by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 8 schools for Women’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Explore the leading programs below:
Our analysis found New Jersey Institute of Technology to be the best college for Women's Basketball (Division I) in New Jersey. This public school is set in Newark, NJ. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 82% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $121,443 in revenue per athlete, compared with $118,124 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $15,477 per athlete.
Seton Hall University is one of the top schools for Women's Basketball (Division I), at #2. Based in South Orange, NJ, Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 979, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 33%. Team revenue averages $292,561 per participant, with expenses of about $292,561 per participant. Athletic aid averages $32,496 per athlete.
Monmouth University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). Monmouth University is a private not-for-profit school based in West Long Branch, NJ. Monmouth University records an NCAA APR of 995, alongside a GSR of 93%. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $178,098, with expenses of about $178,098 per participant. The school awards about $20,376 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution. Rutgers University-New Brunswick records an NCAA APR of 953, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 55%. The program generates about $242,850 in revenue per athlete, compared with $242,850 spent per athlete. The school awards about $26,379 in athletic aid per athlete.
Rider University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Lawrenceville, NJ. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 991, with a Graduation Success Rate of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 64%. Team revenue averages $130,780 per participant, with expenses of about $130,780 per participant. The school awards about $9,540 in athletic aid per athlete.
Princeton University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Princeton, NJ, Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Team revenue averages $105,314 per participant, against $105,314 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Saint Peter's University landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Jersey City, NJ, Saint Peter's University is a private not-for-profit institution. Saint Peter's University records an NCAA APR of 985, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 22%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $107,601, with expenses of about $107,601 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $10,025.
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Teaneck, NJ, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 981, alongside a GSR of 85%. About 63% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $104,205, with expenses of about $104,205 per participant. The school awards about $12,185 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
