by our College Data Analytics Team
Choosing a college as a student athlete means weighing both the classroom and the competition. This list ranks 8 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:
William Jewell College tops our 2026 ranking of the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). William Jewell College is a private not-for-profit school based in Liberty, MO. Team revenue averages $17,566 per participant, compared with $17,469 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,219.
Northwest Missouri State University is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #2. This public school is set in Maryville, MO. Team revenue averages $24,948 per participant, against $24,948 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,287 per athlete.
Missouri University of Science and Technology is one of the top schools for Men's Football (Division II), at #3. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public school based in Rolla, MO. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $14,768, compared with $14,768 spent per athlete. The school awards about $5,772 in athletic aid per athlete.
Truman State University earned the #4 place for student athletes. Truman State University is a public school based in Kirksville, MO. Team revenue averages $14,989 per participant, with expenses of about $14,989 per participant. Athletic aid averages $3,206 per athlete.
Southwest Baptist University landed the #5 spot for Men's Football (Division II). Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit school based in Bolivar, MO. Team revenue averages $15,409 per participant, with expenses of about $15,409 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,015 per athlete.
Missouri Western State University landed the #6 spot this year. Missouri Western State University is a public school based in Saint Joseph, MO. Team revenue averages $22,067 per participant, with expenses of about $21,034 per participant. Athletic aid averages $7,151 per athlete.
University of Central Missouri placed #7 among the best colleges for Men's Football (Division II). University of Central Missouri is a public school based in Warrensburg, MO. Team revenue averages $18,482 per participant, with expenses of about $18,482 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $5,385.
Missouri Southern State University did well this year, earning the #8 position. This public school is set in Joplin, MO. The program generates about $15,352 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,016 per participant. Athletic aid averages $5,261 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
