by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 5 programs for Men’s Football (Division I) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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.
Not quite what you need? Use the shortcuts below.
Learn more about these schools below:
Our analysis found University of Michigan-Ann Arbor to be the best college for Men's Football (Division I) in Michigan. Located 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, and a 89% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 60%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $1,261,148, compared with $443,620 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $28,650 per athlete.
Michigan State University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division I). Michigan State University is a public school based in East Lansing, MI. Athletes here earn an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 967, with a Graduation Success Rate of 76%. The federal graduation rate stands at 65%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $647,770, compared with $405,276 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $22,500 per athlete.
Western Michigan University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Western Michigan University is a public school based in Kalamazoo, MI. The team's NCAA APR score is 957, alongside a GSR of 82%. About 62% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $100,969 in revenue per athlete, against $100,969 in expenses. The school awards about $19,248 in athletic aid per athlete.
Eastern Michigan University landed the #4 spot for Men's Football (Division I). This public school is set in Ypsilanti, MI. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 978, and a 86% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 60%. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $93,107, against $93,107 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $16,547 per athlete.
Central Michigan University earned the #5 place for student athletes. Based in Mount Pleasant, MI, Central Michigan University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 942, alongside a GSR of 81%. About 64% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. The program generates about $95,151 in revenue per athlete, compared with $95,151 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $12,123 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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.