Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 11 colleges 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.
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Leading the list is Tulane University of Louisiana, our #1 college for Men's Football (Division I). Located in New Orleans, LA, Tulane University of Louisiana is a private not-for-profit institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 982, alongside a GSR of 94%. The federal graduation rate stands at 61%. The program generates about $191,989 in revenue per athlete, against $181,409 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $36,413 per athlete.
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #2 spot for Men's Football (Division I). Based in Baton Rouge, LA, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 971, alongside a GSR of 70%. Its federal graduation rate is 44%. Team revenue averages $1,022,295 per participant, against $441,205 in expenses. The school awards about $20,802 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Lafayette, LA, University of Louisiana at Lafayette is a public institution. The team's NCAA APR score is 962, with a Graduation Success Rate of 79%. About 60% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $104,553 per participant, against $104,553 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $14,444 per athlete.
Louisiana Tech University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division I), at #4. Located in Ruston, LA, Louisiana Tech University is a public institution. Louisiana Tech University records an NCAA APR of 934, alongside a GSR of 82%. Its federal graduation rate is 69%. Team revenue averages $99,305 per participant, against $99,305 in expenses. The school awards about $13,736 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of Louisiana at Monroe is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division I), at #5. Based in Monroe, LA, University of Louisiana at Monroe is a public institution. University of Louisiana at Monroe records an NCAA APR of 937, with a Graduation Success Rate of 78%. The federal graduation rate stands at 64%. The program generates about $66,435 in revenue per athlete, against $66,435 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $12,350.
McNeese State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. McNeese State University is a public school based in Lake Charles, LA. McNeese State University records an NCAA APR of 960, with a Graduation Success Rate of 66%. About 56% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $44,962, with expenses of about $44,962 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $9,441.
Grambling State University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Located in Grambling, LA, Grambling State University is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 946, with a Graduation Success Rate of 79%. The federal graduation rate stands at 66%. Team revenue averages $32,350 per participant, compared with $32,350 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $8,778 per athlete.
Nicholls State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division I). This public school is set in Thibodaux, LA. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 943, alongside a GSR of 80%. About 76% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $26,892, against $26,005 in expenses. The school awards about $6,823 in athletic aid per athlete.
Northwestern State University of Louisiana came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Located in Natchitoches, LA, Northwestern State University of Louisiana is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 931, with a Graduation Success Rate of 77%. The federal graduation rate stands at 59%. Team revenue averages $37,624 per participant, against $27,133 in expenses. The school awards about $12,805 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southeastern Louisiana University did well this year, earning the #10 position. This public school is set in Hammond, LA. Southeastern Louisiana University records an NCAA APR of 932, with a Graduation Success Rate of 78%. Its federal graduation rate is 53%. The program generates about $33,444 in revenue per athlete, against $33,444 in expenses. The school awards about $11,131 in athletic aid per athlete.
Southern University and A & M College landed the #11 spot this year. Based in Baton Rouge, LA, Southern University and A & M College is a public institution. Its student-athletes post an NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 930, and a 72% Graduation Success Rate. The federal graduation rate stands at 63%. The program generates about $29,072 in revenue per athlete, against $26,245 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $8,045.
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Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Programs are scored on 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.