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Rockhurst University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Kansas City, MO.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. Our ranking highlights 12 programs for Student Athletes (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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:
Rockhurst University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Kansas City, MO.
Maryville University of Saint Louis landed the #2 spot for Student Athletes (Division II). Maryville University of Saint Louis is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Louis, MO.
Drury University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #3. Located in Springfield, MO, Drury University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Missouri University of Science and Technology is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #4. Based in Rolla, MO, Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution.
William Jewell College is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division II), at #5. Located in Liberty, MO, William Jewell College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Truman State University landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Kirksville, MO, Truman State University is a public institution.
Northwest Missouri State University placed #7 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Maryville, MO, Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution.
University of Missouri-St Louis did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Saint Louis, MO.
Missouri Western State University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Saint Joseph, MO, Missouri Western State University is a public institution.
Southwest Baptist University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Based in Bolivar, MO, Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Central Missouri placed #11 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). University of Central Missouri is a public school based in Warrensburg, MO.
Missouri Southern State University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Missouri Southern State University is a public school based in Joplin, MO.
*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.
