by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 31 schools for Women’s Basketball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual weighs 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Our analysis found Thomas Jefferson University to be the best college for Women's Basketball (Division II) in the Middle Atlantic Region. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. Team revenue averages $61,612 per participant, against $61,612 in expenses. The school awards about $13,341 in athletic aid per athlete.
Gannon University landed the #2 spot for Women's Basketball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Erie, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $65,534, against $65,534 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,313 per athlete.
Adelphi University came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division II). Adelphi University is a private not-for-profit school based in Garden City, NY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $31,728, against $31,728 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $7,963 per athlete.
Pace University is one of the top schools for Women's Basketball (Division II), at #4. Pace University is a private not-for-profit school based in New York, NY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $48,806, against $47,951 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,466.
St. Thomas Aquinas College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Based in Sparkill, NY, St. Thomas Aquinas College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $44,432, against $44,432 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $8,813 per athlete.
Le Moyne College did well this year, earning the #6 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Syracuse, NY. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 989, alongside a GSR of 100%. The federal graduation rate stands at 82%. Team revenue averages $115,479 per participant, compared with $106,984 spent per athlete. The school awards about $9,944 in athletic aid per athlete.
Molloy University landed the #7 spot this year. Molloy University is a private not-for-profit school based in Rockville Centre, NY. Team revenue averages $22,615 per participant, compared with $22,361 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,589 per athlete.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in West Chester, PA, West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. The program generates about $35,590 in revenue per athlete, compared with $37,460 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $2,168 per athlete.
Seton Hill University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Greensburg, PA, Seton Hill University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $23,660 per participant, compared with $23,660 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,657.
Daemen University did well this year, earning the #10 position. Located in Amherst, NY, Daemen University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $43,700 per participant, against $39,048 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,726.
Holy Family University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division II). Holy Family University is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. Team revenue averages $34,491 per participant, with expenses of about $34,470 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,523.
D'Youville University placed #12 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Buffalo, NY. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $27,316, against $26,959 in expenses. The school awards about $8,393 in athletic aid per athlete.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public school based in Slippery Rock, PA. The program generates about $22,452 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $22,033 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,028.
Caldwell University ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Caldwell, NJ. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $22,415, compared with $22,219 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,698 per athlete.
Mercyhurst University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Mercyhurst University is a private not-for-profit school based in Erie, PA. Mercyhurst University records an NCAA APR of 965, alongside a GSR of 100%. About 82% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $75,096 per participant, compared with $75,096 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,194.
Point Park University placed #16 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Point Park University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $15,959 per participant, against $15,832 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,401.
Georgian Court University placed #17 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Georgian Court University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lakewood, NJ. Team revenue averages $30,064 per participant, against $30,064 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,874 per athlete.
Roberts Wesleyan University placed #18 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Based in Rochester, NY, Roberts Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $11,401 in revenue per athlete, compared with $11,024 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,925 per athlete.
Goldey-Beacom College placed #19 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Based in Wilmington, DE, Goldey-Beacom College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $17,839 per participant, compared with $17,839 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,149 in athletic aid per athlete.
Felician University came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Felician University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lodi, NJ. The program generates about $35,594 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $35,594 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,189 per athlete.
Millersville University of Pennsylvania placed #21 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public school based in Millersville, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $40,136, against $40,136 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $2,830 per athlete.
University of the District of Columbia landed the #22 spot this year. This public school is set in Washington, DC. The program generates about $43,244 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $43,244 per participant. The school awards about $13,638 in athletic aid per athlete.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania ranked #23 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Kutztown, PA, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $44,897, against $34,821 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $1,904 per athlete.
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown placed #24 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Based in Johnstown, PA, University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown is a public institution. The program generates about $31,324 in revenue per athlete, against $31,324 in expenses. The school awards about $5,196 in athletic aid per athlete.
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Located in Shippensburg, PA, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. The program generates about $41,275 in revenue per athlete, compared with $45,612 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,132.
These programs also stood out among the best this year:
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.