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No school ranked higher than Clemson University this year for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Clemson, SC, Clemson University is a public institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 12 schools 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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Learn more about these schools below:
No school ranked higher than Clemson University this year for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Clemson, SC, Clemson University is a public institution.
Furman University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division I), at #2. Furman University is a private not-for-profit school based in Greenville, SC.
University of South Carolina-Columbia landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division I). Based in Columbia, SC, University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution.
Wofford College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Spartanburg, SC.
Coastal Carolina University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division I). Located in Conway, SC, Coastal Carolina University is a public institution.
Citadel Military College of South Carolina came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Charleston, SC.
College of Charleston came in at #7 in this year's ranking. College of Charleston is a public school based in Charleston, SC.
Charleston Southern University placed #8 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division I). Charleston Southern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Charleston, SC.
Winthrop University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Located in Rock Hill, SC, Winthrop University is a public institution.
University of South Carolina-Upstate landed the #10 spot this year. University of South Carolina-Upstate is a public school based in Spartanburg, SC.
Presbyterian College did well this year, earning the #11 position. Located in Clinton, SC, Presbyterian College is a private not-for-profit institution.
South Carolina State University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division I). South Carolina State University is a public school based in Orangeburg, SC.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.