Auburn University has been named one of the top 20 universities in the nation in a new ranking that emphasizes free speech, ideological diversity, and economic value. Auburn ranked No. 15 nationally in the 2025 City Journal College Rankings, placing ahead of elite institutions including Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is the highest-ranked Alabama institution on the list.

Ranking highlights speech environment, political diversity, and ROI

The City Journal rankings weigh 68 variables across 21 categories. Unlike traditional lists that emphasize endowment size or selectivity, this assessment gives top priority to campus free speech protections, ideological balance, and economic return on investment.

Key factors include:

• The strength of free speech protections on campus (based on FIRE rankings)
  • Political diversity among faculty and students
  • Curriculum rigor and general education requirements
  • The presence or absence of ideological mandates and DEI bureaucracy
  • Time to recoup educational costs and overall economic return for graduates

The rankings reflect growing attention to how universities handle open debate, political differences, and value for students after graduation.

Top-ranked schools

The top three schools were the University of Florida, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Auburn’s No. 15 ranking places it ahead of Stanford (No. 18), Penn (No. 17), and MIT (No. 13).

Other top public universities in the top 20 include Texas A&M University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University-Main Campus, and the University of Georgia.

Tied to a national conversation

The ranking’s emphasis mirrors priorities often raised in conservative education debates, particularly by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has championed stronger free speech protections and ideological diversity on college campuses.

“It is imperative for the future of our society that our state colleges and universities protect a culture of free speech on their campuses,” DeSantis said in 2019. “By signing a resolution outlining their commitment, our state’s higher learning institutions can lead the way in promoting open discussion and civil discourse.” — Executive Office of the Governor of Florida, April 15, 2019

Why it matters for Alabama

For Alabama students and families, Auburn’s placement offers a snapshot of how the state’s flagship university performs in areas that extend beyond traditional academic measures.

The ranking underscores how the campus environment — including free speech protections, political diversity, and graduates’ economic outcomes — factors into broader conversations about the future of higher education. It also positions Auburn as a national leader among public universities in areas closely watched by policymakers and parents alike.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].