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No school ranked higher than Bowdoin College this year for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Brunswick, ME, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 58 colleges for Student Athletes (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs 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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No school ranked higher than Bowdoin College this year for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Brunswick, ME, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Tufts University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Medford, MA.
Williams College is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division III), at #3. Williams College is a private not-for-profit school based in Williamstown, MA.
Amherst College ranked #4 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Amherst College is a private not-for-profit school based in Amherst, MA.
Middlebury College earned the #5 place for student athletes. Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit school based in Middlebury, VT.
Bates College landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Lewiston, ME, Bates College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution.
Wellesley College did well this year, earning the #8 position. Located in Wellesley, MA, Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Babson College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Located in Wellesley, MA, Babson College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Colby College landed the #10 spot this year. Based in Waterville, ME, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Brandeis University landed the #11 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Waltham, MA.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit school based in Worcester, MA.
Emerson College came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Emerson College is a private not-for-profit school based in Boston, MA.
Connecticut College came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Connecticut College is a private not-for-profit school based in New London, CT.
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) ranked #15 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Norton, MA, Wheaton College (Massachusetts) is a private not-for-profit institution.
Endicott College placed #16 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Beverly, MA, Endicott College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Springfield College landed the #17 spot this year. Based in Springfield, MA, Springfield College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Wentworth Institute of Technology came in at #18 in this year's ranking. Wentworth Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit school based in Boston, MA.
Salve Regina University ranked #19 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division III). Salve Regina University is a private not-for-profit school based in Newport, RI.
Gordon College did well this year, earning the #20 position. Gordon College is a private not-for-profit school based in Wenham, MA.
Western New England University landed the #21 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Springfield, MA.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy did well this year, earning the #22 position. Based in Buzzards Bay, MA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public institution.
Roger Williams University landed the #23 spot this year. Roger Williams University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bristol, RI.
Suffolk University did well this year, earning the #24 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Boston, MA.
Maine Maritime Academy placed #25 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). This public school is set in Castine, ME.
These schools rounded out the top of the list:
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.