- Niche ranked the most liberal colleges in America as part of its annual series of college rankings.
- Most of the top 25 are on the West Coast and in the Northeast.
- Many small liberal arts schools make appearances on the list.
As part of its annual series of school rankings, Niche ranked hundreds of American colleges on a scale from most liberal to most conservative.
It might not come as a surprise that the most liberal colleges in the United States are mostly on the West Coast and in the Northeast and include many small liberal arts schools.
Niche based its rankings on surveys from students at each school, and factored in both the political leanings of the students and the survey-takers’ impressions of the political leanings of the rest of the student body.
Read on to find out which school is the most liberal in America.
25. University of California — Santa Barbara
Acceptance rate: 36%
Tuition: $14,451 (in-state), $42,465 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1120-1390
24. Fashion Institute of Technology — New York City
Acceptance rate: 40%
Net price: $5,483 (in-state), $14,863 (out-of-state)
SAT range: N/A
23. Kenyon College — Gambier, Ohio
Acceptance rate: 27%
Net price: $53,560
SAT range: 1230-1440
22. Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois
Acceptance rate: 11%
Tuition: $52,678
SAT range: 1400-1560
21. State University of New York at New Paltz
Acceptance rate: 43%
Tuition: $7,775 (in-state), $17,625 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1010-1200
20. University of Washington — Seattle, Washington
Acceptance rate: 45%
Tuition: $11,207 (in-state), $36,587 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1120-1370
Wesleyan University — Middletown, Connecticut
Acceptance rate: 18%
Tuition: $52,804
SAT range: 1300-1480
18. Carleton College — Northfield, Minnesota
Acceptance rate: 23%
Tuition: $52,782
SAT range: 1320-1540
17. State University of New York at Purchase
Acceptance rate: 44%
Tuition: $8,498 (in-state), $18,148 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 970-1180
16. Vassar College — Poughkeepsie, New York
Acceptance rate: 27%
Tuition: $55,210
SAT range: 1330-1500
15. Smith College — Northampton, Massachusetts
Acceptance rate: 37%
Tuition: $50,044
SAT range: 1240-1470
14. Bryn Mawr College — Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Acceptance rate: 40%
Tuition: $14,451 (in-state), $42,465 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1220-1450
13. Sarah Lawrence College — Bronxville, New York
Acceptance rate: 52%
Tuition: $54,010
SAT range: 1170-1390
12. Howard University — Washington, DC
Acceptance rate: 30%
Tuition: $24,122
SAT range: 1040-1240
11. New York University — New York City
Acceptance rate: 32%
Tuition: $50,464
SAT range: 1250-1480
10. Oberlin College — Oberlin, Ohio
Acceptance rate: 28%
Tuition: $53,460
SAT range: 1250-1450
9. American University — Washington, DC
Acceptance rate: 36%
Tuition: $46,615
SAT range: 1150-1340
8. Portland State University — Portland, Oregon
Acceptance rate: 89%
Tuition: $8,783 (in-state), $26,130 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 930-1160
7. Bard College — Annandale-On-Hudson, New York
Acceptance rate: 56%
Tuition: $52,906
SAT range: N/A
6. Mount Holyoke College — South Hadley, Massachusetts
Acceptance rate: 52%
Tuition: $47,940
SAT range: 1220-1490
5. University of California — Berkeley
Acceptance rate: 17%
Tuition: $14,170 (in-state), $42,184 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1270-1540
4. Mills College — Oakland, California
Acceptance rate: 84%
Tuition: $46,236
SAT range: 925-1233
3. Columbia College Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance rate: 88%
Tuition: $26,474
SAT range: N/A
2. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, California
Acceptance rate: 68%
Tuition: $7,254 (in-state), $19,134 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 860-1090
1. University of California — Santa Cruz
Acceptance rate: 58%
Tuition: $14,020 (in-state), $42,034 (out-of-state)
SAT range: 1060-1290