Ohio State University and Five Other Ohio Colleges Receive ‘F’ in Latest Free Speech Rankings: What It Means for Students

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) recently rated the free speech climate at six Ohio universities. Unfortunately, all received failing marks in the 2026 College Free Speech rankings. This evaluation is part of a broader survey that looked at 257 colleges across the nation, drawing responses from over 68,000 students between January 3 and June 5.

FIRE has conducted this survey for six years now and introduced letter grades for schools. Of the colleges surveyed, 166 received failing grades. The overall speech climate for Ohio universities matches the national average, landing at an F.

To calculate these scores, FIRE evaluated 12 factors, including comfort in expressing opinions, instances of self-censorship, support from administration, and campus events that stirred controversy. Notably, Claremont McKenna College in California came out on top with a score of 79.86, earning a B-. Conversely, Barnard College in New York got the lowest score at 40.74, which translates to an F.

Here’s a breakdown of how Ohio universities ranked:

• Wright State University: 49th, overall score 63.32 (D)
• Ohio University: 64th, overall score 61.47 (D-)
• Bowling Green State University: 66th, overall score 61.36 (D-)
• Miami University: 69th, overall score 61.07 (D-)
• University of Cincinnati: 73rd, overall score 60.80 (D-)
• Denison University: 81st, overall score 59.92 (D-)
• Kenyon College: 85th, overall score 59.70 (D-)
• University of Toledo: 96th, overall score 59.26 (F)
• Ohio State University: 124th, overall score 57.70 (F)
• Case Western Reserve University: 163rd, overall score 56.16 (F)
• Kent State University: 196th, overall score 54.46 (F)
• Oberlin College: 205th, overall score 53.88 (F)
• University of Dayton: 224th, overall score 51.86 (F)

Kent State saw the sharpest decline in its ranking, slipping from 113th last year. Sean Stevens, FIRE’s Chief Research Advisor, noted this drop is due to increased reports of self-censorship among students, who felt less comfortable expressing political views.

The survey highlighted troubling trends statewide: Ohio students reported businesses in support of free speech rated poorly in areas like administrative backing and political tolerance. One significant statistic revealed that around one-third of students felt that using violence to silence a speaker might be acceptable in rare situations. Additionally, nearly 75% believed it’s okay to shout down a speaker under certain conditions. Alarmingly, 44% admitted to self-censoring at least once or twice monthly.

This landscape raises crucial questions about the state of free speech on campuses. Looking back, a study from a decade ago by the American Association of University Professors found that faculty self-censorship was already a growing issue. Today’s statistics might suggest this trend is worsening.

Engagement in open dialogue is vital for education and democracy. As these institutions grapple with free speech, the conversations we have today will play a role in shaping attitudes for years to come.

For further details on speech rights, you can explore FIRE’s Spotlight Database.

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