Selecting the right college is an important life decision that could have a significant impact on a student's future. And as most students step out to the world on their own for the first time, safety and security should be among the top criteria considered for this decision.

Here is our list of the safest colleges in America for 2020 compiled based on reviews, safety programs initiated by colleges and their previous track records.

1. Liberty University, Virginia

Liberty is a Christian university based in Virginia, offering 300 residential programs and 400 online courses in associates, bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees. It claims for a total enrollment of over 100,000, with 58% of its student population being female. And as per the university, 57% of its residential students are based on-campus.

Liberty University has been consistently ranked among the safest universities and colleges in the US by many studies. According to research by Nuwber, it has very low reported cases of hate crimes and violence against women, which stand at 0.03 and 0.12 respectively for every 1000 students. It also has a low number of sexual and non-sexual offenses and arrests.

2. Millersville University, Pennsylvania

With a history of more than 150 years, Millersville University offers over 100 graduate and undergraduate study programs in a range of disciplines from business to social studies.

It has been recognized for its diversity efforts as well as student and staff safety. Their most notable initiatives include the campus police that provides round-the-clock support, the LiveSafe safety app for students, the Behavioral Intervention Team, and the Centre for Counselling and Human Development.

3. Foothill College, California

Foothill College is based in Los Altos Hills, right in the center of Silicon Valley. It was established in 1957 and offers more than 160 degree and certificate programs in mainly Arts and Science.

This is another college that has consistently ranked high for its low crime rates despite its student population of around 15,000. From free emergency alert services to the Active Shooter Defense Training programs, the university has several initiatives focused on assuring the safety of its students.

4. Lincoln Memorial University, Tennessee

Based in Harrogate, Tennessee, Lincoln Memorial University was established in 1897 as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln. This private university with a history of over a hundred years is relatively smaller in size with just over 4,800 enrollments.

Lincoln Memorial University is considered one of the safest in the US based on on-site and off-campus crime statistics and efforts taken for the safety of students and staff over the years. The university, which has 9 other extended learning sites, has various measures in place to ensure safety and security. These include after-hours escort services, LMU security patrols, and security camera monitoring.

5. Oakland University, Michigan

Based in Rochester, Michigan, Oakland University enrolls around 20,000 students for its undergraduate and graduate programs.

It has been ranked high for student safety not only among universities in Michigan but also at the national level for low crime rates. Oakland University's student safety services include the Rape Aggression Defense program for female students, its campus police department and the SAFEwalk program that provides police service aide to escort students within campus premises after dark.

6. University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts

Popularly known as UMass Amherst, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a highly rated education institute that offers more than 200 bachelors, associates, masters, and doctoral programs. It has annual enrollments of more than 31,000 students and a full-time faculty of over 1,400 academics.

The university has been ranked as the safest in Massachusetts, and also among the safest colleges in America. The campus police department, the university's extensive diversity education programs, the 24-hour crisis hotline as well as programs such as the UMass Men and Masculinities Center to educate young men about developing healthy masculinity have all contributed towards this.

7. University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky

Established in 1888, the University of the Cumberlands offers a range of associates, bachelor's, masters, doctoral and other programs. It has total enrollments of over 11,000 in both on-campus and online courses.

The university's safety and security initiatives include round-the-clock police patrols, access controls, emergency notification systems as well as various educational programs on topics such as preventing sexual assaults and dating violence.

8. Lakeland Community College, Ohio

With a student population of more than 10,000, Lakeland Community College offers over 135 associate degree programs and technical certificate programs.

According to the college's Annual Security Report, it has consistently reported very low or zero cases of sexual offenses, theft, violence, and hate crimes, and is regarded as one of the safest colleges for students in the country. Some of the programs in place for student safety include motor and foot patrols by the campus security, access controls, Rape Aggression Defense program for women, counseling services, the crime prevention workshops to educate students as well as the C.A.R.E. team that assesses individuals in crisis and provides community-based responses.

9. Princeton University, New Jersey

Located in one of the safest areas in New Jersey, Princeton University is a highly prestigious education institute with enrollments of over 8,000. It has a faculty of nearly 1,300, offering around 150 programs.

The university has various measures and programs in place to ensure the safety of the students and staff. These include the TigerSafe app that provides safety alerts and emergency response guides, as well as self-defense classes for its students, staff and the local community.

10. Fairfield University, Connecticut

Fairfield University is a relatively small private university based in Fairfield, Connecticut. It has a 75-year history and enrolls over 5000 students every year for undergraduate and graduate programs in various disciplines including nursing, arts, science, and business.

The Fairfield University Department of Public Safety is responsible for the safety and security of the students. It has initiated various steps such as the S.M.A.R.T. program (Sexual Misconduct and Assault Response Team), round-the-clock campus escort service and the Whistle Defense Program. The university also has access restrictions, emergency alerts for students and regular patrols. To add to that, Fairfield is also ranked among the safest college towns in America.