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No school ranked higher than Seton Hall University this year for Student Athletes (Division I). Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit school based in South Orange, NJ.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking 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 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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No school ranked higher than Seton Hall University this year for Student Athletes (Division I). Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit school based in South Orange, NJ.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution.
New Jersey Institute of Technology ranked #3 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public school based in Newark, NJ.
Monmouth University landed the #4 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in West Long Branch, NJ.
Princeton University landed the #5 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Princeton, NJ, Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Teaneck, NJ, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus is a private not-for-profit institution.
Rider University ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Rider University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Saint Peter's University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Located in Jersey City, NJ, Saint Peter's University is a private not-for-profit 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
See our data sources and methodologies.
