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.
