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Leading the list is Stanford University, our #1 college for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Stanford, CA.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 38 programs for Student Athletes (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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 Stanford University, our #1 college for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Stanford, CA.
University of Southern California earned the #2 place for student athletes. Based in Los Angeles, CA, University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Seattle, WA, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a public institution.
University of California-Los Angeles is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #4. Located in Los Angeles, CA, University of California-Los Angeles is a public institution.
Loyola Marymount University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Los Angeles, CA, Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Pepperdine University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit school based in Malibu, CA.
University of California-Berkeley landed the #7 spot this year. Based in Berkeley, CA, University of California-Berkeley is a public institution.
University of San Francisco did well this year, earning the #8 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in San Francisco, CA.
Santa Clara University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit school based in Santa Clara, CA.
San Diego State University did well this year, earning the #10 position. San Diego State University is a public school based in San Diego, CA.
Gonzaga University placed #11 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Spokane, WA.
University of Oregon came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Based in Eugene, OR, University of Oregon is a public institution.
Seattle University ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Seattle, WA, Seattle University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Oregon State University placed #14 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This public school is set in Corvallis, OR.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Las Vegas, NV, University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public institution.
Washington State University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Based in Pullman, WA, Washington State University is a public institution.
University of the Pacific ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Stockton, CA, University of the Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of San Diego placed #18 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in San Diego, CA, University of San Diego is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of California-Davis came in at #19 in this year's ranking. Based in Davis, CA, University of California-Davis is a public institution.
University of Nevada-Reno landed the #20 spot this year. This public school is set in Reno, NV.
University of Portland came in at #21 in this year's ranking. Located in Portland, OR, University of Portland is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of California-Irvine landed the #22 spot this year. Located in Irvine, CA, University of California-Irvine is a public institution.
California State University-Fresno ranked #23 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). California State University-Fresno is a public school based in Fresno, CA.
University of California-San Diego ranked #24 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in La Jolla, CA, University of California-San Diego is a public institution.
Saint Mary's College of California did well this year, earning the #25 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Moraga, CA.
These programs also stood out among the best this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.