The Problem
Free speech is under continuous threat at many of America's colleges, pushed aside in favor of politics, comfort, or simply a desire to avoid controversy. As a result, speech codes dictating what may or may not be said, "free speech zones" confining speech to tiny areas of campus, and administrative attempts to punish or repress campus free speech on a case-by-case basis have become all too common.
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Acceptance of Violence
34%
of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
- 2 Points from Last Year
- 10 Points from 4 Years Ago
-
Acceptance of Shouting Down Speakers
72%
of students say shouting down a speaker on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
- 4 Points from Last Year
- 6 Points from 4 Years Ago
-
Self-Censoring with Fellow Students
24%
of students say they often self-censor with other students on campus.
- 0 Points from Last Year
- No Data from 4 Years Ago
-
Self-Censoring in the Classroom
28%
of students say they often self-censor during classroom discussions.
- 2 Points from Last Year
- No Data from 4 Years Ago
-
Low Trust in School Administration
27%
of students say it is not likely their school administration would defend a speaker's rights to express their views.
- 1 Point from Last Year
- 1 Point from 4 Years Ago
The Solution
Working with FIRE means more than raising awareness — it means driving change. We collaborate with students, faculty, and administrators to reform restrictive policies, protect rights on campus, and bring national attention to threats against free expression and academic freedom.
Our Success & Impact Stories
- 460 Speech Codes Improved
- 760 Campus Case Victories
- 5k Rankings in the Media
- 113 Chicago Statements Adoptions
- 32 Institutional Neutrality Adoptions
"I wasn't about to let my university get away with silencing me or any other student for speaking our truth," Kim said. "Staying positive while fighting for my rights for years wasn't easy, but it was necessary. We all need to speak up when someone tries to take our rights away — our voice is way too powerful to let anyone shut it down."
" 'Describe what tasks you performed in the past week.'
I didn't know it at the time, but when I emailed administrators at Brown University that simple question, I kicked off a free speech battle on my campus."
FIRE Fights for Your Rights
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression defends and sustains the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.
Resources
Read the Report
Check out the most comprehensive report on free speech on college campuses as FIRE analyzes national and campus-based free speech trends across 257 colleges and universities.
Our Methodology
Learn about the 12 factors used to calculate each school's score and rank, including how the factors are evaluated and how much they count in the overall score.
News
2026 Rankings Spotlight - University of Virginia
The University of Virginia ranks 21 out of 257 schools in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings and earned a score of 70.33, with a C- speech climate grade.
2026 Rankings Spotlight - Villanova University
Villanova University ranks 237 out of 257 schools in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 50.59 and an F speech climate grade.
2026 Rankings Spotlight - Williams College
We surveyed 154 students at Williams College, which ranks 166 with an overall score of 56.05 and an F speech climate.