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Wake Forest University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Winston-Salem, NC, Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. Our ranking highlights 19 programs 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:
Wake Forest University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Winston-Salem, NC, Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Duke University landed the #2 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). Duke University is a private not-for-profit school based in Durham, NC.
Elon University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Elon, NC, Elon University is a private not-for-profit institution.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public institution.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #5. This public school is set in Chapel Hill, NC.
High Point University did well this year, earning the #6 position. High Point University is a private not-for-profit school based in High Point, NC.
Davidson College placed #7 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Davidson, NC, Davidson College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Campbell University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Campbell University is a private not-for-profit school based in Buies Creek, NC.
East Carolina University placed #9 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Greenville, NC, East Carolina University is a public institution.
Appalachian State University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Boone, NC, Appalachian State University is a public institution.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Located in Charlotte, NC, University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public institution.
University of North Carolina Wilmington came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Based in Wilmington, NC, University of North Carolina Wilmington is a public institution.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #13 in this year's ranking. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public school based in Greensboro, NC.
Queens University of Charlotte came in at #14 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Charlotte, NC.
Gardner-Webb University landed the #15 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Boiling Springs, NC.
University of North Carolina Asheville ranked #16 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). This public school is set in Asheville, NC.
North Carolina Central University ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). North Carolina Central University is a public school based in Durham, NC.
Western Carolina University did well this year, earning the #18 position. Located in Cullowhee, NC, Western Carolina University is a public institution.
North Carolina A & T State University came in at #19 in this year's ranking. Located in Greensboro, NC, North Carolina A & T State University is a public institution.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.