2026 Best Colleges for Student Athletes (Division III) in Kentucky

Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. Our ranking highlights 5 colleges for Student Athletes (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.

To arm you with the information you need, 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)

Learn more about these schools below:

1

Centre College
Danville, KY

84% Academic Quality Percentile

Centre College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Centre College is a private not-for-profit school based in Danville, KY.

2

Transylvania University
Lexington, KY

74% Academic Quality Percentile

Transylvania University earned the #2 place for student athletes. Transylvania University is a private not-for-profit school based in Lexington, KY.

3

Asbury University
Wilmore, KY

81% Academic Quality Percentile

Asbury University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Asbury University is a private not-for-profit school based in Wilmore, KY.

4

Berea College
Berea, KY

79% Academic Quality Percentile

Berea College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Berea, KY, Berea College is a private not-for-profit institution.

5

Spalding University
Louisville, KY

74% Academic Quality Percentile

Spalding University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Spalding University is a private not-for-profit school based in Louisville, KY.

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Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.

This list is compiled 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.