The 50 most conservative colleges in America

In some conservative circles, there is a belief that the definition of inclusion on college campuses has evolved to exclude them. And some would argue that any exclusion runs counter to the notion that colleges are where divergent views should be embraced and discussed.

“Right-wing political ideologies should have a place in colleges to allow for choice and debate amongst young individuals,” wrote Jeremy Los in a 2011 article for Mic. “College campuses are a place for differing opinions and debate, and they encourage students to broaden their horizons. This is not a matter of what ideology is right or wrong, but rather what is best for the young people on campuses.”

For some students, the way to avoid a sense of ideological dismissal is to choose to attend a conservative college. Typically religiously affiliated, conservative schools distinguish themselves through a codified sense of religious identity, strong conservative ideologies, or deep-rooted connections to conservative politicians and organizations. Some schools inherit the conservative vibe from their communities, while others are conservative on their own. Some are inherently conservative because of their professional or business-friendly nature, while others are steeped in a deeply held history of conservatism.

Stacker examined the nation’s colleges and universities and compiled a list of the 50 most conservative colleges in the United States. For this list, we consulted the research website Niche, which ranked schools’ conservatism based on students’ own reviews of the schools’ campus communities. These reviews weigh the political leanings of the reviewer, if the reviewer attends or has attended the school, and the reviewer’s opinion of it.

Details on Niche’s methodology explain the site’s rankings, and survey data are accurate as of 2022. Read on to find out which colleges are the most conservative in the country.

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