We evaluated hundreds of competitive debate programs from colleges and universities across the country to come up with our list of the Top 50 Competitive College Debate Programs in the United States. Programs were ranked according to their competitive opportunity, competitive success, coaching staff, resources, historical success in competitive debate, and program prestige. Colleges on this list do not necessarily compete against one another, as there are multiple collegiate debate leagues and formats. This annual ranking includes teams that compete in the American Debate Association, American Parliamentary Debate Association, British Parliamentary, Cross Examination Debate Association, International Public Debate Association, and the National Parliamentary Debate Association.
This ranking does not mean that the program itself is best suited for a particular student, and some programs and associations are known to have an ideological bent that could inhibit the quality of debate education. Others are not included in this list because of recent events that jeopardize the stability of the program, such as the entire Bates College debate team resigning this year. That said, here is our list of the Top 50 Competitive College Debate Programs in the US.
#1 (Tie) Harvard University
#1 (Tie) University of Chicago
#3 University of California - Berkeley
#4 (Tie) Northwestern University
#4 (Tie) George Mason University
#4 (Tie) Yale University*
#4 (Tie) University of Kansas
#4 (Tie) University of Southern California
#9 (Tie) Louisiana State University - Shreveport*
#9 (Tie) Rice University*
#9 (Tie) Mercer University
#9 (Tie) University of Michigan*
#9 (Tie) University of Georgia
#14 (Tie) Emory University
#14 (Tie) United States Military Academy
#14 (Tie) Southern Methodist University*
#14 (Tie) Texas Tech University
#14 (Tie) George Washington University
#14 (Tie) Samford University
#14 (Tie) Georgetown University
#14 (Tie) Cornell University
#22 (Tie) Bossier Parish Community College*
#22 (Tie) Baylor University
#22 (Tie) Lee College*
#22 (Tie) Columbia University
#22 (Tie) Princeton University
#22 (Tie) Liberty University
#22 (Tie) Wake Forest University
#22 (Tie) University of Utah
#30 (Tie) Indiana University
#30 (Tie) United States Naval Academy
#32 (Tie) McKendree University
#32 (Tie) Drury University
#32 (Tie) Northeastern University
#35 (Tie) American University
#35 (Tie) University of Minnesota
#35 (Tie) Emporia State University
#35 (Tie) Johnson County Community College
#35 (Tie) Western Washington University
#40 (Tie) Wellesley College
#40 (Tie) James Madison University
#40 (Tie) University of Houston
#40 (Tie) Union University*
#40 (Tie) Binghamton University*
#40 (Tie) University of Kentucky
#40 (Tie) Wichita State University
#40 (Tie) Rutgers University
#40 (Tie) New York University
#49 (Tie) University of Texas - San Antonio
#49 (Tie) University of Arkansas - Monticello
#49 (Tie) Mississippi State University*
#49 (Tie) Abilene Christian University*
#49 (Tie) Boston College
#49 (Tie) Michigan State University
*Denotes that the program won at least one national title during the 2023-2024 academic year.
A full breakdown of these scores is available below:
School | Rank | Letter Rating | Speaker Point Scale | Grade |
Harvard University | 1 | A | 30 | 100 |
University of Chicago | 1 | A | 30 | 100 |
University of California - Berkeley | 3 | A | 29 | 98 |
Northwestern University | 4 | A | 29 | 96 |
George Mason University | 4 | A | 29 | 96 |
Yale University | 4 | A | 29 | 96 |
University of Kansas | 4 | A | 29 | 96 |
University of Southern California | 4 | A | 29 | 96 |
Louisiana State University - Shreveport | 9 | A | 28 | 93 |
Rice University | 9 | A | 28 | 93 |
Mercer University | 9 | A | 28 | 93 |
University of Michigan | 9 | A | 28 | 93 |
University of Georgia | 9 | A | 28 | 93 |
Emory University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
United States Military Academy | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Southern Methodist University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Texas Tech University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
George Washington University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Samford University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Georgetown University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Cornell University | 14 | A- | 27 | 91 |
Bossier Parish Community College | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Baylor University | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Lee College | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Columbia University | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Princeton University | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Liberty University | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Wake Forest University | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
University of Utah | 22 | B+ | 27 | 89 |
Indiana University | 30 | B | 26 | 87 |
United States Naval Academy | 30 | B | 26 | 87 |
McKendree University | 32 | B | 25 | 84 |
Drury University | 32 | B | 25 | 84 |
Northeastern University | 32 | B | 25 | 84 |
American University | 35 | B- | 25 | 82 |
University of Minnesota | 35 | B- | 25 | 82 |
Emporia State University | 35 | B- | 25 | 82 |
Johnson County Community College | 35 | B- | 25 | 82 |
Western Washington University | 35 | B- | 25 | 82 |
Wellesley College | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
James Madison University | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
University of Houston | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
Union University | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
Binghamton University | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
University of Kentucky | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
Wichita State University | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
Rutgers | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
New York University | 40 | B- | 24 | 80 |
University of Texas - San Antonio | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
University of Arkansas - Monticello | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
Mississippi State University | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
Abilene Christian University | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
Boston College | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
Michigan State University | 49 | C+ | 23 | 78 |
The top 60 is rounded out by honorable mentions University of Southern Mississippi, Oklahoma Baptist University, Williams College, Missouri State University, William Jewell College, and the University of Nevada - Reno.