1
Case Western Reserve University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Cleveland, OH.
by our College Data Analytics TeamPicking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 20 schools for Student Athletes (Division III) 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.
Not quite what you need? Jump to the options below.
Explore the leading programs below:
Case Western Reserve University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Cleveland, OH.
Denison University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Granville, OH, Denison University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Kenyon College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Gambier, OH, Kenyon College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Oberlin College earned the #4 place for student athletes. Based in Oberlin, OH, Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution.
John Carroll University ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in University Heights, OH, John Carroll University is a private not-for-profit institution.
The College of Wooster did well this year, earning the #6 position. The College of Wooster is a private not-for-profit school based in Wooster, OH.
Ohio Northern University did well this year, earning the #7 position. Located in Ada, OH, Ohio Northern University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Franciscan University of Steubenville landed the #8 spot this year. Located in Steubenville, OH, Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private not-for-profit institution.
Baldwin Wallace University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Located in Berea, OH, Baldwin Wallace University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Otterbein University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Located in Westerville, OH, Otterbein University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Capital University landed the #11 spot this year. Capital University is a private not-for-profit school based in Columbus, OH.
Ohio Wesleyan University came in at #12 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Delaware, OH.
University of Mount Union came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Located in Alliance, OH, University of Mount Union is a private not-for-profit institution.
Marietta College ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Marietta, OH, Marietta College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Mount St. Joseph University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Based in Cincinnati, OH, Mount St. Joseph University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Wittenberg University ranked #16 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Springfield, OH, Wittenberg University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Hiram College placed #17 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Hiram College is a private not-for-profit school based in Hiram, OH.
Muskingum University came in at #18 in this year's ranking. Based in New Concord, OH, Muskingum University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Heidelberg University placed #19 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Tiffin, OH, Heidelberg University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Bluffton University landed the #20 spot this year. Bluffton University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bluffton, OH.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.