by our College Data Analytics Team
Picking a college for your sport means looking beyond the field or court. This list ranks 30 programs for Men’s Football (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual scores each program on 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.
Not quite what you need? Use the shortcuts below.
Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Leading the list is University of Notre Dame, our #1 college for Men's Football (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Notre Dame, IN. The team's NCAA APR score is 994, and a 98% Graduation Success Rate. About 81% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $1,578,415 per participant, with expenses of about $752,063 per participant. Athletic aid averages $34,391 per athlete.
Northwestern University landed the #2 spot for Men's Football (Division I). This private not-for-profit school is set in Evanston, IL. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 993, with a Graduation Success Rate of 99%. The federal graduation rate stands at 97%. The program generates about $785,207 in revenue per athlete, against $347,723 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $53,919.
Ohio State University-Main Campus came in at #3 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division I). Located in Columbus, OH, Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 1000, with a Graduation Success Rate of 89%. The federal graduation rate stands at 60%. Team revenue averages $1,315,982 per participant, with expenses of about $757,044 per participant. Athletic aid averages $27,151 per athlete.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor landed the #4 spot for Men's Football (Division I). Based in Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 996, alongside a GSR of 89%. About 60% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,261,148, against $443,620 in expenses. The school awards about $28,650 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division I), at #5. This public school is set in Madison, WI. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 987, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. About 83% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $920,652, with expenses of about $335,274 per participant. The school awards about $21,586 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus landed the #6 spot this year. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public school based in Cincinnati, OH. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 992, alongside a GSR of 98%. Its federal graduation rate is 69%. Team revenue averages $253,577 per participant, compared with $253,577 spent per athlete. The school awards about $20,882 in athletic aid per athlete.
Indiana University-Bloomington placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division I). Located in Bloomington, IN, Indiana University-Bloomington is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 982, and a 88% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 67%. The program generates about $709,707 in revenue per athlete, compared with $440,417 spent per athlete. The school awards about $23,161 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Toledo came in at #8 in this year's ranking. University of Toledo is a public school based in Toledo, OH. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 982, with a Graduation Success Rate of 96%. About 71% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $103,478, with expenses of about $103,478 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $21,660.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division I). Based in Champaign, IL, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 973, and a 79% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 62%. Team revenue averages $738,989 per participant, with expenses of about $403,373 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $25,398.
Purdue University-Main Campus came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Purdue University-Main Campus is a public school based in West Lafayette, IN. The team's NCAA APR score is 968, with a Graduation Success Rate of 83%. About 61% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $659,873 per participant, against $295,184 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $19,382.
Michigan State University landed the #11 spot this year. Located in East Lansing, MI, Michigan State University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 967, alongside a GSR of 76%. About 65% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $647,770, with expenses of about $405,276 per participant. Athletic aid averages $22,500 per athlete.
University of Dayton placed #12 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division I). University of Dayton is a private not-for-profit school based in Dayton, OH. The team's NCAA APR score is 992, with a Graduation Success Rate of 95%. Team revenue averages $4,403 per participant, compared with $18,650 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,913.
Ball State University landed the #13 spot this year. Ball State University is a public school based in Muncie, IN. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 987, with a Graduation Success Rate of 84%. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $66,584, compared with $66,584 spent per athlete. The school awards about $16,206 in athletic aid per athlete.
Miami University-Oxford came in at #14 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Oxford, OH. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 952, and a 94% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $68,431, with expenses of about $68,431 per participant. The school awards about $17,790 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northern Illinois University came in at #15 in this year's ranking. Northern Illinois University is a public school based in Dekalb, IL. Northern Illinois University records an NCAA APR of 974, alongside a GSR of 84%. The federal graduation rate stands at 65%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $92,651, compared with $92,302 spent per athlete. The school awards about $16,138 in athletic aid per athlete.
Ohio University-Main Campus placed #16 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division I). Ohio University-Main Campus is a public school based in Athens, OH. Ohio University-Main Campus records an NCAA APR of 963, alongside a GSR of 84%. About 68% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $79,504 per participant, compared with $79,504 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $17,284 per athlete.
Eastern Michigan University landed the #17 spot this year. Located in Ypsilanti, MI, Eastern Michigan University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 978, with a Graduation Success Rate of 86%. The federal graduation rate stands at 60%. Team revenue averages $93,107 per participant, compared with $93,107 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $16,547 per athlete.
Western Michigan University came in at #18 in this year's ranking. Located in Kalamazoo, MI, Western Michigan University is a public institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 957, with a Graduation Success Rate of 82%. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $100,969, against $100,969 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $19,248 per athlete.
Butler University landed the #19 spot this year. Located in Indianapolis, IN, Butler University is a private not-for-profit institution. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 978, and a 95% Graduation Success Rate. Team revenue averages $12,590 per participant, with expenses of about $11,948 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,113.
Illinois State University landed the #20 spot this year. Illinois State University is a public school based in Normal, IL. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 980, with a Graduation Success Rate of 88%. The federal graduation rate stands at 58%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $39,994, with expenses of about $39,994 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,477.
Kent State University at Kent did well this year, earning the #21 position. Located in Kent, OH, Kent State University at Kent is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 961, and a 86% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $94,103, compared with $94,103 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $13,976.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus did well this year, earning the #22 position. Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a public school based in Bowling Green, OH. The team's NCAA APR score is 963, and a 75% Graduation Success Rate. About 54% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $99,599 per participant, against $101,710 in expenses. The school awards about $16,840 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale did well this year, earning the #23 position. Located in Carbondale, IL, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 970, alongside a GSR of 87%. About 61% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $48,092 in revenue per athlete, against $48,092 in expenses. The school awards about $11,525 in athletic aid per athlete.
Central Michigan University did well this year, earning the #24 position. This public school is set in Mount Pleasant, MI. The team's NCAA APR score is 942, and a 81% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. The program generates about $95,151 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $95,151 per participant. Athletic aid averages $12,123 per athlete.
Indiana State University placed #25 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division I). Indiana State University is a public school based in Terre Haute, IN. The team's NCAA APR score is 984, with a Graduation Success Rate of 80%. About 52% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $42,391 per participant, with expenses of about $42,391 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,961.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.