Most liberal colleges in America

There is no concrete proof that liberals outnumber conservatives in academia. That said, despite the likelihood that critiques of political bias have more to do with ideological challenges than oppression, the perception persists that higher education is overwhelmingly liberal.

Beyond being merely persistent, this perception has also led to political showdowns with far-reaching ramifications. Since taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has launched attacks on universities across the United States over allegations of liberal bias. In May 2025, Trump's administration prevented Harvard from enrolling international students, claiming that the nation's oldest university is "fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus," according to a statement issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. A month later, in July 2025, Columbia University paid a $200 million fine to the federal government to settle other discrimination claims from Trump and restore federal funding.

Some schools have a longstanding history of liberalism or progressive ideology. In many cases, these schools exist in more liberal regions of the country or are progressive by design. They are among the most prestigious, largest, and best-endowed schools in the United States.

To determine the 50 most liberal universities and colleges in America, Stacker used 2026 rankings from Niche. Niche considered students' self-reported political leanings as well as the results of student surveys regarding on-campus political preferences, specifically liberal students' opinions about overall political leanings among the student body. (You can read the full methodology here.)

Keep reading to find out which schools are the country's most liberal.

Savannah College of Art and Design building with banner for film festival. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#50. Savannah College of Art and Design

- Location: Savannah, GA
- Overall Niche grade: C+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,642
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
- Acceptance rate: 84%
- Typical SAT range: 1050-1280

Aerial view of the University of Minnesota in Duluth. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#49. University of Minnesota Duluth

- Location: Duluth, MN
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,249
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
- Acceptance rate: 82%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1340

The campus at State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#48. SUNY New Paltz

- Location: New Paltz, NY
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,564
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
- Acceptance rate: 59%
- Typical SAT range: 1170-1340

Saint Ignatius Church on the University of San Francisco. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#47. University of San Francisco

- Location: San Francisco
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,527
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 51%
- Typical SAT range: 1210-1390

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#46. University of Southern California

- Location: Los Angeles
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 20,502
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Typical SAT range: 1440-1550

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#45. Point Park University

- Location: Pittsburgh
- Overall Niche grade: C
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,110
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 98%
- Typical SAT range: 1040-1240

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#44. Bowdoin College

- Location: Brunswick, ME
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,873
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1550

Brandeis University entrance sign and campus logo. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#43. Brandeis University

- Location: Waltham, MA
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,615
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 35%
- Typical SAT range: 1390-1530

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#42. Pace University

- Location: New York
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,473
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 77%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1330

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#41. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

- Location: Champaign, IL
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,468
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 44%
- Typical SAT range: 1270-1510

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#40. Spelman College

- Location: Atlanta
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,532
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 34%
- Typical SAT range: 1060-1270

Kalamazoo College entrance sign and building. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#39. Kalamazoo College

- Location: Kalamazoo, MI
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,190
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 76%
- Typical SAT range: 1190-1370

Bascom Hall on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#38. University of Wisconsin - Madison

- Location: Madison, WI
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,278
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Typical SAT range: 1360-1510

Wheaton College aerial view including Cole Memorial Chapel. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#37. Wheaton College - Massachusetts

- Location: Norton, MA
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,746
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 72%
- Typical SAT range: 1210-1420

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#36. Fordham University

- Location: Bronx, NY
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,684
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 56%
- Typical SAT range: 1330-1490

Old Main on the campus of St. Olaf College. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#35. St. Olaf College

- Location: Northfield, MN
- Overall Niche grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,044
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 52%
- Typical SAT range: 1260-1470

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#34. University of California - Los Angeles

- Location: Los Angeles
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 32,472
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 9%
- Typical SAT range: not available

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#33. Dickinson College

- Location: Carlisle, PA
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,096
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Typical SAT range: not available

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#32. Columbia College Chicago

- Location: Chicago
- Overall Niche grade: C-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,013
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
- Acceptance rate: 91%
- Typical SAT range: not available

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#31. College of Wooster

- Location: Wooster, OH
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,723
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 54%
- Typical SAT range: 1250-1450

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#30. University of Minnesota Twin Cities

- Location: Minneapolis
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,124
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 77%
- Typical SAT range: 1310-1480

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#29. University of Washington

- Location: Seattle
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,863
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Typical SAT range: not available

St. Catherine University entrance gate and logo. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#28. St. Catherine University

- Location: Saint Paul, MN
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,679
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 94%
- Typical SAT range: 1060-1210

Old Main Hall at Hamline University in Saint Paul in springtime. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#27. Hamline University

- Location: Saint Paul, MN
- Overall Niche grade: C+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,634
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 90%
- Typical SAT range: 1140-1400

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#26. Rhodes College

- Location: Memphis, TN
- Overall Niche grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,891
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Typical SAT range: 1290-1490

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#25. Northeastern University

- Location: Boston
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,857
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Typical SAT range: 1460-1550

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#24. William & Mary

- Location: Williamsburg, VA
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,975
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 33%
- Typical SAT range: 1370-1510

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#23. SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry

- Location: Syracuse, NY
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,640
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 83%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1300

Brick building on the campus of Clark University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#22. Clark University

- Location: Worcester, MA
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,322
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 42%
- Typical SAT range: 1240-1400

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#21. Simmons University

- Location: Boston
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,562
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 66%
- Typical SAT range: 1230-1390

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#20. University of Virginia

- Location: Charlottesville, VA
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 16,829
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530

Whipple Clock Tower and Mark O. Hatfield Library on the campus of Willamette University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#19. Willamette University

- Location: Salem, OR
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,337
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 79%
- Typical SAT range: 1220-1430

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#18. Wellesley College

- Location: Wellesley, MA
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,299
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 14%
- Typical SAT range: 1440-1550

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#17. Cleveland Institute of Art

- Location: Cleveland
- Overall Niche grade: C
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 557
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 56%
- Typical SAT range: 1060-1300

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#16. Smith College

- Location: Northampton, MA
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,549
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 20%
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1540

DeWitt Wallace Library at Macalester College. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#15. Macalester College

- Location: Saint Paul, MN
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,106
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 28%
- Typical SAT range: 1350-1510

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#14. University of California - Santa Cruz

- Location: Santa Cruz, CA
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,227
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
- Acceptance rate: 63%
- Typical SAT range: 1160-1360

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#13. Western Washington University

- Location: Bellingham, WA
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,558
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 91%
- Typical SAT range: 1110-1350

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#12. Mount Holyoke College

- Location: South Hadley, MA
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,164
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 38%
- Typical SAT range: 1350-1500

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#11. Portland State University

- Location: Portland, OR
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,985
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 91%
- Typical SAT range: 1000-1250

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#10. Ithaca College

- Location: Ithaca, NY
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,285
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 70%
- Typical SAT range: 1190-1370

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#9. Fashion Institute of Technology

- Location: New York
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,817
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 58%
- Typical SAT range: not available

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#8. Boston University

- Location: Boston
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,899
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Typical SAT range: 1400-1520

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#7. University of Oregon

- Location: Eugene, OR
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 18,202
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 85%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1360

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#6. Sarah Lawrence College

- Location: Bronxville, NY
- Overall Niche grade: C+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,498
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 59%
- Typical SAT range: 1270-1440

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#5. Oberlin College

- Location: Oberlin, OH
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,978
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 33%
- Typical SAT range: 1370-1510

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#4. George Washington University

- Location: Washington D.C.
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 10,386
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 44%
- Typical SAT range: 1350-1500

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#3. SUNY Purchase College

- Location: Purchase, NY
- Overall Niche grade: C
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,918
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 73%
- Typical SAT range: 1180-1360

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#2. University of Vermont

- Location: Burlington, VT
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 11,410
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 60%
- Typical SAT range: 1250-1420

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#1. American University

- Location: Washington D.C.
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,533
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 47%
- Typical SAT range: 1300-1450

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