Lens covers 50 small-town and rural colleges in the Midwest, 25 public and 25 private. They range from Wilberforce University (822 undergraduates) to Ohio University (19,633). Acceptance rates run from 15% to 99%, and 43 of the 50 admit at least half of applicants.
Small-town and rural colleges are outside cities and suburbs (NCES locale). In Lens, the Midwest means Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Open these 50 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 50 small-town and rural colleges in the Midwest
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albion College | Albion, Michigan | 1,300 | 81% | $56,950 |
| Alma College | Alma, Michigan | 1,148 | 57% | $49,552 |
| Ashland University | Ashland, Ohio | 2,199 | 76% | $31,210 |
| Bemidji State University | Bemidji, Minnesota | 3,139 | 56% | $10,237 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | 12,812 | 81% | $14,460 in-state · $22,448 out-of-state |
| Carleton College | Northfield, Minnesota | 2,086 | 20% | $68,892 |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville, Ohio | 4,024 | 65% | $37,150 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | 10,035 | 90% | $14,760 |
| DePauw University | Greencastle, Indiana | 1,905 | 57% | $59,070 |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, Illinois | 4,188 | 65% | $13,679 in-state · $16,217 out-of-state |
| Ferris State University | Big Rapids, Michigan | 8,106 | 91% | $14,778 |
| Grace College and Theological Seminary | Winona Lake, Indiana | 1,464 | 82% | $31,200 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale, Michigan | 18,854 | 83% | $15,140 in-state · $21,548 out-of-state |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, Iowa | 1,729 | 15% | $68,106 |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter, Minnesota | 1,878 | 61% | $56,076 |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale, Michigan | 1,573 | 21% | $33,189 |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville, Illinois | 930 | 78% | $38,676 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University–Marion | Marion, Indiana | 1,974 | 89% | $32,352 |
| Kenyon College | Gambier, Ohio | 1,732 | 31% | $71,520 |
| Knox College | Galesburg, Illinois | 1,127 | 71% | $57,903 |
| Manchester University | North Manchester, Indiana | 936 | 71% | $37,135 |
| Miami University–Oxford | Oxford, Ohio | 16,656 | 75% | $18,161 in-state · $41,221 out-of-state |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton, Michigan | 5,955 | 92% | $19,123 in-state · $42,988 out-of-state |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla, Missouri | 5,521 | 73% | $14,984 in-state · $33,248 out-of-state |
| Northern Michigan University | Marquette, Michigan | 6,556 | 84% | $14,277 in-state · $19,773 out-of-state |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville, Missouri | 4,378 | 86% | $10,611 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| Oberlin College | Oberlin, Ohio | 2,887 | 34% | $67,366 |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada, Ohio | 2,489 | 74% | $39,800 |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | 19,633 | 85% | $14,158 in-state · $24,838 out-of-state |
| Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg, Kansas | 4,210 | 89% | $8,400 in-state · $19,744 out-of-state |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings, South Dakota | 9,198 | 98% | $9,299 in-state · $12,809 out-of-state |
| Southern Illinois University–Carbondale | Carbondale, Illinois | 8,494 | 87% | $13,334 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield, Minnesota | 3,093 | 48% | $59,760 |
| The College of Wooster | Wooster, Ohio | 1,730 | 60% | $61,640 |
| The University of Findlay | Findlay, Ohio | 2,223 | 83% | $41,164 |
| Tiffin University | Tiffin, Ohio | 2,051 | 80% | $34,790 |
| Trine University | Angola, Indiana | 2,324 | 85% | $36,560 |
| University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, Missouri | 5,648 | 64% | $10,050 in-state · $18,600 out-of-state |
| University of Mount Union | Alliance, Ohio | 1,995 | 78% | $36,600 |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, Nebraska | 4,088 | 89% | $8,676 in-state · $15,284 out-of-state |
| University of South Dakota | Vermillion, South Dakota | 5,439 | 99% | $9,432 in-state · $12,942 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Platteville | Platteville, Wisconsin | 5,837 | 89% | $8,644 in-state · $17,603 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–River Falls | River Falls, Wisconsin | 4,205 | 82% | $9,008 in-state · $17,470 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point | Stevens Point, Wisconsin | 7,306 | 92% | $9,488 in-state · $18,508 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Stout | Menomonie, Wisconsin | 5,842 | 88% | $10,701 in-state · $19,265 out-of-state |
| University of Wisconsin–Whitewater | Whitewater, Wisconsin | 9,405 | 86% | $8,616 in-state · $18,716 out-of-state |
| Wartburg College | Waverly, Iowa | 1,452 | 76% | $26,250 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois | 4,410 | 71% | $15,264 |
| Wilberforce University | Wilberforce, Ohio | 822 | 40% | $16,448 |
| Winona State University | Winona, Minnesota | 5,144 | 75% | $10,576 in-state · $17,308 out-of-state |
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
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the Northeast
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the Southeast
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the South and Southwest
- 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 small-town and rural colleges in the Midwest admit at least half of applicants? 43 of the 50: Albion College, Alma College, Ashland University, Bemidji State University, Bowling Green State University, Cedarville University, Central Michigan University, DePauw University, Eastern Illinois University, Ferris State University, Grace College and Theological Seminary, Grand Valley State University and 31 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest small-town and rural colleges in the Midwest? Ohio University is the largest, with 19,633 undergraduates, and Wilberforce University is the smallest, with 822 (fall 2024).
How many small-town and rural colleges in the Midwest are public? 25 of the 50 are public and 25 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.