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Our analysis found University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division I) in Pennsylvania. This public school is set in Pittsburgh, PA.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. Our ranking highlights 14 colleges for Student Athletes (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Our analysis found University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division I) in Pennsylvania. This public school is set in Pittsburgh, PA.
Villanova University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Villanova University is a private not-for-profit school based in Villanova, PA.
Temple University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #3. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Temple University is a public institution.
Drexel University earned the #4 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA.
Lafayette College earned the #5 place for student athletes. Lafayette College is a private not-for-profit school based in Easton, PA.
Bucknell University placed #6 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lewisburg, PA.
Lehigh University placed #7 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bethlehem, PA.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public school based in University Park, PA.
University of Pennsylvania came in at #9 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA.
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia landed the #10 spot this year. Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA.
Duquesne University placed #11 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Duquesne University is a private not-for-profit institution.
La Salle University landed the #12 spot this year. Located in Philadelphia, PA, La Salle University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Robert Morris University ranked #13 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Moon Township, PA.
Saint Francis University placed #14 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit school based in Loretto, PA.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.