by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 13 schools for Men’s Football (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, 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. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Here are the top-ranked colleges for student athletes:
Catawba College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Salisbury, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,562, with expenses of about $14,062 per participant. The school awards about $9,164 in athletic aid per athlete.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #2. Located in Hickory, NC, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,231, with expenses of about $15,231 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,094 per athlete.
Winston-Salem State University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Winston-Salem, NC, Winston-Salem State University is a public institution. Team revenue averages $18,500 per participant, against $18,500 in expenses. The school awards about $6,441 in athletic aid per athlete.
Barton College is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #4. Based in Wilson, NC, Barton College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $9,516 in revenue per athlete, against $9,516 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,654.
Wingate University came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Men's Football (Division II). Located in Wingate, NC, Wingate University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,017, against $10,717 in expenses. The school awards about $6,748 in athletic aid per athlete.
Fayetteville State University landed the #6 spot this year. Based in Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,114, against $18,114 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,674.
Johnson C Smith University landed the #7 spot this year. Johnson C Smith University is a private not-for-profit school based in Charlotte, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $17,164, against $17,164 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,550.
Mars Hill University ranked #8 on our 2026 list for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Mars Hill, NC, Mars Hill University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $12,672 per participant, with expenses of about $12,672 per participant. The school awards about $6,311 in athletic aid per athlete.
Elizabeth City State University placed #9 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). Based in Elizabeth City, NC, Elizabeth City State University is a public institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $9,618, against $9,618 in expenses. The school awards about $3,147 in athletic aid per athlete.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke did well this year, earning the #10 position. This public school is set in Pembroke, NC. Team revenue averages $9,564 per participant, with expenses of about $9,494 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $3,165.
Shaw University did well this year, earning the #11 position. Located in Raleigh, NC, Shaw University is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $11,751, compared with $11,751 spent per athlete. The school awards about $7,825 in athletic aid per athlete.
Livingstone College landed the #12 spot this year. Based in Salisbury, NC, Livingstone College is a private not-for-profit institution. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $15,183, compared with $13,722 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $6,211 per athlete.
Chowan University came in at #13 in this year's ranking. Located in Murfreesboro, NC, Chowan University is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $8,689 per participant, compared with $8,689 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,571.
*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
More about our data sources and methodologies.