by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. We have ranked 6 programs 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.
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Explore the leading programs below:
Our analysis found Colorado School of Mines to be the best college for Men's Football (Division II) in Colorado. Located in Golden, CO, Colorado School of Mines is a public institution. The program generates about $21,572 in revenue per athlete, against $21,572 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,984.
Western Colorado University ranked #2 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). This public school is set in Gunnison, CO. Team revenue averages $14,434 per participant, with expenses of about $14,434 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,480.
Fort Lewis College earned the #3 place for student athletes. Based in Durango, CO, Fort Lewis College is a public institution. Team revenue averages $12,615 per participant, compared with $12,369 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,356 in athletic aid per athlete.
Colorado State University Pueblo came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). This public school is set in Pueblo, CO. 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 earned the #5 place for student athletes. Colorado Mesa University is a public school based in Grand Junction, CO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,275, against $10,536 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $4,175.
Adams State University came in at #6 in this year's ranking. Located in Alamosa, CO, Adams State University is a public institution. The program generates about $8,905 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $8,905 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,419 per athlete.
*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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.