• Niche ranked the best party colleges in the US using student data about party culture on campus. • A school's party scene can be a big draw for incoming students. • The University of California, Santa Barbara, took the top spot for 2026.

Students face countless questions when deciding where to go to college, from which schools offer the best classes to what kind of professional network they want to build.

But for some, it also comes down to one thing: where they'll have the most fun.

This year, the University of California, Santa Barbara, is the place to be. It was ranked the No. 1 party school in the US for 2026 in a Niche ranking.

Still, there are plenty of schools that know how to have a good time during homecoming and beyond.

One school, the University of Miami, has a boat-b

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