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Ohio State University-Main Campus earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Columbus, OH.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 13 schools 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.
Want to narrow by division or explore related lists? Jump to the options below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Ohio State University-Main Campus earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Columbus, OH.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). This public school is set in Cincinnati, OH.
University of Toledo came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Toledo, OH, University of Toledo is a public institution.
Xavier University landed the #4 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Cincinnati, OH, Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Miami University-Oxford ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Miami University-Oxford is a public school based in Oxford, OH.
Ohio University-Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Athens, OH, Ohio University-Main Campus is a public institution.
University of Dayton did well this year, earning the #7 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Dayton, OH.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Bowling Green, OH.
Kent State University at Kent came in at #9 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Kent, OH.
Cleveland State University landed the #10 spot this year. Based in Cleveland, OH, Cleveland State University is a public institution.
Wright State University-Main Campus placed #11 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Wright State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Dayton, OH.
Youngstown State University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Youngstown, OH.
University of Akron Main Campus placed #13 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Akron, OH, University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.