Most conservative colleges in America
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Although colleges are generally expected to remain neutral on political issues, nearly half of Americans believe that higher education is biased toward liberal ideals. In a September 2025 poll conducted by Vanderbilt University, 43% of survey respondents agreed with the statement that colleges tend to favor left-leaning viewpoints over conservative sentiments.
This belief led right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk to form the “Professor Watchlist,” an online platform launched in 2016 that lists college professors thought to be aligned with liberal causes. Use of the watchlist has accelerated significantly since Kirk was killed on a college campus while participating in a political event in September 2025. However, his death didn’t occur at a particularly liberal school, but instead at Utah Valley University, part of America’s network of conservative colleges.
Typically religiously affiliated and conservative, these 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 a conservative vibe from their communities, while others develop a conservative culture 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 Niche’s 2026 rankings, which ranked schools’ conservatism based on students’ own reviews of the schools’ campus communities. These reviews consider the reviewer’s political leanings, whether the reviewer has attended or is attending the school, and the reviewer’s opinion of it. Details on Niche’s methodology explain the site’s rankings. Read on to find out which colleges are the most conservative in the country.
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#50. Southern Utah University
– Location: Cedar City, UT
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,498
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 23:1
– Acceptance rate: 81%
– Typical SAT range: 1030-1240
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#49. Texas Christian University
– Location: Fort Worth, TX
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 11,049
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 43%
– Typical SAT range: 1150-1380
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#48. Concordia University, Nebraska
– Location: Seward, NE
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,216
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
– Acceptance rate: 90%
– Typical SAT range: 1040-1240
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#47. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
– Location: Belton, TX
– Overall Niche grade: C+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,814
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
– Acceptance rate: 95%
– Typical SAT range: 970-1200
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#46. High Point University
– Location: High Point, NC
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,949
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Typical SAT range: 1110-1300
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#45. Trine University
– Location: Angola, IN
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,341
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 85%
– Typical SAT range: 1030-1240
JBai_photo // Shutterstock
#44. California Baptist University
– Location: Riverside, CA
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,459
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
– Acceptance rate: 74%
– Typical SAT range: 960-1150
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#43. George Fox University
– Location: Newberg, OR
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,339
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 96%
– Typical SAT range: 1070-1330
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#42. University of Wyoming
– Location: Laramie, WY
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,851
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 98%
– Typical SAT range: 1040-1240
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#41. Oklahoma Baptist University
– Location: Shawnee, OK
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,272
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 63%
– Typical SAT range: 1000-1190
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#40. Southeastern University
– Location: Lakeland, FL
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,256
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
– Acceptance rate: 74%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#39. University of North Dakota
– Location: Grand Forks, ND
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,714
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Typical SAT range: 1110-1290
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#38. Moody Bible Institute
– Location: Chicago, IL
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,270
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 98%
– Typical SAT range: 990-1200
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#37. Cornerstone University
– Location: Grand Rapids, MI
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,109
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Typical SAT range: 970-1220
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#36. Dallas Baptist University
– Location: Dallas, TX
– Overall Niche grade: C+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,066
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
– Acceptance rate: 91%
– Typical SAT range: 960-1220
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#35. Anderson University – South Carolina
– Location: Anderson, SC
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,841
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
– Acceptance rate: 53%
– Typical SAT range: 1090-1290
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#34. Colorado Technical University – Colorado Springs
– Location: Colorado Springs, CO
– Overall Niche grade: C+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,668
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 42:1
– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#33. DeVry University – Illinois
– Location: Lisle, IL
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 11,077
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 47:1
– Acceptance rate: 43%
– Typical SAT range: 1000-1130
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#32. Harding University
– Location: Searcy, AR
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,134
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
– Acceptance rate: 45%
– Typical SAT range: 1050-1280
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#31. University of Dallas
– Location: Irving, TX
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,376
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 54%
– Typical SAT range: 1170-1370
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#30. Grand Canyon University
– Location: Phoenix, AZ
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 25,141
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
– Acceptance rate: 60%
– Typical SAT range: 1060-1180
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#29. The University of Alabama
– Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,984
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 18:1
– Acceptance rate: 76%
– Typical SAT range: 1170-1400
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#28. Texas A&M University
– Location: College Station, TX
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 52,906
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
– Acceptance rate: 63%
– Typical SAT range: 1140-1380
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#27. Campbell University
– Location: Buies Creek, NC
– Overall Niche grade: C+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,375
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 94%
– Typical SAT range: 1030-1230
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#26. Ouachita Baptist University
– Location: Arkadelphia, AR
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,586
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 69%
– Typical SAT range: 1060-1290
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#25. University of Arkansas
– Location: Fayetteville, AR
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 26,337
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1
– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Typical SAT range: 1050-1220
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#24. Biola University
– Location: La Mirada, CA
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,126
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 60%
– Typical SAT range: 1130-1360
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#23. Northwestern College – Iowa
– Location: Orange City, IA
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,020
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 87%
– Typical SAT range: 940-1240
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#22. Auburn University
– Location: Auburn, AL
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 25,204
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
– Acceptance rate: 50%
– Typical SAT range: 1240-1380
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#21. Utah Valley University
– Location: Orem, UT
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,658
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 28:1
– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#20. Samford University
– Location: Birmingham, AL
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,210
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 82%
– Typical SAT range: 1070-1260
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#19. Baylor University
– Location: Waco, TX
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 14,566
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
– Acceptance rate: 51%
– Typical SAT range: 1210-1400
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#18. Snow College
– Location: Ephraim, UT
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,201
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1
– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#17. Lee University
– Location: Cleveland, TN
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,433
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Typical SAT range: 1020-1240
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#16. University of Mary
– Location: Bismarck, ND
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,991
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 78%
– Typical SAT range: 1000-1320
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#15. Mississippi College
– Location: Clinton, MS
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,321
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 49%
– Typical SAT range: 1140-1260
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#14. North Greenville University
– Location: Tigerville, SC
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,640
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 63%
– Typical SAT range: 1010-1250
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#13. Oral Roberts University
– Location: Tulsa, OK
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,833
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
– Acceptance rate: 99%
– Typical SAT range: 1080-1250
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#12. Grace College
– Location: Winona Lake, IN
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,533
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
– Acceptance rate: 81%
– Typical SAT range: 950-1200
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#11. Evangel University
– Location: Springfield, MO
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,201
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 69%
– Typical SAT range: 960-1200
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#10. Regent University
– Location: Virginia Beach, VA
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,481
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
– Acceptance rate: 41%
– Typical SAT range: 1050-1250
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#9. Brigham Young University
– Location: Provo, UT
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,261
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
– Acceptance rate: 69%
– Typical SAT range: 1290-1450
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#8. University of Northwestern – St. Paul
– Location: Saint Paul, MN
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,847
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
– Acceptance rate: 92%
– Typical SAT range: 980-1290
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#7. Pensacola Christian College
– Location: Pensacola, FL
– Overall Niche grade: not available
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,712
– Student-to-faculty ratio: not available
– Acceptance rate: not available
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#6. Cedarville University
– Location: Cedarville, OH
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,789
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
– Acceptance rate: 63%
– Typical SAT range: 1110-1360
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#5. Bob Jones University
– Location: Greenville, SC
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,116
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#4. Colorado Christian University
– Location: Lakewood, CO
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,889
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Typical SAT range: not available
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#3. Brigham Young University – Idaho
– Location: Rexburg, ID
– Overall Niche grade: B
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,978
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 97%
– Typical SAT range: 980-1200
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#2. Grove City College
– Location: Grove City, PA
– Overall Niche grade: B-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,197
– Student-to-faculty ratio: not available
– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Typical SAT range: 1130-1370
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#1. Liberty University
– Location: Lynchburg, VA
– Overall Niche grade: B+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 32,378
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
– Acceptance rate: 99%
– Typical SAT range: 1040-1250
Data reporting by Rob Powell. Story editing by Cu Fleshman. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire.
