College campuses have long been a hotbed of fierce political debate in the U.S., as young adults come across new ideas and viewpoints while attending school. Amid an increasingly polarized American political climate, 73% of Republicans and those who lean conservative believe higher education is going in the wrong direction, according to a Pew Research Center poll. The vast majority of those say professors bringing their ideology into classrooms is a major reason why.
Despite this perception, there are still plenty of American colleges and universities that are much more conservative on the political spectrum. There are dozens of schools in which most students report that their beliefs and the beliefs of the other students around them are very likely to lean to the right.
To determine the 25 most conservative colleges in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from education data platform Niche’s “2022 Most Conservative Colleges in America” list. Niche’s ranking is based on student surveys about both personal political leanings as well as opinions about the political leanings of other students.
Many of America’s most conservative colleges have several characteristics in common. Most are religious colleges, with 20 of the top 25 either non-denominational Christian, affiliated with a specific Christian denomination, or Mormon schools. This does not include Southern Methodist University, which recently won a ruling to separate itself from a branch of the United Methodist Church, but the ruling is being appealed.
College campuses often share the political leanings of their surrounding communities, and these conservative schools are no exception. The 25 most conservative colleges are located in 18 different states, a dozen of which were won by Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Texas, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah are the only states with multiple colleges on this list.
At 15 of the 25 most conservative colleges, business, management, marketing, and related fields are the most popular majors. This may not necessarily be related to political ideology, as business is the nation’s most commonly-earned degree field. Studying business is enticing to many students, as it can help graduates obtain a high-paying job right out of college. These are the college majors that pay off the most.
Click here to see the 25 most conservative colleges in America
Click here to read our detailed methodology.
25. Maranatha Baptist University
> Avg. annual net price: $19,999
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $33,000
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 716
> Location: Watertown, WI
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24. University of Dallas
> Avg. annual net price: $27,450
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $47,400
> Most popular undergrad major: Biological And Biomedical Sciences
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,447
> Location: Irving, TX
23. Cornerstone University
> Avg. annual net price: $20,112
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $35,400
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,461
> Location: Grand Rapids, MI
#/media/File:Thrift_Library_at_Anderson_University,_South_Carolina.JPG "Thrift Library at Anderson University, South Carolina by CC BY-SA 3.0")
22. Anderson University
> Avg. annual net price: $21,576
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $35,200
> Most popular undergrad major: Health Professions And Related Programs
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,083
> Location: Anderson, SC
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21. North Greenville University
> Avg. annual net price: $20,627
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $34,400
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 1,993
> Location: Tigerville, SC
20. Wayne State College
> Avg. annual net price: $14,055
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $36,100
> Most popular undergrad major: Education
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,440
> Location: Wayne, NE
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19. Franciscan University of Steubenville
> Avg. annual net price: $25,175
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $37,700
> Most popular undergrad major: Theology And Religious Vocations
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,505
> Location: Steubenville, OH
18. Taylor University
> Avg. annual net price: $25,991
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $38,000
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,076
> Location: Upland, IN
17. Harding University
> Avg. annual net price: $19,454
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $40,900
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,572
> Location: Searcy, AR
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16. Southern Methodist University
> Avg. annual net price: $41,444
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $60,700
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 6,827
> Location: Dallas, TX
15. The University of Tennessee-Martin
> Avg. annual net price: $11,895
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $36,200
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 6,395
> Location: Martin, TN
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14. Dallas Baptist University
> Avg. annual net price: $26,062
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $43,200
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,874
> Location: Dallas, TX
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13. Samford University
> Avg. annual net price: $31,322
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $49,900
> Most popular undergrad major: Health Professions And Related Programs
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,576
> Location: Birmingham, AL
12. University of Wyoming
> Avg. annual net price: $12,224
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $47,300
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 9,342
> Location: Laramie, WY
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11. Grove City College
> Avg. annual net price: $22,371
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: N/A
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,277
> Location: Grove City, PA
10. Palm Beach Atlantic University
> Avg. annual net price: $27,242
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $40,600
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,916
> Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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9. Biola University
> Avg. annual net price: $34,713
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $44,500
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 3,683
> Location: La Mirada, CA
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8. Utah State University
> Avg. annual net price: $13,530
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $43,200
> Most popular undergrad major: Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
> Undergraduate enrollment: 24,647
> Location: Logan, UT
7. Lee University
> Avg. annual net price: $17,629
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $34,200
> Most popular undergrad major: Theology And Religious Vocations
> Undergraduate enrollment: 4,670
> Location: Cleveland, TN
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6. Colorado Christian University
> Avg. annual net price: $25,882
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $39,300
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 6,661
> Location: Lakewood, CO
5. Liberty University
> Avg. annual net price: $28,762
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $36,700
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 47,988
> Location: Lynchburg, VA
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4. Bob Jones University
> Avg. annual net price: $15,669
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: N/A
> Most popular undergrad major: Education
> Undergraduate enrollment: 2,639
> Location: Greenville, SC
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3. Brigham Young University-Idaho
> Avg. annual net price: $6,871
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $42,700
> Most popular undergrad major: Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
> Undergraduate enrollment: 44,481
> Location: Rexburg, ID
2. Cedarville University
> Avg. annual net price: $24,965
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $41,300
> Most popular undergrad major: Health Professions And Related Programs
> Undergraduate enrollment: 4,024
> Location: Cedarville, OH
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1. Brigham Young University
> Avg. annual net price: $13,150
> Typical earnings 10 yrs. after enrollment: $59,700
> Most popular undergrad major: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
> Undergraduate enrollment: 33,376
> Location: Provo, UT
Methodology
To determine the most conservative colleges in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from education data clearinghouse Niche’s “2022 Most Conservative Colleges in America” list. Niche’s ranking is based on student surveys about both personal political leanings as well as opinions about the political leanings of other students.
Data on undergraduate enrollment came from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics and is for Fall 2020. Data on the median earnings of individuals who entered university in the 2004-05 academic year and were employed 10 years later also came from NCES as is data on the average net price of attendance for students receiving financial aid in the 2019-2020 school year. Data on the popularity of undergraduate majors is based on NCES data on the number of federal loan borrowers who graduated with a degree in that major in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.
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