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University of Alabama in Huntsville earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). University of Alabama in Huntsville is a public school based in Huntsville, AL.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 7 programs for Student Athletes (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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:
University of Alabama in Huntsville earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). University of Alabama in Huntsville is a public school based in Huntsville, AL.
Spring Hill College landed the #2 spot for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Mobile, AL, Spring Hill College is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of West Alabama earned the #3 place for student athletes. Located in Livingston, AL, University of West Alabama is a public institution.
Auburn University at Montgomery came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Montgomery, AL, Auburn University at Montgomery is a public institution.
Tuskegee University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Tuskegee, AL, Tuskegee University is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Montevallo ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). University of Montevallo is a public school based in Montevallo, AL.
Miles College did well this year, earning the #7 position. Based in Fairfield, AL, Miles College 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. 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.