2026 Best Colleges for Student Athletes (Division III) in New Hampshire

Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. We have ranked 5 programs for Student Athletes (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

So you can compare your options, 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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Top 5 Colleges for Student Athletes (Division III)

Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:

1

Rivier University
Nashua, NH

82% Academic Quality Percentile

Our analysis found Rivier University to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division III) in New Hampshire. This private not-for-profit school is set in Nashua, NH.

2

Colby-Sawyer College
New London, NH

74% Academic Quality Percentile

Colby-Sawyer College earned the #2 place for student athletes. Located in New London, NH, Colby-Sawyer College is a private not-for-profit institution.

3

Keene State College
Keene, NH

77% Academic Quality Percentile

Keene State College landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division III). Keene State College is a public school based in Keene, NH.

4

Plymouth State University
Plymouth, NH

77% Academic Quality Percentile

Plymouth State University is one of the top schools for Student Athletes (Division III), at #4. This public school is set in Plymouth, NH.

5

New England College
Henniker, NH

72% Academic Quality Percentile

New England College ranked #5 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Henniker, NH, New England College is a private not-for-profit institution.

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Notes and References

*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

• NCAA Academic Progress Rate & Graduation Success Rate — National Collegiate Athletic Association (athlete academic outcomes).
• Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education (team participation, revenue, expenses, and aid).
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics (institutional data).

Read more about our data sources and methodologies.