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Austin College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Sherman, TX.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 12 programs for Student Athletes (Division III) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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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Learn more about these schools below:
Austin College earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). This private not-for-profit school is set in Sherman, TX.
University of Dallas came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Irving, TX, University of Dallas is a private not-for-profit institution.
LeTourneau University landed the #3 spot for Student Athletes (Division III). LeTourneau University is a private not-for-profit school based in Longview, TX.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor landed the #4 spot for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Belton, TX, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a private not-for-profit institution.
Texas Lutheran University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division III). Based in Seguin, TX, Texas Lutheran University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Hardin-Simmons University landed the #6 spot this year. Hardin-Simmons University is a private not-for-profit school based in Abilene, TX.
East Texas Baptist University landed the #7 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Marshall, TX.
Schreiner University placed #8 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Kerrville, TX, Schreiner University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Concordia University Texas did well this year, earning the #9 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Austin, TX.
McMurry University landed the #10 spot this year. McMurry University is a private not-for-profit school based in Abilene, TX.
Howard Payne University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Howard Payne University is a private not-for-profit school based in Brownwood, TX.
Sul Ross State University placed #12 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division III). Located in Alpine, TX, Sul Ross State University is a public institution.
*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
See our data sources and methodologies.