The Most Violent Universities

Millions of students converge upon college campuses every fall to expand their minds, make new friends, and take a step toward adulthood. But these campuses can attract violent crime – some more than others. The U.S. Department of Education publishes Campus Safety and Security Data to determine the college campuses with the most violent crimes, which include rape, murder/manslaughter, aggravated assault, and robbery, per 100,000 students. According to the data, here are the top 10 colleges and universities for on-campus violent crimes.

1. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Central Danville Campus

Located in Danville, Pennsylvania, this medical school is also an integrated healthcare system with hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. One of six regional campuses within the GCSOM system, the Danville campus recorded 10,430 instances of violent crime from 2019-2021. Because of hospitals on campus, medical campuses typically exhibit disproportionately high rates of aggravated assault.

2. Xavier University

This private, Jesuit university in Cincinnati boasts a student body of more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. From 2019-2021, the university reported 1,161 violent crimes on campus. Rape accounted for almost 99% of those crimes.

3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

With a student body of just over 52,000, the University of Michigan is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. This campus reported 1,005 violent crimes on campus from 2019-2021.

4. Ohio State University

One of the largest universities by enrollment in the nation, Ohio State is located in the metro Columbus area, with more than 66,000 students enrolled. For a three-year period beginning in 2019, 316 violent crimes were reported at this campus.

5. Prairie View A&M University

A rural campus, Prairie View A&M is a university of more than 9,000 students about an hour northwest of Houston. Prairie View reported 290 violent crimes between 2019 and 2021.

6. Stanford University

This private research university in California enrolls just over 20,000 students. Stanford reported 271 violent crimes from 2019-2021.

7. Vanderbilt University

Situated in downtown Nashville, this prestigious institution boasts almost 15,000 students. Between 2019 and 2021, Vanderbilt reported 269 violent crimes on campus. Of those crimes, rape accounted for just over 65%.

8. University of Iowa

Located in Iowa City, this public research university is the oldest in the state. With about 33,000 students, UI reported 246 violent crimes from 2019-2021.

9. University of California, Berkeley

The founding campus of the University of California system sits on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay with a student population of about 48,000. The university reported 185 violent crimes between 2019 and 2021.

10. University of New Mexico

With more than 22,000 students, this campus is New Mexico's largest and second-oldest university. Located in Albuquerque, UNM reported 164 violent crimes from 2019-2021.

Colleges and universities work hard to create safe environments for both students and employees. When researching colleges, educating oneself about the risks on a particular campus can allow for a better-informed college experience.

References: The 27 Most Dangerous College Campuses 2023 | Central Campus Danville | Census Enrollment Statistics | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | Ohio State University | Enrollment | Stanford University | Vanderbilt University | University of Iowa | University of California, Berkeley | University of New Mexico