Touring schools and the first question from home is always "but is it safe?" Fair question. So we ranked the safest college campuses among big names students actually apply to, using the crimes each school reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024, per 1,000 students.
Short version: the famous ones aren't the safest ones.
The safest college campuses, ranked
| Rank | School | Crimes per 1,000 students | Heads up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cal State Fullerton | 0.6 | Only about 1 in 20 students lives on campus |
| 2 | Boston College | 1.0 | 544 drinking write-ups in 2024 |
| 3 | UT Austin | 2.7 | Break-ins are the top crime (45) |
| 4 | Purdue | 3.4 | 2 of every 3 crimes are vehicle thefts |
| 5 | UC Santa Barbara | 8.8 | 59 break-ins, 71 vehicle thefts |
| 6 | UCLA | 10.2 | 43 aggravated assaults, most on this list |
| 7 | USC | 10.6 | 22 robberies, most on this list |
1. Cal State Fullerton
The catch: only about 1 in 20 students lives on campus. Fewer people around at night means fewer chances for anything to happen.
2. Boston College
1.0 per 1,000. The Eagle Escort van runs 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. every night within 2.5 miles of campus. The real issue is partying: 544 drinking write-ups in 2024.
3. UT Austin
2.7 per 1,000 at a school of almost 54,000. The LiveSafe app lets you text police dispatch. Lock your door, though. Burglary is the top crime.
4. Purdue
3.4 per 1,000, and Safe Walk escorts run 24/7. Two of every three crimes are vehicle thefts, so it's your car at risk, not you.
5. UC Santa Barbara
8.8 per 1,000. Free CSO escorts cover campus and Isla Vista, on foot or by bike. Use them.
6. UCLA and 7. USC
Basically tied at 10.2 and 10.6. UCLA has free escorts from dusk to 1 a.m. every night of the year. USC gives free Lyft rides inside set boundaries. If you're aiming for either one from community college, a website like Transfermatic shows you the exact classes that get you in.
How to read these numbers
Clery counts campus, school-controlled property, and the streets right next to it. Off-campus neighborhoods like Isla Vista or Westwood mostly aren't in it. Schools self-report, and the government doesn't double-check.
“A low number is great. It doesn't make the apartment you rent two miles away safe.
”
Bottom line
The safest college campuses on this list aren't the famous ones. Pick on fit, then learn your school's escort and ride options before day one. Got a dream school already? See the plan that gets you there, or look up your college's transfer paths.
Related: browse transfer plans by college and major · which UC is right for you · which college you should transfer to · universities with the most expensive housing
