by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. We have ranked 10 schools for Men’s Football (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, 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.
Looking for a different division or a related ranking? Pick a path below.
Learn more about these schools below:
Seton Hill University tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Greensburg, PA, Seton Hill University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $13,963 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $13,963 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,657.
Gannon University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #2. Located in Erie, PA, Gannon University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $21,270 in revenue per athlete, against $21,176 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $9,313 per athlete.
Mercyhurst University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #3. Located in Erie, PA, Mercyhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. Mercyhurst University records an NCAA APR of 961, alongside a GSR of 65%. About 57% of athletes graduate under the federal rate. Team revenue averages $22,584 per participant, against $22,584 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $14,194.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). This public school is set in West Chester, PA. Team revenue averages $10,889 per participant, against $9,632 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $2,168 per athlete.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania earned the #5 place for student athletes. This public school is set in Slippery Rock, PA. Team revenue averages $13,000 per participant, against $12,857 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $2,028 per athlete.
Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division II). Located in Millersville, PA, Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public institution. Team revenue averages $12,744 per participant, against $12,744 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $2,830.
Chestnut Hill College came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Chestnut Hill College is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. The program generates about $2,087 in revenue per athlete, compared with $1,972 spent per athlete. The school awards about $4,192 in athletic aid per athlete.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Kutztown, PA. Team revenue averages $13,454 per participant, with expenses of about $12,021 per participant. Athletic aid averages $1,904 per athlete.
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division II). This public school is set in Shippensburg, PA. Team revenue averages $11,233 per participant, against $12,525 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $2,132 per athlete.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #10 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in East Stroudsburg, PA. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $12,570, with expenses of about $11,566 per participant. Athletic aid averages $2,313 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.