USC - Rankings Alert
Since data collection for the 2027 rankings ended, USC revised its policies to earn an overall "green light" Spotlight rating. It also made adjustments to its free speech commitment so that it now more closely tracks the principles set forth in the Chicago Statement. If these changes had been recorded prior to the rankings deadline, USC would have ranked 37th.
Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
56.8 Treanding Up
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
198 Treanding Up
/ 261
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Overview
University of Southern California ranks 198 out of 261 schools in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, with a score of 57 and an F speech climate grade. USC was penalized after administrators canceled a gubernatorial debate amid controversy over participation criteria.The campus is in the bottom 50 for “Administrative Support,” indicating students doubt that officials will defend free speech.
USC has adopted an official commitment to institutional neutrality. Since data collection for the 2027 rankings ended, USC also revised its policies to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating and adjusted its free speech commitment to more closely track the principles of the Chicago Statement. If these changes had been recorded prior to the rankings deadline, USC would have ranked 37.
Administrators should share these changes with students and defend free speech whenever censorship occurs or is demanded.
Highlights
41% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
70% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
29% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
4.17:1
There are roughly 4.17 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Score over time
Student Voices
Economic inequality is generally a difficult topic to have out in the open comfortably considering the level of wealth for many students at USC particularly
I didn't feel comfortable sharing my views on the Israel/Palestine conflict due to the fact that the administration had a history of dealing with student protests in the past very poorly.
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Score Calculator
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Every school's score is shaped by campus policies. Adjust the factors below to see how different policies affect the ranking for the University of Southern California.
Score Deep Dive
Inside the Score
Explore the key factors shaping this score. This section provides a detailed look at the data, policies, and student experiences that influence free speech on campus.
Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
56.8 Treanding Up
/ 100
This score out of 100 reflects how open and supportive a campus is for free speech, based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
198 Treanding Up
/ 261
A comparison of 261 U.S. colleges and universities on free speech, based on overall scores from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
A school’s speech climate, shown as a letter grade (A–F), based on its overall score from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Reflect recent incidents where a speaker, professor, student, or student group faced efforts to punish, disinvite, or silence them for expressing a controversial view.
Chicago Statement for Free Speech
Not Adopted
Institutional Neutrality
Adopted
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Comfort Expressing Ideas Comfort Expressing Ideas measures how comfortable students feel sharing their views on controversial topics in different campus settings. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
D
Disruptive Conduct Disruptive Conduct measures how acceptable students think it is to disrupt a campus speaker. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
C+
Openness Openness measures how many controversial topics students feel they can openly discuss on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
C
Self-Censorship Self-Censorship measures how often students hold back their views on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93–100) to F (below 60).
D
Administrative Support Administrative Support measures how clearly students think their school supports free speech and how likely the administration is to defend a speaker's rights during a controversy. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Political Tolerance Political Tolerance measures how willing students are to allow controversial speakers — on both the left and right — to speak on campus, even if they disagree with their views. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies
Speech Controversies: When Free Expression Is Challenged
Explore notable incidents where free speech was tested on campus. From speaker deplatformings to administrative actions, these events highlight the challenges — and consequences — of restricting expression.
Total Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Scholars Under Fire Scholar Controversies are campus incidents where a professor or academic staff member faces backlash or punishment for speech protected by academic freedom or the First Amendment.
0
Students Under Fire Student Controversies are campus incidents where a student or student group faces punishment or pressure from the school for speech that's protected by the First Amendment.
0
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
2
Honor Roll Statements Honor Roll Statements are the number of public messages from a college or university defending free speech during a campus controversy. Schools that make these statements can earn bonus points on their Overall Score for standing up for free expression when it counts.
0
Attempted Disruptions Attempted Disruptions are the number of incidents where people on campus try to stop a scheduled event or speaker.
0
New in 2026 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
1
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | University of Southern California | Tom Steyer/Steve Hilton/Matt Mahan/Eric Swalwell/Chad Bianco/Katie Porter | Steyer, Bianco, Hilton, Mahan, Porter, and Swalwell were scheduled to appear in a gubernatorial debate at the university's Dornsife Center for the Political Future. The center chose the participating candidates using an “independent and objective” formula based on polling and fundraising. Four excluded Democratic candidates (Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurmond) objected publicly to the selection criteria, noting that all the participants were white. State legislative leaders urged the university to expand the stage or face a boycott. The university initially defended the methodology in a statement denying any bias in the candidate selection process, but less than a day before the event, decided to cancel the debate because the controversy over participation criteria had become “a significant distraction” and that organizers could not reach agreement with a co-sponsor on expanding the number of participants. | -3.0 | Read More |
| 2024 | University of Southern California | Asna Tabassum/Billie Jean King/Jon Chu/Marcia McNutt/Maria Rosario Jackson | The university canceled valedictorian Asna Tabassum's commencement speech, and later all commencement speakers, including King, Chu, McNutt, and Jackson, because of "substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement.” However, no evidence was reported showing threats were actually received or that the university took steps to secure the event short of canceling it. Notably, the controversy arose after Tabassum was announced as valedictorian, when she faced criticism for her social media posts critical of Israel. | -1.0 | Read More |
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More Student Voices
In my sociology discussions, I’ve heard students express ideas that are ignorant and factually incorrect, and when other students nod their heads/express their agreement to those statements, I feel the need to self-censor.
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at University of Southern California perceive free speech on their campus. This section breaks down survey responses to key questions, providing insights into overall trends as well as demographic differences in how students experience free expression.
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The College Free Speech Rankings are based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
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