- The Wall Street Journal, in collaboration with College Pulse, ranked the best party schools in the US.
- The Journal ranked schools based on student and alumni data about the party culture on campus.
- Tulane University took the top spot for 2025, followed by the University of Dayton.
Every fall, colleges around the country hold a week of exciting campus events — from themed parties and parades to sporting events and Homecoming — oftentimes having weeklong celebrations. But according to a new Wall Street Journal ranking, Tulane University is the No. 1 party school in the US for 2025.
Still, there are plenty of schools out there that know how to have a good time. One school — the University of Miami — has a boat-burning ceremony where scores of students gather around Lake Osceola in Coral Gables, Florida, to watch a boat set on fire.
Another, like Texas State University, which has campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock, Texas, engages in competitive games, such as the annual Soap Box Derby, where students build their own cars.
Fall campus celebrations also boost local economies. Hampton University, for example, noted that annual events, including homecoming and commencement, bring in more than $5.2 billion annually to the historically Black university.
Every year, The Wall Street Journal publishes a list of the best party schools in the US as part of its annual best colleges list. To identify the top party schools, the outlet collaborated with research agency College Pulse to survey tens of thousands of students and recent alums. The survey included various questions about student life, career prep, and the party scenes at their colleges.
Tulane University in New Orleans took the crown for the top party school this year, while the University of Dayton in Ohio followed in second place.
Here’s a closer look at the best party schools that made the list.
