The top 50 party schools in America

It’s often said that college is the best four years of one’s life. It’s a time to learn, to explore, and to sign up for an 8 a.m. class, thinking, “that’s not too early,” only to miss every last lecture because, yes, that is too early. College is the padded barrier between childhood and adult life, full of adventures and ice cream for dinner, but devoid of grown-up problems like mortgages and cholesterol. College gives you a chance to figure out who you ultimately want to be.

An added bonus to all that meaningful self-discovery? Parties. Most colleges, in addition to offering anthropology courses and mediocre dining hall food, also provide their own unique social scene. While some reporting indicates that your typical college freshman is partying less and using social media more, Gen Z hasn’t killed off the college party yet. A 2025 survey found that legal-age drinkers of this current college-age generation have actually increased their alcohol consumption, with 73% reporting they’ve had a drink at least once in the last six months.

Whether students are binge drinking or sipping a glass of water while they spend time with their friends, parties offer the opportunity to socialize and connect with classmates. As a growing number of today’s college students report struggling with depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, these moments of human connection outside the classroom have become even more important.

However, not all college parties are created equal. Certain schools truly excel in hosting parties, and it’s those schools that are honored with a place on this list.

To create this party school ranking, Stacker used 2026 rankings from Niche. Niche’s party calculations account for access to bars and restaurants, athletics culture, Greek life, and student polling data. Every school on this list received an A+ party grade, so grab a red plastic cup, drink responsibly, and enjoy Stacker’s list of the top 50 party schools in America.

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#50. The University of Kansas

- Location: Lawrence, KS- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 18,262- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1- Acceptance rate: 88%- Typical SAT range: 1050-1290

Tennessee State University sign. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#49. Tennessee State University

- Location: Nashville, TN- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: C- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,888- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1- Acceptance rate: 93%- Typical SAT range: 850-1070

East Carolina University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#48. East Carolina University

- Location: Greenville, NC- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,255- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1- Acceptance rate: 90%- Typical SAT range: 1050-1200

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#47. Temple University

- Location: Philadelphia, PA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,944- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 83%- Typical SAT range: 1010-1230

Prairie View A&M University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#46. Prairie View A & M University

- Location: Prairie View, TX- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,862- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1- Acceptance rate: 75%- Typical SAT range: 850-1030

Binghamton University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#45. Binghamton University, SUNY

- Location: Vestal, NY- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 14,408- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 38%- Typical SAT range: 1320-1490

Washington State University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#44. Washington State University

- Location: Pullman, WA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,321- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 85%- Typical SAT range: 1020-1210

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#43. University of Florida

- Location: Gainesville, FL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 31,571- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1- Acceptance rate: 24%- Typical SAT range: 1300-1480

University of Tampa on the river. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#42. University of Tampa

- Location: Tampa, FL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,925- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1- Acceptance rate: 41%- Typical SAT range: 1070-1240

Historic University of Pennsylvania buildings. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#41. University of Pennsylvania

- Location: Philadelphia, PA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 10,610- Student-to-faculty ratio: 0.62:1- Acceptance rate: 6%- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

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#40. University of Delaware

- Location: Newark, DE- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 18,084- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 65%- Typical SAT range: 1200-1360

University of Arizona. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#39. University of Arizona

- Location: Tucson, AZ- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,237- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 86%- Typical SAT range: 1160-1420

Rotunda at University of Virginia. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#38. University of Virginia

- Location: Charlottesville, VA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 16,829- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1- Acceptance rate: 17%- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530

University at Albany SUNY. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#37. University at Albany, SUNY

- Location: Albany, NY- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,017- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 70%- Typical SAT range: 1120-1320

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#36. North Carolina A&T State University

- Location: Greensboro, NC- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 11,061- Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1- Acceptance rate: 46%- Typical SAT range: 960-1190

A building with a clocktower at University of Oklahoma. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#35. University of Oklahoma

- Location: Norman, OK- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,262- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 77%- Typical SAT range: 1140-1330

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#34. James Madison University

- Location: Harrisonburg, VA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,808- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1- Acceptance rate: 76%- Typical SAT range: 1170-1320

University of Texas Austin football stadium. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#33. University of Texas - Austin

- Location: Austin, TX- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 39,787- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1- Acceptance rate: 29%- Typical SAT range: 1230-1490

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#32. Southern Methodist University

- Location: Dallas, TX- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,948- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 61%- Typical SAT range: 1320-1480

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#31. Vanderbilt University

- Location: Nashville, TN- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,146- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1- Acceptance rate: 6%- Typical SAT range: 1510-1560

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#30. Morgan State University

- Location: Baltimore, MD- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,675- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1- Acceptance rate: 83%- Typical SAT range: 860-1080

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#29. Miami University

- Location: Oxford, OH- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 16,306- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1- Acceptance rate: 82%- Typical SAT range: 1210-1380

University of South Carolina. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#28. University of South Carolina

- Location: Columbia, SC- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,980- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 61%- Typical SAT range: 1180-1380

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#27. University of Cincinnati

- Location: Cincinnati, OH- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 31,941- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 88%- Typical SAT range: 1150-1360

University of Iowa sign. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#26. University of Iowa

- Location: Iowa City, IA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 20,622- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 85%- Typical SAT range: 1130-1320

Texas Southern University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#25. Texas Southern University

- Location: Houston, TX- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: C+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,729- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 93%- Typical SAT range: 800-1000

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#24. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

- Location: Ann Arbor, MI- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 32,345- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1- Acceptance rate: 18%- Typical SAT range: 1350-1530

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#23. Michigan State University

- Location: East Lansing, MI- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 37,492- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1- Acceptance rate: 84%- Typical SAT range: 1150-1350

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#22. San Diego State University

- Location: San Diego, CA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,228- Student-to-faculty ratio: 23:1- Acceptance rate: 34%- Typical SAT range: 1090-1300

Florida A&M University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#21. Florida A&M University

- Location: Tallahassee, FL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,784- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1- Acceptance rate: 21%- Typical SAT range: 1030-1150

Ohio State University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#20. The Ohio State University

- Location: Columbus, OH- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 41,983- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1- Acceptance rate: 51%- Typical SAT range: 1330-1480

Gates at the entrance of Indiana University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#19. Indiana University - Bloomington

- Location: Bloomington, IN- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 35,871- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1- Acceptance rate: 80%- Typical SAT range: 1170-1400

Shalala Student Center looking over Lake Osceola at University of Miami. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#18. University of Miami

- Location: Coral Gables, FL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 13,250- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 19%- Typical SAT range: 1330-1470

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#17. Ohio University

- Location: Athens, OH- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,818- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1- Acceptance rate: 85%- Typical SAT range: 1100-1290

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#16. University of Dayton

- Location: Dayton, OH- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,470- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1- Acceptance rate: 62%- Typical SAT range: 1200-1370

Clark Atlanta University. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#15. Clark Atlanta University

- Location: Atlanta, GA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: C+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,393- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1- Acceptance rate: 65%- Typical SAT range: 880-1120

University of Colorado. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#14. University of Colorado - Boulder

- Location: Boulder, CO- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,497- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1- Acceptance rate: 83%- Typical SAT range: 1230-1420

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#13. University of Mississippi

- Location: University , MS- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 18,032- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1- Acceptance rate: 98%- Typical SAT range: 1020-1210

The Old Main building at Penn State. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#12. Penn State

- Location: University Park, PA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 41,011- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1- Acceptance rate: 54%- Typical SAT range: 1220-1400

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#11. West Virginia University

- Location: Morgantown, WV- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,126- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1- Acceptance rate: 86%- Typical SAT range: 1010-1240

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#10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

- Location: Champaign, IL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,468- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 44%- Typical SAT range: 1270-1510

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#9. Howard University

- Location: Washington, DC- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: B+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,361- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 35%- Typical SAT range: 1100-1300

Robert E. Park Hall at University of Georgia. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#8. University of Georgia

- Location: Athens, GA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,799- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1- Acceptance rate: 37%- Typical SAT range: 1160-1390

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#7. Syracuse University

- Location: Syracuse, NY- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A-- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,081- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1- Acceptance rate: 42%- Typical SAT range: 1260-1430

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#6. University of Alabama

- Location: Tuscaloosa, AL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,984- Student-to-faculty ratio: 18:1- Acceptance rate: 76%- Typical SAT range: 1170-1400

University of Wisconsin. (Stacker/Stacker)

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#5. University of Wisconsin

- Location: Madison, WI- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,278- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1- Acceptance rate: 43%- Typical SAT range: 1360-1510

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#4. University of Southern California

- Location: Los Angeles, CA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 20,502- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1- Acceptance rate: 10%- Typical SAT range: 1440-1550

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#3. Tulane University

- Location: New Orleans, LA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,160- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1- Acceptance rate: 15%- Typical SAT range: 1390-1510

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#2. Florida State University

- Location: Tallahassee, FL- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A+- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,011- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1- Acceptance rate: 25%- Typical SAT range: 1240-1390

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#1. University of California - Santa Barbara

- Location: Santa Barbara, CA- Party scene grade: A+- Overall Niche grade: A- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 22,659- Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1- Acceptance rate: 28%- Typical SAT range: 1230-1460