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University of Notre Dame tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Notre Dame, IN.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 11 colleges for Student Athletes (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual scores each program on 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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Explore the leading programs below:
University of Notre Dame tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Notre Dame, IN.
Indiana University-Bloomington is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #2. This public school is set in Bloomington, IN.
Purdue University-Main Campus landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). This public school is set in West Lafayette, IN.
Ball State University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Muncie, IN, Ball State University is a public institution.
Butler University earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Indianapolis, IN.
University of Evansville placed #6 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Evansville, IN.
Indiana University-Indianapolis came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Located in Indianapolis, IN, Indiana University-Indianapolis is a public institution.
Indiana State University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Terre Haute, IN, Indiana State University is a public institution.
Valparaiso University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Valparaiso, IN, Valparaiso University is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Southern Indiana landed the #10 spot this year. University of Southern Indiana is a public school based in Evansville, IN.
Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Based in Fort Wayne, IN, Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public institution.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.