The 2025 Christian Schools Project, conducted by Students for Life of America’s Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement, found that one in seven Christian universities have ties to the abortion industry. The study examined 725 colleges and universities described as “affiliated with Christ-centered denominations that publicly claim a historical Christian foundation.” Of those studied, 114 were either directly involved with Planned Parenthood or had an indirect relationship with the abortion industry.

The study evaluated schools by reviewing their school websites for what the researchers considered “infractions.” Such infractions included internships at abortion providers, advertising related events or volunteer opportunities at Planned Parenthood, listing Planned Parenthood as a health or pregnancy resource, using abortion industry materials in classes, or expressing direct support for abortion. Researchers discovered that support for abortion had gone up nearly 20% (19.82%) since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Of the 22 denominations researchers studied, more than half of them (12) had some form of infraction. Methodist-affiliated schools committed the largest share of infractions.

Schools received grades from A-plus for no infractions as well as active promotion of local pregnancy centers while those with four or more infractions received an F. Forty-seven schools received failing grades while 66 received an A+. American University in Washington, D.C. had the highest number of infractions in 2025 at 34. The study did note improvements in some institutions since the last survey, such as Villanova University, which went from an F to B. The University of Notre Dame was the only university noted to have declined in its grade, going from a B to an F. The university, which was founded by Jesuit Catholics, has been recently criticized for its appointment of Professor Susan Ostermann as director of Asian Studies. Ostermann has been vocal of her pro-abortion views and has called abortion restrictions “white supremacy.”

Researchers warned that Christian colleges’ associations with the abortion industry were a betrayal to Christian parents looking to send their children to schools that supported their values. “For parents, alumni, donors, and constituents of faith-based campus life and communities, an expectation that colleges and universities bearing the name ‘Christian’ uphold Christian values is central to their investment in those institutions. Most significant is the trust given to schools for instructing the next generation of leaders in the community,” the report stated. “If committed constituents of a school cannot even depend on those bearing the name of Christ to stand for life, how can they expect the schools to shape future generations according to scripture?”