Top 50 Competitive College Debate Programs in the US - 2024

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.