2026 College Free Speech Rankings · Jan 3, 2025 – Jun 5, 2025 · US national (257 colleges and universities)
Verification note. Question wording and percentages taken from the FIRE 2026 rankings report page. Field window and n as stated there; no MOE published for the pooled sample. Release date is approximate (September 2025) and field dates should be re-checked against FIRE's methodology appendix.
Figures below are transcribed from these documents. Where they disagree with the source, the source governs.
Some students say it can be difficult to have conversations about certain issues on campus. Which of the following issues, if any, would you say are difficult to have an open and honest conversation about on your campus? (select all that apply)
neutral — checklist item; takes no position on trans rights
If a controversial speaker were invited to campus, should your school allow this speaker on campus? - A speaker who says "Transgender people have a mental disorder."
Wording reconstructed from: FIRE 2026 rankings report; the speaker-scenario stem is reconstructed, the quoted speaker statement is FIRE's own item text
Wording notes: speaker statement is itself a stigmatizing claim about trans people
loaded_terms — the stimulus is a deliberately offensive proposition; the item measures speech tolerance rather than views about trans people
If a controversial speaker were invited to campus, should your school allow this speaker on campus? - A speaker who says "Children should be able to transition without parental consent."
Wording reconstructed from: FIRE 2026 rankings report; stem reconstructed, quoted speaker statement is FIRE's item text
loaded_terms — measures speech tolerance toward a deliberately provocative proposition rather than the underlying policy view
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