by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. Our ranking highlights 6 colleges for Men’s Football (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Colorado School of Mines tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Golden, CO, Colorado School of Mines is a public institution. Team revenue averages $21,572 per participant, with expenses of about $21,572 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,984 per athlete.
Western Colorado University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). Western Colorado University is a public school based in Gunnison, CO. Team revenue averages $14,434 per participant, with expenses of about $14,434 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,480 per athlete.
Fort Lewis College is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #3. Based in Durango, CO, Fort Lewis College is a public institution. The program generates about $12,615 in revenue per athlete, against $12,369 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $5,356 per athlete.
Colorado State University Pueblo ranked #4 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). Located in Pueblo, CO, Colorado State University Pueblo is a public institution. Team revenue averages $17,658 per participant, compared with $17,658 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,320.
Colorado Mesa University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). Located in Grand Junction, CO, Colorado Mesa University is a public institution. The program generates about $10,275 in revenue per athlete, against $10,536 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $4,175 per athlete.
Adams State University landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Alamosa, CO, Adams State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $8,905, with expenses of about $8,905 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,419.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled 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.