by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 6 schools for Women’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual scores each program on 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Explore the leading programs below:
Our analysis found University of Connecticut to be the best college for Women's Basketball (Division I) in Connecticut. Based in Storrs, CT, University of Connecticut is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 58%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $901,331, against $901,331 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $20,776 per athlete.
Fairfield University landed the #2 spot for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Fairfield, CT, Fairfield University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 85%. The program generates about $209,449 in revenue per athlete, compared with $209,449 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $19,587 per athlete.
Quinnipiac University is one of the top schools for Women's Basketball (Division I), at #3. Based in Hamden, CT, Quinnipiac University is a private not-for-profit institution. Quinnipiac University records an NCAA APR of 991, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 79%. Team revenue averages $156,226 per participant, against $156,226 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $27,084 per athlete.
Yale University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in New Haven, CT, Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 1000, alongside a GSR of 100%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $107,502, against $107,502 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Sacred Heart University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). Sacred Heart University is a private not-for-profit school based in Fairfield, CT. The team's NCAA APR score is 964, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 69%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $143,824, against $143,824 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $11,128.
Central Connecticut State University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Based in New Britain, CT, Central Connecticut State University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 965, and a 93% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 73%. The program generates about $85,643 in revenue per athlete, against $85,643 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,791 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.