by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 11 colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Furman University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Greenville, SC. Furman University records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 50% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $150,658 in revenue per athlete, compared with $150,658 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $28,699 per athlete.
Clemson University is one of the top schools for Women's Basketball (Division I), at #2. Located in Clemson, SC, Clemson University is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 995, alongside a GSR of 93%. Its federal graduation rate is 57%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $388,672, compared with $388,672 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $21,730 per athlete.
University of South Carolina-Columbia landed the #3 spot for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Columbia, SC, University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution. University of South Carolina-Columbia records an NCAA APR of 990, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 55%. Team revenue averages $423,205 per participant, compared with $423,205 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $18,645.
Wofford College earned the #4 place for student athletes. Wofford College is a private not-for-profit school based in Spartanburg, SC. Wofford College records an NCAA APR of 1000, and a 80% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 71%. The program generates about $133,662 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $133,662 per participant. Athletic aid averages $26,368 per athlete.
Coastal Carolina University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division I). This public school is set in Conway, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 969, alongside a GSR of 93%. The federal graduation rate stands at 73%. Team revenue averages $174,741 per participant, compared with $174,741 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $19,875 per athlete.
Presbyterian College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). Based in Clinton, SC, Presbyterian College is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 980, and a 100% Graduation Success Rate. About 57% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $101,040 in revenue per athlete, compared with $101,040 spent per athlete. The school awards about $11,454 in athletic aid per athlete.
College of Charleston placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division I). This public school is set in Charleston, SC. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 972, with a Graduation Success Rate of 87%. About 75% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $81,036, compared with $81,036 spent per athlete. The school awards about $11,551 in athletic aid per athlete.
Charleston Southern University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Charleston Southern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Charleston, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 995, and a 72% Graduation Success Rate. Its federal graduation rate is 47%. Team revenue averages $85,564 per participant, with expenses of about $85,564 per participant. Athletic aid averages $15,092 per athlete.
University of South Carolina-Upstate came in at #9 in this year's ranking. University of South Carolina-Upstate is a public school based in Spartanburg, SC. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 973, alongside a GSR of 93%. About 64% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $77,986 in revenue per athlete, compared with $77,986 spent per athlete. The school awards about $9,411 in athletic aid per athlete.
Winthrop University did well this year, earning the #10 position. Located in Rock Hill, SC, Winthrop University is a public institution. Winthrop University records an NCAA APR of 971, with a Graduation Success Rate of 85%. Its federal graduation rate is 39%. The program generates about $91,556 in revenue per athlete, compared with $91,556 spent per athlete. The school awards about $6,244 in athletic aid per athlete.
South Carolina State University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division I). Located in Orangeburg, SC, South Carolina State University is a public institution. South Carolina State University records an NCAA APR of 926, alongside a GSR of 100%. Its federal graduation rate is 33%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $80,196, against $80,196 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,529 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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
See our data sources and methodologies.