2025 College Rankings

Percentage of faculty affiliated with the Academic Freedom Alliance (AFA). The AFA is a membership organization of faculty dedicated to free expression. AFA-affiliated faculty contribute to building a culture of intellectual openness.

Percent of faculty affiliated with Heterodox Academy (HxA). HxA members are committed to viewpoint diversity on campus. HxA-affiliated faculty contribute to building a culture of intellectual openness.

Mean of student survey responses to the following question: "Where do you think the political views of the average faculty member on campus are on the following scale?" (1=Very liberal, 7=Very conservative) Greater viewpoint diversity among faculty members provides students with a more balanced education and better prepares them for life after graduation.

Absolute value of the difference of the percent of faculty/instructional staff campaign contributions given to Democratic candidates/Liberal PACs and the percent of faculty/instructional staff campaign contributions given to Republican candidates/Conservative PACs during the 2023-2024 campaign cycle. Political campaign contributions serve as a proxy for viewpoint diversity among the faculty, which provides students with a more balanced education and better prepares them for life after graduation.

Was the university ranked in the top 25 in The Princeton Review’s survey ranking professors' ability to bring their course material to life?

Was the university ranked in the bottom 25 in The Princeton Review’s survey ranking professors' ability to bring their course material to life?

The SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) is a classification of academic and research-related institutions ranked by a composite indicator that combines three different sets of indicators based on research performance, innovation outputs, and societal impact measured by their web visibility. Our measure is whether the university was in the top 25 of SCImago’s rankings. This is a measure of the faculty's overall quality and their collective contributions to knowledge creation (which provides undergraduates with valuable research opportunities).

Total university research and development expenditures during the last year. In addition to signaling faculty quality, greater expenditures can provide undergraduates with valuable research opportunities.

FIRE researched targeting incidents involving scholars at public and private American institutions of higher education, including both community colleges and four-year institutions, from 2015 through 2024. A targeting incident is defined as a campus controversy involving efforts to investigate, penalize or otherwise professionally sanction a scholar for engaging in constitutionally protected forms of speech. This measure does not include instances in which the scholar is subjected to harassment and/or intimidation, including death threats, but does not face an attempt at being professionally penalized or sanctioned. Nor does it include cases where the individual(s) or group(s) expresses opposition to a scholar’s speech, but does not make any demands that the scholar and/or institution take action to remedy the situation. Efforts to sanction professors for expression are anathema to academic freedom and discourage bold, independent thought.

ACTA's "What Will They Learn?" grades institutions with a stated liberal arts mission based on how many of the following seven core subjects are required in their general education programs: Composition, Literature, (intermediate-level) Foreign Language, U.S. Government or History, Economics, Mathematics, and Natural Science. If a subject is merely one of several options (as is often the case with “distribution requirements”), or if a subject is optional for students in either the B.A. or B.S. program, the college or university does not receive credit. Universities are given an A+ through F grade. In essence, institutions with a high ACTA grade have resisted the temptation to transform the curriculum into a buffet from which students select whatever pleases them at the moment. Curricular requirements generally indicate that administrators or faculty have not abandoned entirely their attachment to standards and foundational learning.

Does the university require a U.S. government or history course in order to graduate? Only a survey course in either U.S. government or history with enough chronological and topical breadth to expose students to the sweep of American history and institutions is counted. Generally, narrow, niche courses do not count for the requirement, nor do courses that only focus on a limited chronological period or a specific state or region. State- or university-administered, and/or state-mandated, exams are accepted for credit on a case-by-case basis, depending upon the rigor required. While we are under no illusions regarding the quality of most U.S. government or American history courses, retaining this curricular requirement is a signal of an administration or faculty with some understanding of the importance of graduating students prepared for the burdens of responsible and informed citizenship.

Does the university require a DEI course in order to graduate? DEI courses are courses that contain explicit DEI language in their titles, learning outcomes, and/or course descriptions. Mandating a DEI course elevates activism over academic inquiry, pushing narrow ideologies on students.

Does the university have an ACTA "Hidden Gem" program? ACTA’s Hidden Gems initiative highlights exceptional programs at colleges and universities that offer high-quality and coherent interdisciplinary education across the liberal arts. Hidden Gems range from major and minor degree programs to honors and certificate programs. ACTA "Hidden Gem" programs allow students to deepen their education through rigorous, interdisciplinary study in a dedicated intellectual community.

Is the university’s campus home to a member of the FEHE network? Each member of this network has a stated commitment to rigorous, civil, and open intellectual exchange across ideological difference. Foundation for Excellence in Higher Education centers offer courses and/or programming that enrich campus intellectual life, emphasizing the achievements of Western civilization, heterodox thought, and civil discourse.

How many ACTA "Oases of Excellence" does the university have? ACTA’s Oases of Excellence initiative highlights academic centers that prepare students for informed citizenship in a free society by maintaining the highest academic standards, introducing students to the best of the foundational arts and sciences, teaching American heritage, and ensuring free inquiry into a range of intellectual viewpoints. These programs and centers promote rigorous study of foundational questions and viewpoint diversity while defending academic freedom.

Is there a discrete school or program for teaching American civics and western civilization that has at least 10 dedicated faculty members? Here we recognize universities with academic units that house faculty dedicated to providing foundational education in the humanities and social sciencies, organized around explicit commitments to civil discourse and education for citizenship.

Head count of employees and interns working in DEI or related departments, as well as multicultural centers, gender/women’s centers, and identity-focused centers (per 1,000 undergraduates). Larger DEI bureaucracies signal deeper commitments to the divisive and discrimatory aims of DEI.

Percentage of faculty job ads posted in 2024 that require applicants to discuss anywhere in their application materials (e.g., in a separate document, in their cover letter) a commitment to diversity, equity, or inclusion. Diversity statements in hiring amount to ideological loyalty oaths.

Does the university employ a chief diversity officer (CDO) or similar administrator in charge of overseeing DEI? Examples include Associate Provost for Equity and Inclusion, Senior Executive Assistant to the President for Diversity, and Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity, etc.

Are the university’s admissions currently test-blind, test-optional, or test-required (with respect to the SAT and/or ACT)? Requiring standardized test scores is one indicator of a commitment to merit in admissions.

The Insight Into Academia Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award annually recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Did the university receive this award in 2024? "Award-winning" DEI offices signal a deep committment to the divisive and discrimatory aims of DEI.

Has the school significantly reformed its DEI bureaucracy over the last three years? If so, how extensive are those reforms? As problems with DEI have come to light, some schools have started to make necessary reforms, curtailing or eliminating their DEI bureaucracies. We reward these changes.

FIRE speech code ratings evaluate how much a college or university restricts student speech through its policies, assigning a "red light", "yellow light", or "green light" rating based on the severity of speech restrictions, with "red light" indicating the most restrictive policies and "green light" indicating the least restrictive policies; a "warning" rating is also given to private institutions that clearly prioritize other values above free speech. Policies allowing students to express a wide range of views without fear of disciplinary consequences help facilitate a spirit of intellectual openness. We use FIRE's ratings from the 2025 College Free Speech Rankings.

Mean of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to the following question: How clear is it to you that your college’s administration protects free speech on campus? (1=Not clear, 5=Extremely clear). Beyond the formal speech code, this measure identifies whether students believe the administration will defend free expression and open inquiry.

Mean of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to the following question: If a controversy over offensive speech were to occur on your campus, how likely is it that your college’s administration would defend the speaker's right to express their views? (1=Very likely, 5=Not very likely). Beyond the formal speech code, this measure identifies whether students believe the administration will defend free expression and open inquiry.

Bias Reporting Systems are university teams or procedures that are specifically designated to solicit, receive, investigate, and respond to reports of “bias incidents” or other similar speech at their institutions. Does the university have a bias response system? These systems have a chilling effect on discourse by making students afraid to speak freely on campus.

Has the university adopted or affirmed the "Chicago Principles" or a substantially similar statement (whose purpose is to protect the free speech rights of students and faculty, and to ensure that universities are places for free inquiry, debate, and discourse)? First implemented at the University of Chicago in 2015, the Chicago Principles establish a commitment to "free, robust, and uninhibited debate."

Does the school's website contain a campus-wide "land acknowledgment" (i.e., a statement on behalf of the entire campus referencing the indigenous peoples who have a historic relationship with the land on which the university is located)? These statements indicate that the university is comfortable telling students what to think rather than teaching them how to think.

Did the university author or sign an amicus curiae brief supportive of affirmative action in Students for Fair Admissions v. the University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College? The defense of racial discrimination in the admissions process signals a commitment to ideology over merit.

Does the university enable students to indicate the pronouns they use for themselves on course rosters? This practice injects gender ideology into ordinary procedures, strongly implying an institutional bias.

Has the university issued a statement rejecting divestment and the academic boycott of Israel? Institutions that reject boycotts properly prioritize responsible management of their endowments over inappropriate political action.

How many formal environmental commitments has the university signed (e.g., commitment to carbon neutrality, commitment to fossil fuel divestment, etc.)? These commitments are a distraction the university's core educational mission and violate principles of institutional neutrality.

Has the campus adopted policies whereby leaders refrain from using the institutional voice to weigh in on contested social and political issues that do not directly impact the institution’s core mission (i.e., institutional neutrality policies)? This policy suggests that the administration prioritizes education and openness over narrow ideological goals.

How many days during the Spring 2024 semester was there an active encampment related to the Israel-Hamas war? Did the university administration negotiate with protesters to end the encampment? Effective responses demonstrate the adminstrations's commitment to order and safety on campus even when pressure to bend or break the rules is high.

The Princeton Review’s Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (included in the top 20 private or public list). A strong alumni network expands opportunities for networking and mentorship, producing better career outcomes.

The price-to-earnings premium is a measure of how many years it will take the typical student to recoup their educational investment to attend a given college. The value is a ratio of the institution’s total average net price to the graduate’s expected earnings premium. The price-to-earnings premium shows whether a degree delivers a strong financial return for graduates.

The difference between the predicted Ph.D. rate of students and actual Ph.D. rate of students. This measure uses the predicted Ph.D. attainment rate of undergraduate students (i.e., the number of undergraduate students per 1,000 who go on to receive a Ph.D.) from an OLS regression model including median SAT scores and the percent of students receiving Pell grants. This score is then subtracted from the school’s actual Ph.D. attainment rate of undergraduate students. Exceeding predicted Ph.D. attainment rates signals a campus that prepares students for careers as scholars. This can indicate deep undergraduate engagement in learning, which benefits all students (even those who do not become professional scholars).

The difference between the predicted median income of students and actual median income of students. This measure uses the predicted median income ten years after enrollment from an OLS regression model including median SAT scores, the percent of students receiving Pell grants, and a state-based measure of cost of living (the BEA's Regional Price Parity for each state). This score is then subtracted from the school’s actual median income rate ten years after enrollment. Higher-than-expected earnings outcomes reflect a university's ability to create upward mobility for its students.

The difference between the predicted retention rate and the actual retention rate. This measure uses the predicted retention rate from an OLS regression model including median SAT scores of the school and the percent of students receiving Pell grants. This score is then subtracted from the school’s actual retention rate. Outperforming predicted retention rates suggests effective support for students who may be struggling academically or otherwise.

The difference between the predicted graduation rate and the actual graduation rate. This measure uses the predicted six-year graduation rate from an OLS regression model including median SAT scores of the school and the percent of students receiving Pell grants. This score is then subtracted from the school’s actual six-year graduation rate. Outperforming predicted graduation rates demonstrates success in guiding students toward degree completion.

The absolute value of the number of explicitly left student political organizations minus the number of explicitly right student political organizations (based on a census of student political organizations on the university’s website). Political balance among student groups signals a healthier, pluralistic campus climate rather than an echo chamber.

Based on their 2025 College Free Speech Rankings Survey, FIRE computed the ratio of students on each campus placing themselves on the political left to students placing themselves on the political right. Our measure is the absolute value of this ratio (i.e., the deviation from a 1:1 ratio). Political balance among student groups signals a healthier, pluralistic campus climate rather than an echo chamber.

Mean of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to the following question: "How often, if ever, have you personally been offended by perspectives shared by peers or classmates when in the classroom?" (1=Never, 5=Very often, nearly every day) High offense frequency suggests a fragile campus climate where open exchange is discouraged. Lower levels signal greater student tolerance for differing views, which is the bedrock of open debate.

Mean of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to the question "On your campus, how often have you felt that you could not express your opinion on a subject because of how other students, a professor, or the administration would respond?" (1=Never, 5=Very often, nearly every day). Responses measure whether students feel free to speak openly, revealing the strength of a university's culture of free expression.

Index of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to a series of questions asking about how comfortable students are expressing themselves on a controversial political topic in the following contexts: "publicly disagreeing with a professor," "expressing disagreement with a professor in a written assignment," "during an in-class discussion," "on a social media account tied to your name," and "during a discussion in a campus common space" (1=Very uncomfortable, 4=Very comfortable) Comfort levels reflect whether students believe they can voice dissent without risk.

Index of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to a series of questions about whether controversial speakers from across the political spectrum should or should not be allowed to speak on on campus (e.g., a speaker who has previously said “BLM is a hate group,” “Transgender people have a mental disorder,” “The police are just as racist as the Ku Klux Klan,” etc.) This is a useful measure of whether the student body is open to debate.

The absolute difference in student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR to questions about whether controversial speakers from the political left (e.g., a speaker who has previously said "The police are just as racist as the Ku Klux Klan") and controversial speakers from the political right (e.g., a speaker who as previously said "BLM is a hate group") should or should not be allowed on campus. A gap in left- and right-leaning speakers reveals ideological bias among students and speaks to the overall campus free speech climate.

Index of student survey responses in FIRE's 2025 CFSR about the acceptability of "using violence to stop a campus speech," "blocking other students from attending a campus speech," and "shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus." Support for disruption shows whether students respect the rights of others to speak and listen, which is a core test of free expression.

The total number of deplatforming attempts reported by FIRE between 2019 and 2024. A deplatforming attempt is a form of intolerance motivated by more than just mere disagreement with, or even protest of, some form of expression. It is an attempt to prevent some form of expression from occurring. Attempts to deplatform speakers demonstrate a culture of campus radicalism and disorder.

Was the university ranked in the top 100 in Niche’s surveys of Greek life? Prominent Greek life is an indicator of a campus with a vibrant, active student social life characterized by benign forms of belonging, which can be an antidote to malign forms of belonging (e.g., disruptive radicalism).

Was the university ranked in the top 25 in The Princeton Review’s survey of Greek life? Prominent Greek life is an indicator of a campus with a vibrant, active student social life characterized by benign forms of belonging, which can be an antidote to malign forms of belonging (e.g., disruptive radicalism).

Was the university ranked in the top 100 in Niche’s surveys of party scene?

Was the university ranked in the top 25 in The Princeton Review’s surveys of sports schools? A strong athletic culture can indicate a campus social life characterized by benign forms of belonging, which can be an antidote to malign forms of belonging (e.g., disruptive radicalism).

Was the university ranked in the top 100 in Niche’s surveys of college sports schools?

Was the university ranked in the top 25 in The Princeton Review’s surveys of schools with the happiest students?

Was the university ranked in the top 25 in The Princeton Review’s surveys of schools with the best quality of life?

Percent of students saying it is "easy" to get classes on campus as of 2024. Ease of registering for classes reflects how well the university supports students' ability to fulfill requirements and enroll in courses that interest them.

Percent of students saying coursework is "easy to manage" as of 2024. Balanced instruction suited to the abilities of students contributes to a rewarding education.

Enrollment in campus ROTC program per 1,000 undergraduates in 2024. ROTC enrollment reflects a culture of civic responsibility and leadership.

Number of student organizations per 1,000 students (i.e., total number of student organizations listed on the university's website divided by total number of undergraduates). A larger number of student organizations per capita reflects varied opportunities to form social connections around a wider range of interests and aims.

Number of academically focused student organizations per 1,000 students (i.e., total number of student organizations listed on the university's website described as "academic" divided by total number of undergraduates). Strong representation of academic organizations demonstrates the opportunity for intellectual engagement and collaboration beyond the classroom.

Number of faith/religious/spirituality focused student organizations per 1,000 students (i.e., total number of student organizations listed on the university's website described as "faith," "religious," or "spiritual" divided by total number of undergraduates). Religious and spiritual organizations reflect openness to diverse beliefs and provide community for students with shared values.

Number of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) resolutions considered by student government over the last two years. Universities were scored as follows: 1 =No resolution voted on, 2=A resolution was voted on but failed, 3=A resolution was voted on and passed. Student government activity on BDS measures reflects organized hostility toward Israel, shapes the campus environment for Jewish students, and heightens the risk of disruption. It also reflects the student government's general preference for political activism over their primary purpose of improving student well-being.

Number of anti-Zionist student organizations per 1,000 students. The presence of anti-Zionist groups signals sustained radical activism and tension on campus, impacting the quality of life.

Number of antisemitic incidents per 1,000 Jewish undergraduates. Documented antisemitic incidents measure the extent of direct hostility experienced by Jewish students.

Was there an encampment on campus related to the Israel-Hamas war? Antisemitic campus encampments tied to the Israel-Hamas war mark disruptive activism that creates an unsafe climate for Jewish students.

Has the university been subject to recent litigation or an investigation related to campus antisemitism? Litigation or investigations indicate systemic problems with how a university addresses antisemitism.

The AMCHA Initiative's measure of faculty anti-Zionism is composed of: (1) the number of faculty who have expressed public support for academic BDS, as determined by a faculty member’s endorsement of one or more public statements or petitions in support of an academic boycott of Israel; (2) the presence of any academic departments that have issued at least one statement committing the department to an anti-Zionist stance; (3) the presence of a Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP)-affiliated faculty group; (4) the total number of events sponsored and statements authored by the school’s FJP-affiliated chapter. Faculty support for academic boycotts and anti-Israel activity indicates the presence of antisemitic radicalism among the faculty. Antisemitic radicalism in turn signals the presence of a broader family of vacuous ideologies that seek to undermine the purpose of the university.