CA University Ranks As Top Party School In America: Study

CALIFORNIA — The top party school in the country is right here in California, according to a new study.

Education research and review site Niche released its 2025 Top Party Schools in America rankings, and for the third straight year, the University of California, Santa Barbara, has claimed the top spot.

Recent reviews from current and former students highlighted the school's beautiful views, vibrant community and active student life, but also spoke on UC Santa Barbara's party school reputation.

"If you grew up out of state, this could be the perfect place for you. It changed my life for the best," a current student wrote in July. "Although, you need to prioritize school over partying because the academic load is quite rigorous."

"Although the school is infamously known for partying, they still have room for people who are introverted and reserved if you walk to the beach in five minutes," another student wrote in June.

Niche has nearly 500,000 college reviews from students, according to the website. The rankings were based on student reviews and nightlife statistics. The company's data analysts assigned scores based on student surveys, access to bars, athletics grade, Greek life grade and access to restaurants.

Following UC Santa Barbara, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Cincinnati ranked as the No. 2 and No. 3 top party schools, respectively, according to Niche.

Three other California universities ranked among the top 25 party schools in the U.S. The University of Southern California ranked fifth, San Diego State University ranked 19th, and the University of California, Los Angeles, ranked 24th.

See the full rankings here.