by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 9 programs for Women’s Basketball (Division III) 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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Leading the list is Grinnell College, our #1 college for Women's Basketball (Division III). Based in Grinnell, IA, Grinnell College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,923, against $8,923 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Cornell College landed the #2 spot for Women's Basketball (Division III). Cornell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Mount Vernon, IA. The program generates about $22,645 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $18,372 per participant. Athletic aid averages $0 per athlete.
Luther College ranked #3 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division III). Located in Decorah, IA, Luther College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,298, against $8,060 in expenses. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Wartburg College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Women's Basketball (Division III). Located in Waverly, IA, Wartburg College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,979 per participant, with expenses of about $8,979 per participant. The school awards about $0 in athletic aid per athlete.
Loras College earned the #5 place for student athletes. Located in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $7,200 per participant, against $7,200 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Simpson College placed #6 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Indianola, IA. The program generates about $8,303 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,499 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Buena Vista University did well this year, earning the #7 position. Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit school based in Storm Lake, IA. Team revenue averages $8,848 per participant, compared with $8,537 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
Coe College did well this year, earning the #8 position. Coe College is a private not-for-profit school based in Cedar Rapids, IA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $6,833, compared with $6,833 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $0.
University of Dubuque placed #9 among the best colleges for Women's Basketball (Division III). Based in Dubuque, IA, University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $8,618 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $7,752 per participant. The school awards about $0 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.