These are the most conservative colleges in America

As a conservative, going to a college where most people think like you has its appeal. While some may claim that intellectual diversity is an essential part of your college experience, you might not be so thrilled when your Marxist English professor docks you points for disagreeing with him in class.

But picking a school based on your ideological preferences alone leaves out 1 crucial variable from the college choice equation.

Money.

Frugality is a core conservative value, and the Republican Party prides itself on being friendly to business. So, as a savvy individual who understands the value of a hard-earned dollar, why not think like an investor about your college education?

To help you make the most out of your college investment – and avoid excessive student debt – we analyzed whether the nation’s most conservative colleges (as per Niche) are really worth it, using our own methodology, and then ranked them by value for money.

The 30 most conservative colleges in America

According to Niche, which publishes student reviews of schools, the most conservative colleges in America are Brigham Young University (Provo), Liberty University, and Bob Jones University.

To make the list, Niche surveyed real students and asked them to rate how conservative their college is based on their own political leanings (80%) and the perceived political leanings of their peers (20%).

The most conservative colleges are predominately private religious institutions, although there are several notable state universities thrown into the mix as well. Unsurprisingly, they are mostly located in red states:

1. Brigham Young University
2. Liberty University
3. Bob Jones University
4. Cedarville University
5. Brigham Young University – Idaho
6. Grove City College
7. Southern Methodist University
8. Colorado Christian University
9. North Greenville University
10. Utah State University
11. Maranatha Baptist University
12. Biola University
13. Texas A&M University
14. Dallas Baptist University
15. Harding University
16. Samford University
17. Abilene Christian University
18. Lee University
19. Missouri University of Science and Technology
20. The University of Alabama
21. Auburn University
22. Texas Christian University
23. University of Wyoming
24. Ouachita Baptist University
25. Wayne State College
26. George Fox University
27. Southeastern University
28. University of Tennessee at Martin
29. University of Arkansas
30. Troy University

How do conservative schools perform compared to other colleges?

So, are these super-conservative colleges worth the tuition? Or are students paying a premium for ideology that doesn’t pay off later?

To find out, we turned to our signature methodology for ranking degrees. Our unique formula uses government data on average net (school) costs and average earnings 10 years after enrollment (whether or not the student graduated) to generate an Economic Score (the lower the better). Data is sourced from IPEDS and College Scorecard.

Our methodology rewards colleges that combine affordability with high salaries down the line.

» Also read: The states with the most student debt could surprise you.

We found that economically speaking, the 50 most conservative colleges perform a bit worse than the national average. They have a mean Economic Score of 4.07, compared to 3.78 nationwide. In total, 21 of Niche’s 50 most conservative colleges – a little less than half – performed better than the U.S. average in terms of value for money.

One reason for this is that many of the more conservative colleges are private religious institutions and more expensive than public universities. Even though most private colleges offer scholarships and financial aid, this doesn’t normally offset higher tuition prices.

In general, public universities are typically a much better deal than private ones, regardless of how conservative or liberal they are.

The 25 best conservative colleges – by value for money

Not all conservative colleges are a rip-off. Far from it — plenty of right-leaning institutions provide a pretty solid return on educational investment.

Below, you’ll find a list of the conservative colleges that are the “best deal”. We took the 50 most conservative colleges, according to Niche, and ordered them by value for money, using our ranking methodology.

By this metric, the best conservative colleges are Missouri University of Science and Technology, Brigham Young University Provo (immediately followed by BYU Idaho), and Texas A&M University, College Station.

2 colleges on Niche’s list – Moody Bible Institute and Grove City College – do not disclose enough information on graduate earnings for us to rank them properly.

What are the worst conservative colleges by value for money?

According to our methodology, the worst conservative colleges by value for money are:

1. Southeastern University (ES 8.96)
2. Liberty University (ES 8.08)
3. DeVry University, Illinois (ES 6.36)
4. Biola University (ES 6.26)
5. Colorado Christian College (ES 6.06)

These conservative colleges offer terrible value for money, meaning students pay steep tuition prices, resulting in a heavy student loan burden, and don’t earn enough after graduation to pay them back quickly — putting borrowers at risk of default.

» Also read: The worst colleges in the U.S.

Advantages of studying at a conservative college

Whether or not they’re a good deal economically, there are several advantages of studying at a conservative college.

• Shared values. Many conservative students feel more comfortable in an environment where the student body shares traditional values and ethics.
• A sense of community. A shared worldview can foster a sense of community, especially at smaller private schools.
• Emphasis on tradition. Conservative colleges may place a high value on academic traditions and classical education.
• Clear more and ethical framework. Many conservative colleges have an honor code students must follow. This can contribute to a sense of structure and purpose for students who appreciate such guidelines.

Final thoughts

If you want to go to a conservative college without graduating with toxic debt you can’t pay off, your best bet is a public research university in a red state like Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri.

Remember that education is an investment. At the end of the day, your degree should unlock earnings high enough to pay back the loans you’ve taken out to cover tuition.