We are in no way intending to leave out the individuals who identify as asexual, intersex, questioning, or anything else. However, we recognize that the gender spectrum encompasses way more identities than this simple 5-term acronym. This stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. We use the acronym LGBTQ most frequently throughout this list. What do you mean by LGBTQ?Ī quick word about our language in this ranking. We’ve narrowed in on the top 50 best LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities below, but first, the top 10. Thankfully, an increasing number of schools are ahead of the curve in creating a campus culture that not only protects its LGBTQ students, but allows them to thrive. “What kind of healthcare access will be available to me?” “Will I be safe living in the dorms?” “Will my gender expression be protected by the administration?”īelieve it or not, most colleges and universities across the country are just now catching up to the academic, social, and mental health needs of the LGBTQ community. The typical college-aged questions of “Who will I hang out with?” and “Will I fit in?” are magnified 100x for queer and transgender students.Įven more, LGBTQ students are faced with additional worries. For LGBTQ-identifying students, the task of finding a college or university can be daunting. Find an actively supportive college home with one of the 50 best LGBTQ schools in the nation. But when it comes to LGBTQ-pride, some schools are clearly more “loud and proud” than others. All colleges and universities claim to have campus pride.