Safest College Campuses in the U.S. (2023)

Going off to college can be a scary endeavor, especially if you're fresh out of high school and living on your own for the first time. We know how important it is to feel safe during your time in school, which is why we've put together this list of the safest campuses in the United States. 

We'll share some basic information about each school in addition to explaining what makes the campus and the surrounding area a safe place to live. 

Brigham Young University, Utah

Location: Provo, UT

Acceptance rate: 69%

Undergraduate enrollment: 33,376

Average tuition: $5,970

Six-year graduation rate: 75%

Brigham Young University cares deeply about college students' safety. They have several rules and regulations in place to protect students and ensure the security of all campus buildings. These efforts include automatic locking doors in residence halls and rules disallowing all weapons on campus.

In addition, Provo is one of the safest cities in the entire country. The city's crime index is nearly 40 times smaller than the US average, and the city has seen a significant decline in violent crimes over the past five years.

Bay Path University, Massachusetts

Location: Longmeadow, MA

Acceptance rate: 78%

Undergraduate enrollment: 1,795

Average tuition: $35,781

Six-year graduation rate: 60%

At Bay Path University, campus police officers are on staff 24 hours per day and seven days per week. Their advanced 911 system connects directly to the local police and fire departments. Also, all residence halls use an advanced electronic system to limit unauthorized access and maintain a safe environment in all buildings.

As a community, Longmeadow is safer than 68% of all US neighborhoods. The crime rate is only 6.42 per 1,000 residents. 

Geneva College, Pennsylvania

Location: Beaver Falls, PA

Acceptance rate: 73%

Undergraduate enrollment: 1,201

Average tuition: $29,040

Six-year graduation rate: 72%

The on-call Campus Security Department at Geneva College provides 24/7 service. The Director of Security can always be reached through his phone extension, and any messages are forwarded to his cell phone if he's out of the office. Throughout the year, he maintains close relationships with local, county, state, and federal law enforcement providers.  

While the crime rate in Beaver Falls is slightly higher than the national average, the Geneva College neighborhood ranks as one of the safest neighborhoods in town.

Rochester University, Michigan

Location: Rochester Hills, MI

Acceptance rate: 99%

Undergraduate enrollment: 1,198

Average tuition: $24,720

Six-year graduation rate: 42%

Rochester University publishes a Fire Safety Report each year, and they have an in-depth set of emergency guidelines in place to protect Rochester students and faculty in the event of an emergency. They believe that emergencies are unpredictable, and they hope these guidelines serve as a starting point to help individuals think through how to approach any emergency. 

In Rochester, the crime rate is only 4.72 per 1,000 residents, making Rochester safer than 78% of all US neighborhoods. 

Southern Illinois University

Location: Edwardsville, IL

Acceptance rate: 85%

Undergraduate enrollment: 9,942

Average tuition: $12,219

Six-year graduation rate: 54%

Southern Illinois University provides a night safety transit system that gives students free rides at night. You can also download the SIU Safe Walk App to connect with SIU police if you're looking for someone who can safely escort you around campus. They may even go with you to some off-campus areas. 

In addition, the town of Edwardsville is safer than 72% of US neighborhoods and has a crime rate of only 5.59 per 1,000 residents.

Towson University, Maryland

Location: Towson, MD

Acceptance rate: 79%

Undergraduate enrollment: 18,730

In-state tuition: $10,198 

Out-of-state tuition: $24,334 

Six-year graduation rate: 73%

Towson University is home to an award-winning crime prevention and awareness department. Their police department is accredited by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, and they work hard to develop programs such as campus safety videos and campus escort programs. 

As a starting point, they recommend all students engage with their Emergency Resources Guide and watch their emergency preparedness and active shooter response training videos. 

Central Connecticut State University

Location: New Britain, CT

Acceptance rate: 65%

Undergraduate enrollment: 8,593

In-state tuition: $11,502

Out-of-state tuition: $24,906 

Six-year graduation rate: 52%

The police department at Central Connecticut State University is always on call and ready to respond to emergencies. You'll often see them as they patrol the campus on bikes, Segways, and patrol cars. 

They also provide an emergency procedures guide and a separate document and video with specific information on what to do in an active shooter event. 

Baldwin Wallace University, Ohio

Location: Berea, OH

Acceptance rate: 70%

Undergraduate enrollment: 2,860

Average tuition: $34,504 

Six-year graduation rate: 70%

Baldwin Wallace University offers one of the safest college campuses in the entire state of Ohio. Their administration maintains a close relationship with the local police department and a strong commitment to keeping their campus environment a safe place for all students to learn and live. 

They offer Rave Mobile Safety alerts to keep students posted about severe weather events and building closures. They also provide walking escorts for students on request. 

William Paterson University, New Jersey

Location: Wayne, NJ

Acceptance rate: 81%

Undergraduate enrollment: 7,971

In-state tuition: $13,770

Out-of-state tuition: $22,336 

Six-year graduation rate: 56%

At William Paterson University, the Office of Public Safety includes police officers, guards, and student patrol in addition to other staff members who are committed to keeping campus safe. 

Their Student Guide for Emergencies explains in detail what students should do in case of fire, weather-related incidents, and violent crimes. If you experience an emergency on campus, you can dial 911 or use the Rave Guardian Mobile App to alert the proper authorities. 

Baruch College, New York

Location: New York City, NY

Acceptance rate: 41%

Undergraduate enrollment: 15,774

In-state tuition: $7,462

Out-of-state tuition: $15,412 

Six-year graduation rate: 73%

Baruch College ranks as one of the safest college campuses in the entire country, even though the school is located in the nation's largest city. 

Campus security staff enforces in-depth safety policies and procedures to keep everyone safe and prevent campus crime. All personnel are well-trained and committed to upholding these high standards while also looking to establish new partnerships and opportunities to keep up with the changing needs on campus.

Honorable mentions

If you're interested in learning more about the safest schools in America, here are a few additional universities you can research:

• Appalachian State University. Appalachian State maintains a campus emergency plan and uses AppState-ALERT as its 24/7 emergency messaging service.
• Trinity Washington University. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) at Trinity operates on a 24/7/365 basis, and there's always a DPS officer working in the Communications Center.
• University of Wisconsin. Wisconsin's Badger Watch program offers free training for all students and faculty with tips on how to stay safe.
• Idaho State University. Students at Idaho State have access to a safety escort system when traveling across campus.
• Austin Peay State University. Safety officers at Austin Peay State are patrolling campus at all times, either on foot or in patrol cars. 
• Concordia University. The on-campus police department at Concordia includes two Texas Peace officers, one full-time security officer, and 20 student officers. They have an officer on duty 24/7.

The importance of safety resources and support

In addition to on-call campus security offices and enhanced building protective measures, many schools offer self-defense training, ride-share programs, and in-person courses and seminars covering crime prevention approaches and strategies. Some schools also have special rules and procedures for emergencies. These initiatives give students comfort and peace of mind about what they would do if something unexpected were to happen. 

In the future, schools should continue to implement even more safety measures than the ones they already have in place. There's a good chance we will start to see more door-blocking measures and anonymous student tip lines to report suspicious and potentially dangerous activity. Schools should also show an increased interest in suicide prevention and mental health programs. 

College Rover can help you discover which campus meets your needs

If you're looking to find the safest schools in America, we hope this article helps you think about what options to pursue. We encourage you to do your own research into local crime reports and crime statistics if you want to learn more about a specific area, but we believe each institute of higher education mentioned in this article will provide a fantastic learning environment along with wonderful campus life. 

If you're looking for more information about the best colleges and universities, check out College Rover's massive online database. We can give you in-depth information about liberal arts schools throughout the country, and we can help you find colleges with the degrees and programs you're looking for. 

Whether you're looking for safe schools in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, or anywhere in between, you can find what you're looking for on College Rover!

College Rover gets the majority of its data directly from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE publishing schedule "lags" the most current data which some colleges post on their official websites. This may cause there to be a difference in the data you see on College Rover and an individual college website. College Rover's website is updated as the DOE data becomes available and is configured for the College Rover website.