Report Ranks Top 50 Green Colleges

Is your school green enough to attract a growing group of eco-conscious students? The Princeton Review has released the 2026 edition of its annual Guide to Green Colleges—an online resource the company has published since 2010 for college applicants wanting to attend schools that foster a culture of environmental responsibility.

Based primarily on the company’s surveys of college administrators in 2024-25 and its analyses of more than 25 survey data points, the 2026 edition of the Guide features profiles of 388 schools and ranks the top 50. From energy-efficient facilities to career prep, the winning schools have exceptional programs, policies, and practices related to sustainability and the environment.

For the 10th year in a row, the College of the Atlantic in Maine earned the No. 1 spot on the Top 50 Green Colleges list. Renowned for its commitment to environmental sustainability, the college awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees exclusively in Human Ecology. In 2007, it became the first college in the U.S. to achieve carbon-neutrality, and it has committed to becoming a fossil fuel-free campus by 2030. 

Similarly, American University in Washington, D.C., took the No. 2 spot with its extraordinary record of green distinctions. In 2010, the school committed to become carbon-neutral by 2020, and it attained that goal in 2018—two years ahead of its target. Its Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 outlines the university’s 113 goals across six focus areas.

Green Growth

“Since we debuted our Green Guide in 2010, we have seen dramatic growth in the number of colleges committing to sustainability practices—from constructing green-certified buildings to sourcing food locally,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review.

As a group, the schools in the 2026 edition have impressive green statistics:

• 18% of their energy comes from clean and renewable sources;
• 38% of their waste is diverted from incinerators or solid-waste landfills;
• 94% have a sustainability officer; and
• 98% offer a sustainability-focused undergraduate major or degree.

Franek also noted growing interest among college applicants in attending green colleges. “Of more than 7,000 students that participated in our 2025 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 59% said having information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend the school.”

Rankings

Of the 388 schools in the latest Guide, 322 are in the U.S., with the remainder split between Canada and other countries abroad. The top 25 green schools are:

1. College of the Atlantic (ME)
2. American University (DC)
3. Lehigh University (PA)
4. Loyola Marymount University (CA)
5. Bennington College (VT)
6. University of California, Santa Cruz
7. University of California, Merced
8. University of Cincinnati (OH)
9. University of Massachusetts—Amherst
10. Stephens Institute of Technology (NJ)
11. University of Vermont
12. University of North Carolina at Asheville
13. Grand Valley State University (MI)
14. Randolph College (VA)
15. Bates College (ME)
16. State University of New York—Stony Brook
17. Bentley University (MA)
18. Macalester College (MN)
19. New York University (NY)
20. University of California—Irvine
21. University of St. Thomas (MN)
22. Northeastern University (MA)
23. Dickinson College (PA)
24. Luther College (IA)
25. University of New Hampshire

The full top 50 list and 2026 Guide are available here.