(WXIN/WTTV) Indiana University is the country’s worst public university for free speech while Purdue University is the best, according to a recent study by a First Amendment advocacy group.

The 2026 College Free Speech Rankings were released on Tuesday by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). IU Bloomington was ranked the third-worst college in the US for free speech protections at 255th. Purdue was ranked second overall.

The only two higher education institutions ranked lower than IU were Columbia University and Barnard College – both of which are private. The only university ranked higher than Purdue was Claremont McKenna College, also a private institution.

The study, conducted by FIRE and College Pulse, surveyed over 68,000 undergraduate students from 257 colleges and universities nationwide. The survey asked students about their trust in university officials to protect free speech and First Amendment rights on campus.

Indiana University’s free speech controversies

IU’s abysmal ranking largely stems from incidents last spring involving pro-Palestinian protests on campus and a last-second policy change by administrators that led to 57 people being arrested but not charged.

Just hours before students set up encampments in Dunn Meadow, a grassy area used by student protesters dating back to the 1960s, IU leadership enacted a new policy that banned the “unauthorized structures” such as tents from being constructed.

State police crews were called in the next day, with students noticing snipers being placed on the roof of the nearby student union building. According to those surveyed by FIRE, the incident sparked “widespread concern” about the safety of protestors on campus.

“When we tried to have encampments, our university pointed snipers at students to scare us away,” one student responded. “It was dangerous and unsafe.”

Another student said IU leadership has “publicly and repeatedly silenced students who speak out on controversial topics.” Others said they fear retaliation from the university in the form of lawsuits, campus bans or expulsion.

“Out of fear for my safety and ability to continue attending IU, I stopped going to the protests,” one IU student wrote. “I couldn’t risk losing my financial aid or being arrested.”

While 69% of students said they felt they could not speak out on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a majority of them said other “controversial topics” were also taboo at IU. These topics included abortion (63%), the 2024 election (60%), transgender rights (54%) and racial inequality (48%).

Meanwhile, IU’s biggest rival school was named the country’s number one public university for free speech.

Purdue University a ‘vocal proponent’ of free speech

Of the 257 schools that were included in FIRE’s rankings, 166 of them earned a failing grade with an overall score below 60. However, Purdue University in West Lafayette earned a C with their 76.24 overall score.

The reasons behind this? FIRE says Purdue has “long been a vocal proponent of free speech” and recently adopted an institutional neutrality policy.

Of the 313 Purdue undergraduates that were surveyed, a majority said they felt comfortable expressing their true beliefs on campus without retaliation from peers or school administration.

Despite Purdue’s high ranking, FIRE officials spoke out against a recent move by the university to distance itself from The Exponent – an on-campus, student-run newspaper.

After The Exponent removed names and photos of pro-Palestine protestors from its website over safety concerns, Purdue officials cited its newly-adopted “institutional neutrality” policy as reason why the newspaper had to remove “Purdue” from its online URL.

“[This] is a helpful reminder that even schools with strong overall records on free expression can, and do, make decisions that run counter to the very principles we commend them for holding,” FIRE wrote.

Other Indiana institutions ranked

Outside of IU and Purdue, two other Indiana institutions were ranked in the study: DePauw University in Greencastle and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend.

DePauw fared well in the survey, ranking 18th overall with 71.13 overall and a C- grade. However, Notre Dame fell near the bottom of the list at 238th with a 50.42 overall and F score.

To read a full copy of FIRE’s 2026 College Free Speech Rankings, click here.