by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 9 colleges for Women’s Basketball (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Jump to the options below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Colorado School of Mines tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in Golden, CO. Team revenue averages $54,518 per participant, compared with $54,518 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $7,984 per athlete.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs earned the #2 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Colorado Springs, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $56,363, with expenses of about $54,223 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,988 per athlete.
Colorado Christian University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Lakewood, CO, Colorado Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $33,083, compared with $33,083 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,910.
Western Colorado University is one of the top schools for Women's Basketball (Division II), at #4. Based in Gunnison, CO, Western Colorado University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $38,826, compared with $38,826 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $3,480 per athlete.
Metropolitan State University of Denver came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Denver, CO, Metropolitan State University of Denver is a public institution. The program generates about $65,775 in revenue per athlete, against $65,762 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,924 per athlete.
Colorado State University Pueblo placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division II). Located in Pueblo, CO, Colorado State University Pueblo is a public institution. The program generates about $37,126 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $37,126 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,320.
Colorado Mesa University landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Grand Junction, CO, Colorado Mesa University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $34,686, compared with $34,711 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,175.
Fort Lewis College ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Women's Basketball (Division II). This public school is set in Durango, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $26,717, against $26,717 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,356 per athlete.
Adams State University landed the #9 spot this year. Located in Alamosa, CO, Adams State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $50,994 per participant, against $50,994 in expenses. The school awards about $3,419 in athletic aid per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.