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Leading the list is Carnegie Mellon University, our #1 college for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 47 schools for Student Athletes (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is Carnegie Mellon University, our #1 college for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Swarthmore College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Swarthmore College is a private not-for-profit school based in Swarthmore, PA.
Haverford College landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Haverford, PA, Haverford College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Franklin and Marshall College is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division III), at #4. Franklin and Marshall College is a private not-for-profit school based in Lancaster, PA.
Gettysburg College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Gettysburg, PA.
Muhlenberg College landed the #6 spot this year. Located in Allentown, PA, Muhlenberg College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Dickinson College came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Carlisle, PA, Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of Scranton ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Scranton, PA, University of Scranton is a private not-for-profit institution.
Elizabethtown College came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Elizabethtown, PA, Elizabethtown College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Messiah University ranked #10 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Messiah University is a private not-for-profit school based in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Ursinus College landed the #11 spot this year. Ursinus College is a private not-for-profit school based in Collegeville, PA.
Moravian University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Bethlehem, PA, Moravian University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Susquehanna University came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Based in Selinsgrove, PA, Susquehanna University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Saint Vincent College ranked #14 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Latrobe, PA, Saint Vincent College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Allegheny College landed the #15 spot this year. Allegheny College is a private not-for-profit school based in Meadville, PA.
Lebanon Valley College did well this year, earning the #16 position. Located in Annville, PA, Lebanon Valley College is a private not-for-profit institution.
DeSales University ranked #17 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Center Valley, PA, DeSales University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Juniata College did well this year, earning the #18 position. Located in Huntingdon, PA, Juniata College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Marywood University landed the #19 spot this year. Located in Scranton, PA, Marywood University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Lancaster Bible College landed the #20 spot this year. Lancaster Bible College is a private not-for-profit school based in Lancaster, PA.
Misericordia University placed #21 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Dallas, PA, Misericordia University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Arcadia University ranked #22 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Glenside, PA.
Widener University ranked #23 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Chester, PA, Widener University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Wilkes University did well this year, earning the #24 position. Located in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Wilkes University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Chatham University placed #25 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Chatham University is a private not-for-profit school based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published 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.