U.S. News and World Report ranks Northwest among top schools in Midwest for second consecutive year

Students posed for photos in front of Northwest's Administration Building as they arrived to begin the fall semester in August. (Photo by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

Northwest Missouri State University is included on U.S. News and World Report’s list of “2025 Best Colleges,” which again ranks the institution among the top 25 public regional universities in the Midwest.

Northwest came in at No. 20 on the list of public regional universities in the Midwest, which is an improvement from its position at No. 22 last year. The ranking places Northwest as the top moderately selective institution in the state and second among all public schools in Missouri, trailing only Truman State University.

Among all regional universities in the Midwest, U.S. News ranks Northwest at No. 67, up nine spots from No. 76 in 2024.

Additionally, Northwest – which is designated as a Military Friendly School – is No. 31 among regional universities in the Midwest and third among Missouri public institutions on U.S. News’s list of “Best Colleges for Veterans,” a ranking introduced last year.

U.S. News evaluated nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor's degree-granting institutions on measures that reflect academic quality and graduate outcomes, including first-year retention rates, graduation rates, financial resources and results of peer assessment surveys. Each indicator is assigned a weight and institutions are ranked based on their overall scores.

The publication defines regional universities as those that offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and some master's degree programs but few, if any, doctoral programs. The Midwest region includes all public and private universities in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin as well as Missouri.

A Northwest students crosses through the Memorial Bell Tower. (Photo by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

About Northwest Missouri State University

With an enrollment of more than 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Northwest places emphasis on profession-based learning and provides students with tools they need to succeed.

Founded in 1905, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data. 

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers. Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, which saves students an estimated $6,800 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program. 

For more information about Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.