The Buckley Institute Releases Eleventh Annual National Undergraduate Student Survey
Record high percentages of undergrads believe Constitution, First Amendment important
Majorities report self-censoring with professors and classmates
88% support deporting some illegal immigrants
Contact:
Ari Schaffer
ari@buckleyinstitute.com
201-774-2800
The Buckley Institute is pleased to announce the release of the Eleventh Annual National Undergraduate Student Survey. The survey was conducted by Inquire LLC and contains the responses of 820 American undergraduates across the country who answered the survey between September 5 and 14, 2025.
“It is clear that despite support for free speech in theory, America’s undergraduates don’t support it in practice,” said Buckley Institute Founder and Executive Director Lauren Noble. “America’s college students support shout downs and violence to stop offensive speech at an alarming rate, particularly worrying in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. And they have a concerning predilection for the Cuban and Soviet economies. American higher education is in trouble.”
This year’s survey found both reasons for optimism on America’s campus free speech culture and points for continued concern. Undergraduates demonstrated record respect for the Constitution and the First Amendment, and showed a broader understanding of the First Amendment’s protection of hate speech than in previous surveys. For the first time since 2022, the plurality of college students oppose speech codes.
At the same time, nearly half of students believe it sometimes acceptable to shout down or disrupt speakers, while almost four in ten believe physical violence can be justified to stop hate speech. One third believe offensive speech should be subject to criminal prosecution.
The survey also uncovered overwhelming support among America’s undergraduates for deporting at least some illegal immigrants, looked at student perceptions of Israel and antisemitism on campus, and assessed college student attitudes on capitalism and economics.
Free Speech
On the fundamentals, America’s undergraduates score well. Record percentages of students consider both the Constitution (73%) and the First Amendment (90%) important and relevant. A record high 60% acknowledge that “hate speech, no matter how racist or bigoted it is, is still technically protected under the First Amendment.” When focused on the campus, 72%-25%, undergraduates say it is more important for their college or university to encourage free speech than to prevent offensive dialogue, a new record.
However, in practice, America’s college students aren’t as welcoming to free speech. A record 48% agree that it is sometimes appropriate to shout down or disrupt speakers on campus, outpacing the 45% who disagree. 39% think violence can be justified to stop hate speech, 38% think political comments they don’t like can be harmful to their mental health, and one in three (33%) believe offensive speech should be subject to criminal prosecution.
Even interpersonal dynamics are fraying. 46% of college students say they cannot bring themselves to be close friends with someone of the opposite political party, a 6-point increase over last year. Liberal students (64%) are the least likely to reach across the aisle, while moderates (34%) and conservatives (25%) are more open.
This all impacts the environment in the classroom. 53% report having been intimidated in sharing opinions, ideas, or beliefs that were different than a professor. 57% said the same about their classmates.
Economics
This year’s undergraduate student survey delved more deeply into college student views on economics.
While capitalism outpolled socialism (40% to 36%) for the second year in a row, a remarkable 46% of undergraduates believe that “socialist countries like Cuba and the Soviet Union…offer a better economic model than capitalist countries like the United States,” versus the 39% who disagree.
Looking to the New York City mayoral race, America’s college students 47%-42% don’t think “replacing private grocery stores with government-run grocery stores would provide the public with better access to food at a better price.” They are more open to government intervention in the housing market though, with 69%, and clear majorities across all ideological and demographic groups, believing that “rent control is a good way to make housing more affordable for everyone.”
The Trump Administration
This year’s survey found that 62% of America’s undergraduates disapprove of the job President Donald Trump is doing in office, with conservatives approving 66% to 32%.
Looking at his tenure so far, 13% believe things in the United States are better than anticipated, 37% as anticipated, and 46% worse than anticipated.
Other Contemporary Issues
On the federal government’s recent conflicts with universities over antisemitism issues, 47%, the plurality, of students believe there is an antisemitism issue on campus that merits some government involvement. Another 23% believe campus antisemitism exists but colleges and universities should handle it themselves. Only 16% believe there is no antisemitism issue in the first place.
In a similar vein, the campus seems to have turned on Israel. 33% to 29%, America’s college students think Palestine is a better ally for America than Israel. At the same time, only a slim plurality (46%-44%) believe a peaceful two-state solution is even possible. On immigration, America’s college students are close to unanimous that some illegal immigrants should be deported. Only 9% believe none should be. By contrast, 18% believe in deporting all illegal immigrants, 28% any illegal immigrant who has committed a crime, and 42% only those illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes .
Check out the undergraduate student survey memo, topline results, full survey, full crosstabs, and historical results.