by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 6 schools for Men’s Football (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, 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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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Ashland University earned the #1 spot in this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Ashland, OH, Ashland University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $16,633 per participant, with expenses of about $16,633 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,808 per athlete.
Walsh University earned the #2 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in North Canton, OH. The program generates about $14,135 in revenue per athlete, compared with $13,419 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,087 in athletic aid per athlete.
Tiffin University earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Tiffin, OH, Tiffin University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $13,351 per participant, against $13,351 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,785.
Ohio Dominican University came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Columbus, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,490, compared with $10,078 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $4,323 per athlete.
Lake Erie College came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Painesville, OH. The program generates about $9,998 in revenue per athlete, against $9,998 in expenses. The school awards about $6,781 in athletic aid per athlete.
Central State University did well this year, earning the #6 position. Central State University is a public school based in Wilberforce, OH. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,469, against $10,469 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,799.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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.