Public comprehensive colleges and universities have a lot to offer, including a variety of academic programs, expansive campus communities, affordable tuition rates, and seemingly endless resources to help students succeed in and out of the classroom. If this type of learning environment sounds right up your alley, then consider adding the following public comprehensive colleges in the Midwest to your list. You can request more information from the ones that sound interesting by clicking the green “Connect me” buttons below. Your future academic home may be right here, even if you haven’t heard its name before!
Fort Hays State University
Fort Hays State University is a public comprehensive university of the liberal and applied arts with a 200-acre campus located in Hays, Kansas—about 60 miles from the city of Great Bend. FHSU offers more than 70 majors through the Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, and Health & Life Sciences to more than 14,000 students—including around 6,000 online learners and over 3,800 living on campus. Students also benefit from 300 intramural activities, 120 student groups and organizations, and a 3,825-acre University farm.
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public comprehensive university on a 1,444-acre campus in Rochester, Michigan—25 miles north of downtown Detroit. More than 16,000 students are enrolled in 275+ undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the College of Arts & Sciences and the Schools of Business, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Computer Science, Health Sciences, Medicine, and Nursing. The University also offers tutoring and study groups, a full-service writing center, study abroad opportunities, research projects as early as freshman year, and a library that’s open 24/7.
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public comprehensive institution on a 1,500-acre main campus in Athens, Ohio—75 miles southeast of Columbus. OHIO offers more than 250 majors, minors, and certificates as well as 30 PhD programs and a 16:1 student-faculty ratio to over 28,000 students across five regional campuses and online. Students can also take advantage of more than 550 campus organizations (with the ability to create your own), seven on-campus galleries, 16 NCAA Division I athletic teams (with free admission to home games), 21 miles of bike paths on campus, Learning Communities for first-year students, and more.
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University is a public comprehensive land-grant university on an 840-acre main campus in Stillwater, Oklahoma—70 miles west of Tulsa. OSU is home to more than 35,000 students across its five-campus system with more than 250 academic programs, including 110 minors and 87 undergraduate majors that offer over 200 options and concentrations. Students also benefit from 30 on-campus housing options, study abroad programs in over 50 countries, the unique Freshman Research Program, more than 500 clubs and organizations, Greek life, diverse student associations, and dozens of intramural sports teams.
Purdue University Northwest
Purdue University Northwest is a public comprehensive institution with two campuses located in Hammond and Westville, Indiana. PNW offers 70+ areas of study to approximately 9,300 students through the Colleges of Business; Engineering & Sciences; Humanities, Education & Social Science; Nursing; and Technology as well as the Schools of Education & Counseling, Engineering, and Hospitality & Tourism Management. The University also offers 60 student organizations, intramural sports teams, Student Government and Programming boards, and fun campus traditions like a pancake study break during final exams.
Saginaw Valley State University
Saginaw Valley State University is a public comprehensive institution on a 782-acre campus in University Center, Michigan—35 miles north of Flint. SVSU offers nearly 70 majors in Arts & Behavioral Sciences, Business, Education, Health & Human Services, and Science, Engineering & Technology. The University’s 8,500+ undergraduates also benefit from more than 200 student organizations, 16 NCAA Division II athletic teams, Greek life, intramural sports, an Honors Program, undergraduate research opportunities, and more.
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a public multipurpose institution located on a 223-acre campus within walking distance of downtown Akron, Ohio. Home to nearly 15,000 total students, UA enrolls over 10,000 undergraduates in 200 degree programs spanning Engineering, Business, Computer Technology, Health Care, Education, and the Arts & Sciences. Students also enjoy state-of-the-art labs and facilities, a 53-foot climbing rock wall at the Rec Center, and over 340 student clubs and organizations focused on academics, arts and culture, athletics, band and choir, community service, eSports, Greek life, health, and more.
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a major public comprehensive research and teaching university with a 1,000-acre main campus in Lawrence, Kansas. Through 14 schools, four other campuses, and online options, KU offers more than 440 degree and certificate programs as well as 5,000 courses to around 28,500 students. The University also boasts over 600 clubs and organizations, 40+ fraternities and sororities, and myriad campus activism and advocacy opportunities, with more than 80,000 hours of community service performed by students last year.
University of Michigan–Flint
The University of Michigan–Flint is a public comprehensive institution on a 75-acre campus in Flint, Michigan—55 miles north of Detroit. At UM–Flint, nearly 6,000 total students pursue thousands of undergraduate and graduate programs through the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Management, the College of Health Sciences, the School of Education & Human Services, the School of Nursing, and the new College of Innovation & Technology. The Division of Student Affairs’ 11 units offer more than 90 student clubs and organizations, recreation and club sports, counseling, veteran and accessibility services, residential living and learning, access and opportunity programs, and more.
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a public comprehensive institution on a 908-acre campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa—seven miles from Waterloo. More than 11,000 total students pursue over 160 majors, minors, areas of emphasis, and pre-professional programs through the Colleges of Business; Education; Humanities, Arts & Sciences; and Social & Behavioral Sciences as well as the Graduate College. UNI students can also participate in 270+ organizations and work closely with expert faculty to select classes, find internship opportunities, and conduct research as early as freshman year.
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a public comprehensive institution with 3,326 acres spread across campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. With over 20,000 undergraduates, OU offers 170+ majors through several colleges and schools as well as experiential learning opportunities and first-class facilities for all majors. Students can also take advantage of study abroad through programs in 200+ cities and 80+ countries, more than 680 student organizations, and athletics that include the winningest program in the modern era of college football.
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay is a public comprehensive institution on a 700-acre campus in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The University offers 200+ majors as well as a variety of minors, certificates, master’s and graduate programs, accelerated degrees, and online options to nearly 9,000 students. UW-Green Bay is also home to more than 130 student organizations that offer social, service, and professional opportunities as well as the Pride Center, Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA), and the Mauthe Center for faith, spirituality, and social justice.
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public comprehensive university with a 194-acre main campus in Detroit, Michigan. Nearly 27,000 students pursue more than 340 academic programs, including 125+ bachelor's degrees as well as master's, doctoral, certificate, specialist, and professional programs. As one of the 50 largest public universities in the nation, Wayne State also offers 500+ student organizations and 6,400+ on-campus events annually.
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public multipurpose university with a 1,050-acre residential campus in Macomb, Illinois—70 miles west of Peoria. WIU offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs as well as integrated, pre-professional, and certificate programs to over 7,400 students. The University also features NCAA Division I athletics and more than 200 student organizations (with the ability to create your own), plus $10 million in scholarships awarded annually, locked-in tuition for all four years, and no out-of-state tuition rate.
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public comprehensive institution with a 200-acre main campus and 785-acre university farm located in Bowling Green, Kentucky—65 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee. At WKU, more than 17,500 students pursue 200+ academic programs, including 94 undergraduate majors, 75 minors, six associate degrees, 69 certificate programs, 48 master's degree programs, and a number of professional and pre-professional advising tracks. Students also enjoy more than 350 registered student organizations, including campus ministries, departmental clubs, Greek life, intramurals, professional groups, and service opportunities.
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