The 10 Most Liberal Colleges in the United States

College campuses have long been battlegrounds for political and cultural debates, and some universities have become known as strongholds of progressive ideology. According to a 2023 study, over 60% of college faculty identify as liberal or far-left (yes, not Democrat, not blue—far left!), a trend reflected in the policies, curriculum, and activism on many campuses. 

These schools lean left, usually vote Democrat, and actively push liberal values. Many have been the site of protests against conservative speakers, push for DEI initiatives that are a bit radical, and favor social justice above traditional academics. Here’s a breakdown of the most liberal colleges in America today.

What is the most liberal college in the United States?

The most liberal college in the United States is the University of California, Berkeley. It has been a hub for progressive activism since the 1960s Free Speech Movement, but in recent years, it has become known for suppressing speech it disagrees with. In 2017, violent protests erupted on campus to stop conservative speaker Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking. So, the irony of the “intolerance of the tolerance”: The university that once stood for free speech seems to lead the charge in silencing opposing voices.

List of the most liberal colleges in the United States

The schools on this list are known for their left-wing politics, radical activism, and progressive policies. While some are more extreme than others, all of them could be the place where a next generation of political activists, social justice warriors, or progressive policymakers get their ideas from.

University of California, Berkeley

Location: Berkeley, California

UC Berkeley is one of the most politically charged campuses in America. While it once championed free speech, today it is known for hostile protests against conservative speakers and a curriculum centered on identity politics and environmental activism. The school promotes diversity and inclusion policies that heavily favor progressive ideology, and its student body is among the most politically active and left-leaning in the nation.

Oberlin College

Location: Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin has a reputation for being one of the most politically correct campuses in the country. The school was one of the first to accept black students and women, but today, it’s better known for cancel culture and radical left-wing protests. In 2016, Oberlin students famously protested a local bakery for alleged racial profiling—only for the courts to later rule against the college and force them to pay millions in damages.

Reed College

Location: Portland, Oregon

Reed College in Portland is a breeding ground for extreme left-wing ideology. The school has no traditional grading system, encourages students to design their own curriculum, and promotes an extreme activist culture. Student protests have even targeted their own professors and administrators for not being “woke” enough.

Sarah Lawrence College

Location: Yonkers, New York

Sarah Lawrence has built a reputation for its far-left curriculum, with a heavy emphasis on gender studies, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ activism. The school was at the center of a controversy when a professor wrote an op-ed about campus bias, which led to a massive backlash from students demanding his resignation.

Bard College

Location: Annandale-on-Hudson, New York

Bard is an elite liberal arts college that strongly supports progressive activism. It was the first US college to offer a human rights major, and it funds programs that provide scholarships to undocumented immigrants. The school actively advertises leftist policies and calls on students to engage in activism for issues like climate change and open borders.

Portland State University

Location: Portland, Oregon

Located in one of the most progressive cities in the US, Portland State embraces radical leftist ideologies. The school’s curriculum explicitly targets social justice, and conservative viewpoints are virtually non-existent on campus. A former professor, Peter Boghossian, resigned in protest due to an environment of extreme political bias and hostility toward free speech.

Vassar College

Location: Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar has a long history of feminist activism and left-wing politics. The school is notorious for downplaying conservative viewpoints, and many students openly advocate for extreme policies like abolishing the police and dismantling capitalism. The curriculum focuses heavily on intersectionality, social justice, and race-based policies.

University of California, Santa Cruz

Location: Santa Cruz, California

Known for its countercultural history, UC Santa Cruz is one of the most extreme public universities when it comes to progressive activism. Students have staged protests over everything from tuition hikes to gender-neutral bathrooms, and the administration fully embraces left-wing policies.

Evergreen State College

Location: Olympia, Washington

Evergreen became infamous in 2017 when students demanded that white professors and students leave campus for a “Day of Absence”—an event intended to highlight racial inequality. When one professor, Bret Weinstein, refused to comply, he was chased off campus and later resigned.

Brown University

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Brown is an Ivy League school that has embraced far-left policies across its curriculum and administration. The school promotes racial quotas, radical gender ideology, and climate activism. Conservative students at Brown often report feeling isolated and targeted for their beliefs, as the administration fully supports progressive causes.