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Oklahoma Baptist University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Shawnee, OK, Oklahoma Baptist 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. We have ranked 11 schools for Student Athletes (Division II) 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Jump to the options below.
Explore the leading programs below:
Oklahoma Baptist University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Shawnee, OK, Oklahoma Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Oklahoma Christian University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Oklahoma Christian University is a private not-for-profit school based in Edmond, OK.
Southern Nazarene University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Bethany, OK, Southern Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Northeastern State University earned the #4 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Tahlequah, OK.
University of Central Oklahoma earned the #5 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Edmond, OK.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Weatherford, OK, Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a public institution.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University placed #7 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Durant, OK, Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a public institution.
Rogers State University did well this year, earning the #8 position. Located in Claremore, OK, Rogers State University is a public institution.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Alva, OK, Northwestern Oklahoma State University is a public institution.
Cameron University did well this year, earning the #10 position. Located in Lawton, OK, Cameron University is a public institution.
East Central University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Based in Ada, OK, East Central University is a public institution.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.
