Dordt University is one of the safest college campuses in Iowa, says Niche 2025 rankings

Dordt University has been named one of the safest college campus in Iowa and one of the safest college campuses in America, according to Niche’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings.

The 2025 Safest College Campuses ranking looks at “top-ranked colleges [that] offer a safe and healthy environment with little to no campus crime, drugs, or alcohol usage.”

“Dordt is one of the safest college campuses in Iowa because of our community, both on campus and off,” says Associate Dean of Students Derek Buteyn. “We aren’t a collection of individuals concerned only for our own good; rather, we have a vision for living and working together in a way that builds up and seeks the good of others.”

Campus safety is a significant factor in a student’s college decision, adds Buteyn.

“Students consistently tell us that Dordt feels like home and that it’s a place where they can feel safe and be themselves. In this environment, students can excel and be successful academically, socially, and spiritually – without fear for their safety.”

Sioux Center was also named the second safest town in Iowa by Safewise. Analyzing crime data across the state, the study pointed to Sioux Center’s low crime rates.

“On a practical level, we work closely with local law enforcement and safety agencies to be prepared and respond to any events that could happen,” says Robert Taylor, vice president for student success and dean of students. “Our local community cares deeply about our students and their safety. Because we take safety very seriously, we work to educate our student body, professors, and staff on safety information and procedures.”

This includes having a comprehensive emergency response plan, providing well-lit pathways on campus, and collaborating with local law enforcement to ensure on-campus safety.

A safe campus is built on the trust and care for the general well-being of others, as demonstrated through Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Love for our neighbor is built into the fabric of our community of Dordt. We have students living at Dordt from across the country and globe, with different stories and experiences. They can trust that their classmates, professors, and staff members share a similar care and concern for their own well-being, which prompts students to be able to form deep and lasting relationships,” says Buteyn.

Taylor appreciates the sense of familiarity and neighborliness that Dordt’s campus has.

“The fact that we’re a residential campus contributes to this in that students know other students. Even if they might not know a name, they certainly recognize others living on campus, as they walk to class or visit the coffee shop.”

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.