By Sky Tucker
The Scene staff
How safe are college campuses in the U.S.?
A few days ago, I saw somebody ask on a Chinese platform, “Do foreign universities really not have gates? Can people enter and
exit freely?”
Afterward, they shared screenshots of an American girl expressing shock that Chinese universities are gated. When the original poster explained that it was for safety, the girl responded that colleges in the U.S. are safe.
Before I get into the statistics, here was my response:
“U.S. universities have a history of violence, including sexual assault, so I’m not sure saying it’s ‘safe’ is the right word. More like, nothing has happened to her, in particular.
“Anyways, community colleges and universities don’t have gated perimeters. And
most of the time, neither does K-12. Despite the number of school shootings and kidnappings we have in the U.S., our government doesn’t prioritize safety. Aside from that, colleges and universities treat their students like adults. The way China treats university students is how the U.S. treats high school students … just stricter.”
Now, a quick note: My knowledge of Chinese universities is extremely limited. That said, I have two Chinese friends
who’ve shared their experiences, and they’re similar.
Now, let’s dive into the statistics. Within the last decade alone, the number of school shootings has risen dramatically, with most of this growth occurring since 2018. In fact, compared to the average annual number in the 1970s, annual school shooting incidents increased roughly tenfold by 2021. This included a significant jump in shootings in recent school years, though the exact 124% figure I previously cited could not be verified from national totals.
High schools account for 61% of these events, followed by elementary schools at 23.6%. With more than 70% of incidents resulting in casualties, student exposure to campus gunfire has increased by 300% since the late 1990s.
Demographics and access remain central to these trends, as 96% of shooters are male, and 66% are under the age of 17. Handguns are used in 84% of cases, and between 73% and 80% of perpetrators obtain their weapons from their own homes or relatives.
These figures reflect a broader crisis, with FBI-designated active shooter incidents rising approximately 70% in the most recent five-year period compared to the five years prior.
Universities and colleges had approximately 27 reported shootings during 2024. However, contrary to an estimated increase in 2025, national databases show a decline in overall campus shootings in 2025, with total shootings across all school campuses (K-12 and higher education combined) dropping from 336 in 2024 to 230 in 2025.
Now, while the numbers for universities are concerning, they are still far lower than those in K-12 schools, as these campuses experience most of the school-related gun violence.
In 2024, there were 56 reported shootings on K-12 campuses, resulting in at least 38 deaths and more than 100 injuries. In 2025, there were 230 total shootings across all school types. While I cannot provide a specific K-12-only figure for 2025, most school shootings continue to occur in K-12 settings.
Moving onto reports of sexual assault. Unfortunately, sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes on U.S. campuses. Approximately 13% of all college students experience rape or sexual assault, with the rate for undergraduate women being significantly higher at approximately 26.4%.
That said, I need to reiterate that 90% of sexual assault victims on college campuses don’t report their assault to authorities for a plethora of reasons.
And, yes, sexual assault is also extremely prevalent in K-12 settings. In fact, data shows 42% of female sexual assault victims were first raped before the age of 18.
Regarding domestic and dating violence, roughly 1 in 3 college women report being a victim of dating abuse, with one sur vey stating that 43% of college women experienced violent or abusive behaviors from a partner. Such violence often begins between ages 12 and 18, with about 28% of both high school and college students experiencing dating abuse at some point.
So, while U.S. campuses are relatively open, they face significant levels of danger — much of which could be dramatically reduced if appropriate measures were taken.
Unfortunately, schools in the U.S. choose to treat symptoms rather than fix root causes, adding security guards and metal detectors, and holding assemblies that lecture people on how to treat others.
But when predators are consistently given slaps on the wrist, neither awareness campaigns nor visible security will stop them.
Without tighter safety regulations, real accountability for malicious acts and meaningful consequences for sexual assault, we’ll always have to question our surroundings.