,662 |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 29,882 | 85% | $13,976 in-state · $29,310 out-of-state |
| University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit, Michigan | 2,438 | 75% | $32,946 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 22,170 | 77% | $14,338 in-state · $29,884 out-of-state |
| University of Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | 3,005 | 66% | $37,200 |
| University of Minnesota–Twin Cities | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 31,855 | 80% | $17,214 in-state · $38,362 out-of-state |
| University of Missouri–Kansas City | Kansas City, Missouri | 6,817 | 72% | $12,587 in-state · $30,227 out-of-state |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha | Omaha, Nebraska | 11,488 | 87% | $8,718 in-state · $23,206 out-of-state |
| University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska | 19,178 | 87% | $10,434 in-state · $28,584 out-of-state |
| University of St Thomas | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 6,245 | 85% | $54,398 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, Ohio | 9,770 | 92% | $12,744 in-state · $22,104 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | 36,902 | 45% | $11,603 in-state · $42,103 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 16,758 | 91% | $10,398 in-state · $22,398 out-of-state |
| Wayne State University | Detroit, Michigan | 15,587 | 81% | $15,190 in-state · $32,037 out-of-state |
| Wichita State University | Wichita, Kansas | 10,780 | 94% | $9,684 in-state · $19,869 out-of-state |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati, Ohio | 4,207 | 86% | $50,640 |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Big-City Colleges
- Big-City Colleges in the Northeast
- Big-City Colleges in the Southeast
- Big-City Colleges in the South and Southwest
- Big-City Colleges in the Mountain West
- Big-City Colleges on the West Coast
- Liberal Arts Colleges in the Midwest
- Large Public Universities in the Midwest
- Smaller Public Universities in the Midwest
- Smaller Private Universities in the Midwest
- Catholic Colleges in the Midwest
- Christian Colleges in the Midwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Midwest
- Division I Colleges in the Midwest
FAQ
Which big-city colleges in the Midwest admit at least half of applicants? 39 of the 44: Augsburg University, Avila University, Butler University, Cleveland State University, Columbia College Chicago, Concordia University–Saint Paul, Creighton University, DePaul University, Hamline University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Indiana Institute of Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis and 27 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest big-city colleges in the Midwest? Ohio State University is the largest, with 45,638 undergraduates, and Avila University is the smallest, with 1,312 (fall 2024).
How many big-city colleges in the Midwest are public? 17 of the 44 are public and 27 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.