PORTLAND, Ore. — Reed College in Portland, Oregon, was ranked No. 1 in the nation for “Most Politically Liberal Students” in The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges for 2026 rankings, putting the private liberal arts college at the top of a national list based on student perceptions of campus politics.
The ranking offers another data point for prospective students and families researching what it is like to attend college in Oregon, particularly those comparing campus culture and student life at schools across the country.
The Princeton Review named Reed College the No. 1 college for Most Politically Liberal Students in its 2026 rankings. The education services company produces dozens of lists covering academics, student life, campus culture and other aspects of the college experience.
Why Was Reed College Ranked No. 1 for Most Politically Liberal Students?
The designation is based on student survey responses, rather than an analysis of voter registration, faculty political affiliation or election results.
The Princeton Review describes its “Most Politically Liberal Students” ranking as being based on student ratings and comments about the politics of their student body.
That distinction is important for prospective students.
The ranking reflects how surveyed students characterize the political environment around them. It should not be interpreted as meaning every Reed student shares the same political views or that the ranking measures the political beliefs of individual students.
Where Is Reed College?
Reed College is a private liberal arts college located at 3203 SE Woodstock Boulevard in Portland, Oregon.
For students considering moving to Oregon for college, Reed offers a distinctly urban location while maintaining a residential college campus in Southeast Portland.
The school is known for a rigorous liberal arts curriculum and an academic culture emphasizing close interaction between students and professors.
Reed College's National Rankings Extend Beyond Politics
Campus politics was only one area in which Reed appeared prominently in The Princeton Review rankings.
The latest Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition, released in August 2026, gives Reed 16 top-25 placements. Reed currently ranks:
- #1 Best Classroom Experience
- #2 Professors Get High Marks
- #2 Most Politically Liberal Students
- #2 Least Religious Students
- #2 Best College Radio Station
- #4 Most Politically Active Students
- #5 Great Financial Aid
- #5 LGBTQ-Friendly
- #8 Students Study the Most
- #11 Best College Library
- #16 Best College Dorms
- #16 Most Beautiful Campus
The latest rankings were compiled from surveys of approximately 172,000 students at 392 colleges, averaging about 439 surveyed students per institution.
Reed's Ranking Changed in the 2027 Edition
Families researching Reed online may encounter two different rankings for the college.
That's because Reed was No. 1 for Most Politically Liberal Students in The Princeton Review's 2026 rankings but moved to No. 2 in the newly released 2027 edition.
In the current ranking, Bennington College in Vermont is No. 1, Reed College is No. 2, and Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts is No. 3.
Another Portland college also appears prominently: Lewis & Clark College ranks No. 5 in the current list. The University of Oregon in Eugene ranks No. 18.
That gives Oregon three institutions among the current top 25 for this particular student-survey category.
Is Reed College Liberal or Conservative?
Based specifically on The Princeton Review's student surveys, Reed College has one of the most politically liberal student bodies among the colleges included in its rankings.
But prospective students should understand what that statement does—and does not—measure.
It describes student perceptions of the overall political character of the campus. It does not establish that all Reed students are liberal, nor does it measure whether a particular prospective student would agree or disagree politically with classmates.
For students deciding whether Reed is a good personal fit, the ranking is therefore better treated as information about campus culture rather than a description of every student.
Reed Students Are Also Politically Active
The Princeton Review's latest rankings place Reed No. 4 nationally for Most Politically Active Students.
That ranking may be especially relevant to prospective students interested in understanding whether political and social issues are a visible part of campus life.
Combined with Reed's No. 2 ranking for politically liberal students, it suggests that survey respondents perceive both a predominantly liberal political environment and substantial political engagement among students.
What Prospective Students Should Know About Reed College
Political culture is only one consideration when choosing a college.
Students considering Reed should also investigate its academic expectations, majors, financial aid, housing, campus environment, graduation outcomes and the cost of living in Portland.
The Princeton Review's newest rankings provide particularly notable indicators on the academic side: Reed is currently No. 1 nationally for Best Classroom Experience and No. 2 for Professors Get High Marks.
Those rankings, like the political rankings, are based on student survey responses and should be considered alongside objective information about academics, admissions, costs and financial aid.
What the Reed College Ranking Means for Students Moving to Oregon
For students considering moving to Oregon for college, Reed's rankings provide a snapshot of the campus environment they may encounter.
The school combines a Portland location, a highly rated classroom experience, an academically intensive liberal arts environment and a student body that survey respondents characterize as politically liberal and politically active.
Students looking at Oregon colleges should compare Reed with other institutions based on the characteristics most important to them rather than relying on any single national ranking.
The University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Lewis & Clark College, Portland State University and the University of Portland offer substantially different academic, geographic and campus environments.
For families relocating to Oregon, visiting campuses and speaking directly with current students can provide context that national rankings cannot.
The Bottom Line
Reed College was ranked the No. 1 college in America for Most Politically Liberal Students in The Princeton Review's Best Colleges for 2026 rankings. In the newly released 2027 edition, Reed remains near the top at No. 2 while earning the nation's No. 1 ranking for Best Classroom Experience.
For prospective students researching where to study in Oregon, the results highlight two prominent aspects of Reed's student experience: an academically intensive classroom culture and a campus whose students describe its political environment as strongly liberal.
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