The University of Arizona remains one of the nation's top universities when it comes to protecting free speech, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE.

The U of A ranked No. 27 overall out of 262 U.S. colleges and universities in the organization's 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, released Sept. 9. The U of A ranks No. 1 in Arizona.

FIRE, a nonprofit organization that is "committed to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought," releases these rankings each year as part of the organization's efforts to gather information about college student attitudes about free speech and the state of free speech on campuses across America.

The U of A earned an overall score of 71.8 and is one of 77 colleges and universities to earn a "green" spotlight rating, which is FIRE's examination of the written policies governing student speech at nearly 500 institutions of higher education in the U.S. According to FIRE, the U of A experienced no free speech controversies in 2026.

FIRE and College Pulse, a survey research and analytics company "dedicated to understanding the attitudes, preferences, and behaviors of college students," annually survey college undergraduates about their perceptions and experiences regarding free speech on their campuses. This year's survey includes nearly 62,000 student respondents.

More information about the U of A's First Amendment policies can be found on the Dean of Students website.