Colleges not only teach young Americans professional skills, but they can also help shape them as adults. Part of this maturation process includes gaining new perspectives that can help shape their political leanings. 

College campuses often have their own set of politics, which is often demonstrated by the types of causes the students focus on — like climate, free speech, social justice, and more. While each campus is home to people with a broad range of philosophies, certain schools tend to lean much farther to the left than others.

To determine the most liberal colleges in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from education data clearinghouse Niche’s “2020 Most Liberal Colleges in America” list, which is based on surveys of current and recent students.

The most liberal colleges tend to be in liberal states. New York, California, and Oregon are the only states with multiple colleges on the list. Each state has voted for the Democratic candidate in the last seven presidential elections. These states also tend to send Democratic lawmakers to Capitol Hill, many of whom receive high marks from their constituents. These are the most popular members of congress from every state.

Several schools on this list were founded as women’s colleges. Women are much more likely to be liberal than men. The Pew Research Center found that 56% of American women identify as Democrats or lean Democratic, compared to just 37% of women who lean right. Men are more likely to lean Republican than Democrat, at 48% and 44%, respectively. Here are some of the women’s protests that changed history.

Click here to see the most liberal colleges in America
Click here to see the most conservative colleges in America
Click here to read our methodology