Welcome to the UPGRADE Dining Leaderboard, where we celebrate universities leading the charge in sustainable, plant-based dining. We rank universities on their plant-based dining progress using student-reported data and key metrics like menu options, sustainability commitments, and purchasing practices. Every score is by students, for students—helping campuses improve while celebrating leaders in sustainable dining.
| Rank | University | Points Total (Maximum Value 740) | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCLA | 535 | A- |
| 2 | University of Michigan | 470 | A- |
| 3 | New York University (NYU) | 425 | A- |
| 4 | UC Berkeley | 390 | B+ |
| 5 | Cornell University | 370 | B |
| 6 | Stanford University | 350 | B |
| 7 | University of Virginia | 330 | B- |
| 8 | Tufts University | 330 | B- |
| 9 | Northwestern University | 300 | C+ |
| 10 | American University | 295 | C |
| 11 | Harvard University | 270 | C- |
| 12 | Rice University | 270 | C- |
| 13 | CalTech | 205 | D+ |
| 14 | University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) | 200 | D+ |
| 15 | The University of Chicago | 200 | D+ |
| 16 | San Diego State University (SDSU) | 185 | D |
| 17 | Duke University | 185 | D |
| 18 | Babson College | 175 | D |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 155 | D |