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No school ranked higher than Eckerd College this year for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Saint Petersburg, FL.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 12 schools for Student Athletes (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual evaluates each program using 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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Explore the leading programs below:
No school ranked higher than Eckerd College this year for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Saint Petersburg, FL.
Nova Southeastern University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Rollins College landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Winter Park, FL, Rollins College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Florida Institute of Technology is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #4. Located in Melbourne, FL, Florida Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution.
Florida Southern College earned the #5 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lakeland, FL.
Lynn University placed #6 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Boca Raton, FL, Lynn University is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of West Florida ranked #7 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Pensacola, FL, University of West Florida is a public institution.
Palm Beach Atlantic University placed #8 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in West Palm Beach, FL, Palm Beach Atlantic University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Flagler College ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Saint Augustine, FL, Flagler College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Barry University did well this year, earning the #10 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Miami, FL.
Saint Leo University ranked #11 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Saint Leo University is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Leo, FL.
Edward Waters University did well this year, earning the #12 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Jacksonville, FL.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.