For the 5th year in a row, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) commissioned College Pulse to conduct the largest-ever survey about free speech on college campuses. Launched in 2020, this first-of-its-kind tool identifies the top-ranked college campuses for student free speech to help parents and prospective students choose the right college. We now present the 2025 College Free Speech Rankings.
Prospective students have found it incredibly helpful to see what current students reported about the actual campus climate for open discussion and inquiry, allowing for comparisons between colleges. The rankings also help colleges and universities better understand their campus climate to improve it.
The 2025 College Free Speech Rankings is a comprehensive comparison of the student experience of free speech on their campuses. These rankings, collected from January 25 through June 17, 2024, are based on the voices of over 58,000 undergraduate students currently enrolled in full-time degree programs at more than 250 colleges in the United States.
Our research covers:
- Administrative support of free speech
- Students’ self-censorship on campus
- Tolerance for conservative and liberal speakers
- Which issues students find difficult to discuss openly
To gain access to more insights, download the free report.
