2026 Best Colleges for Student Athletes (Division I) in Maryland

Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 8 colleges for Student Athletes (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluates each program using 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.

Find Your Fit

Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.

Top 8 Colleges for Student Athletes (Division I)

Learn more about these schools below:

1

University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD

94% Academic Quality Percentile

Our analysis found University of Maryland-College Park to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division I) in Maryland. Based in College Park, MD, University of Maryland-College Park is a public institution.

2

Towson University
Towson, MD

88% Academic Quality Percentile

Towson University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #2. Based in Towson, MD, Towson University is a public institution.

3

Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore, MD

85% Academic Quality Percentile

Loyola University Maryland landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Baltimore, MD, Loyola University Maryland is a private not-for-profit institution.

4

University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD

87% Academic Quality Percentile

University of Maryland-Baltimore County earned the #4 place for student athletes. Located in Baltimore, MD, University of Maryland-Baltimore County is a public institution.

5

Mount St. Mary's University
Emmitsburg, MD

82% Academic Quality Percentile

Mount St. Mary's University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Emmitsburg, MD.

6

Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD

69% Academic Quality Percentile

Morgan State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Baltimore, MD.

7

University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD

77% Academic Quality Percentile

University of Maryland Eastern Shore came in at #7 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Princess Anne, MD.

8

Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD

65% Academic Quality Percentile

Coppin State University landed the #8 spot this year. Based in Baltimore, MD, Coppin State University is a public institution.

Explore Other Sports

Notes and References

*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

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

See our data sources and methodologies.